Republicans from Brown, Watonwan and Redwood counties struggled Thursday night to agree on who should succeed state Rep. Brad Finstad of Comfrey, who decided not to seek a fourth term in the House.

After seven rounds of balloting and the clock closing in on 11 p.m., St. James farmer Paul Torkelson and Sleepy Eye farmer Greg Bartz were still battling to reach the 60 percent support required to get the Republican Party endorsement, according to Brown County Republican Chairman Gerald Woodley.

Torkelson, who grows corn and soybeans and raises hogs, had a 49-37 vote lead but needed 53 to reach 60 percent.

Bartz is a farmer, a veterinarian and former member of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors.

The night began as a four-candidate contest with Ruthie Hendrycks, a dental hygienist from Hanska, and Dean Simonsen, a Sleepy Eye farmer, also seeking the endorsement.

Springfield Community Center gave Bartz the early lead with 38 votes on the first ballot, followed by Torkelson’s 26. Hendrycks and Simonsen trailed with 13 and 12 votes.

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