Tag: Caitlin Cahill

Iverson & Plechash Win Wayzata City Council Race, Incumbents Retain State, National Seats

November 4th, 2020

While much is still undecided at the national level of the 2020 election, we know how things shook out closer to home.

Cathy Iverson and Alex Plechash

Wayzata City Council

Wayzata Planning Commissioner Cathy Iverson and current Wayzata City Council member Alex Plechash came out on top of a four-candidate race Tuesday.

Iverson received 1,416 votes (31.38%) while Plechash was re-elected with 1,133 votes. (25.11%).

Another planning commissioner, Jeff Parkhill, gathered 993 votes (22.01%).

Meanwhile, current City Councilmember Dan Koch finished fourth with 925 votes (20.50%).

Current City Councilmember Johanna McCarthy won her bid for mayor. She ran unopposed.

Minnesota Senate District 33

Republican incumbent Sen. David Osmek retains his Minnesota Senate District 33 seat with win over Democratic challenger Gretchen Piper. Osmek had 53.98% of the vote. Piper had 45.96%.

Minnesota House District 33A

Republican incumbent Rep. Jerry Hertaus has defeated Democratic challenger Caitlin Cahill to retain Minnesota House District 33A. Hertaus had 58.06% of the vote while Cahill had 41.90%.

U.S. Congressional District 3

Incumbent Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips has defeated Republican challenger Kendall Qualls in the U.S. House District 3. Phillips had 55.58% of the vote while Qualls had 44.35%.

Hennepin County Commissioner District 6

Chris LaTondresse will replace Hennepin County Commissioner Jan Callison with win over Dario Anselmo. LaTondresse won with 52.55% of the vote.
Election 2020: The Races Unique To Wayzata Residents

November 1st, 2020

There are high-profile election races this year such as the one for President that are making headlines.

But there are several decisions voters will need to make that are at much more local level.

Wayzata is a good example with several races to be uniquely decided by the city’s residents.

Wayzata.com has been tracking local elections throughout 2020 – you can see previous coverage here.

City Council

First off, Wayzata will have a new mayor in 2021 and the make up of the city council will change too.

Current Mayor Ken Willcox is not seeking re-election after 12 years as mayor.

City Councilmember Johanna McCarthy is the only person to throw her hat in the ring for the mayor’s seat. Barring a major write-in campaign of another candidate, McCarthy will be Wayzata’s next mayor.

McCarthy moving a few seats down in the city council chamber will open up an opportunity for an appointment. We’ll get to that in a bit.

Meanwhile, four candidates are competing for two council seats. Incumbents Dan Koch and Alex Plechash are seeking re-election. Planning Commissioners Cathy Iverson and Jeffrey Parkhill running to join the council.

Assuming McCarthy becomes the city’s next mayor, no matter who wins the council race, there will be a vacancy to fill.

McCarthy will vacate her council seat for the mayoral seat. The council will then need to appoint someone for McCarthy’s seat. The drama of the Wayzata city elections will carry over into 2021 with the decision of the appointment.

Minnesota House

Democratic candidate Caitlin Cahill is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Jerry Hertaus for the Minnesota House District 33A seat.

Hertaus was first elected to the legislature in 2012.

He serves on the House Property and Local Tax Division, State Government Finance Division, Subcommittee on Local Government, and Ways and Means Committees.

Hertaus is a business owner and lives in Greenfield.

Cahill grew up in Plymouth and graduated from the Wayzata Schools. She is serving in her second term as a city council member in Maple Plain.

In a previous interview with Wayzata.com, Cahill stated, “We live in some of the fastest-growing communities in the state, and we need practical, forward-thinking representation to match that growth. Business as usual will not suffice. I will make it a priority to listen to constituents and develop data-driven solutions to make our communities even better.”

Minnesota Senate

Democratic candidate Gretchen Piper is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. David Osmek for the Minnesota Senate District 33 seat.

Osmek was first elected to the legislature in 2012.

He serves as Chair of the Senate Energy and Utilities Finance and Policy Committee.

He is a healthcare consultant and lives in Mound.

Piper is a business owner who grew up in Hamel, and now lives in Wayzata.

In a previous interview with Wayzata.com, Piper stated, “I’m running to put our shared values into action, not the values of a political party. I’m committed to listening to you and being part of constructive, common sense solutions that benefit our communities – all of us.”

Third Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips is up for re-election in Minnesota Congressional District 3.

Phillips, a Democrat, defeated Republican Erik Paulsen in 2018.

Phillips is a member of the House Ethics, Financial Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, as well as the Democracy Reform Task Force and the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

His challenger is Republican Kendall Qualls.

Qualls grew up in New York and served in the U.S. Army.

He later worked in the healthcare industry for several companies including Medtronic.

Hennepin County Commissioner

Jan Callison is not seeking reelection to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners serving the 6th District.

Dario Anselmo and Chris Latondresse are squaring off for the seat.

Anselmo has lived in Edina for 20 years and has worked in the commercial real estate business for 28 years.

Latondresse grew up and raised his family in Hopkins and is currently the Vice-Chair of the Hopkins School Board.

Three Rivers Park District

Incumbent Three Rivers Park District Board Member Marge Beard is running unopposed for the District 1 seat.

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Along with other Minnesotans, Wayzatans will also vote for President and a U.S. Senate seat.
Democratic Candidate Challenging Incumbent Republican For Minnesota House District 33A Seat

August 2nd, 2020

A Democratic candidate is challenging an incumbent Republican for the Minnesota House District 33A seat.

The City of Wayzata falls in House District 33A.

Rep. Jerry Hertaus

Wayzata.com reached out to incumbent Jerry Hertaus and did not receive a response to our questions.

Hertaus was first elected to the legislature in 2012.

Caitlin Cahill

His opponent, Democrat Caitlin Cahill, answered the following questioned posed by Wayzata.com:

Why run?

As a lifelong Minnesotan and longtime resident of this district, I have first-hand insight into the values and challenges of our community. We live in some of the fastest-growing communities in the state, and we need practical, forward-thinking representation to match that growth. Business as usual will not suffice. I will make it a priority to listen to constituents and develop data-driven solutions to make our communities even better.

How has your background/experience prepared you for this position?

As a city council member and a former county library board member, I have over a decade of experience developing effective public policy, and I understand the interconnectedness of local government from municipal to county to the state. As a small business owner, I know the importance of open communication, which includes being available and listening to people’s concerns to identify pain points.

Tell me about your family.

My family has a tradition of public service. From my grandfathers who served in the military to my parents and siblings who have all worked in public institutions, including local schools, county government, and state services. My three siblings and I grew up in Plymouth and all graduated from the Wayzata Schools. Growing up, we enjoyed Minnesota’s wonderful outdoors, with many family road trips to state parks.

What do you see as the priorities in District 33A?

Many of our cities need support upgrading their water and sewer infrastructure to ensure safe drinking water, to protect our environment from pollution, and reduce costs to residents. We also have several roadways, such as Highway 12, in need of safety upgrades. As such, I would prioritize a robust jobs & local projects bill, which would also help counteract some of the effects of the pandemic on our construction industry. I have also heard from many small businesses and parents about the struggles of slow internet, as commerce and schools moved online due to the pandemic; I would also prioritize reliable high-speed internet across the state. Ensuring economic security and affordable healthcare for all will always be a priority for me as a legislator.

Tag: Caitlin Cahill

Iverson & Plechash Win Wayzata City Council Race, Incumbents Retain State, National Seats

Election 2020: The Races Unique To Wayzata Residents

Democratic Candidate Challenging Incumbent Republican For Minnesota House District 33A Seat