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Second ballot: Abeler, Moreno out, Dahlberg retains lead

Dahlberg retains strong showing

By Abby Simons

May 31, 2014 at 3:58AM

St. Louis County Commissioner Chris Dahlberg remains in the lead for the Minnesota GOP U.S. Senate endorsement, while candidates Jim Abeler and Monti Moreno are out following the second round of balloting. The two failed to receive the minimum five percent of votes to remain on the ballot. Abeler has said he intends to run in the primary, while Moreno has pledged to abide by the delegates' endorsement

Here are the results:

Chris Dahlberg: 647 votes, 33 percent

Mike McFadden: 497 votes, 25 percent

Julianne Ortman: 401 votes, 20 percent

Phillip Parrish: 331 votes, 16.9 percent

Jim Abeler: 59 votes, 3 percent - Dropped

Monti Moreno: 13 votes, .6 percent - Dropped

The ballot follows a surprise upset in the first round by Dahlberg, who showed a narrow lead with 25 percent of votes among the six candidates. Businessman Mike McFadden and State Sen. Julianne Ortman closely trailed him. His enthusiastic backers, who chanted his name on the floor, weren't surprised.

"Right now we're pumped," said Dan Lubahn, a Dahlberg supporter and loss prevention specialist from Aurora. "We've got some chances of putting a dent in the Democrat machine here."

about the writer

Abby Simons

Team Leader

Abby Simons is the Minnesota Star Tribune's Public Safety Editor. Her team covers crime and courts across the metro. She joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2008 and previously reported on crime, courts and politics.