If Mankato-area voters like their state Senate candidates well-seasoned, they’ve got a pair of pretty solid choices on the menu on Nov. 7.

Democrat Kathy Sheran of Mankato spent 16 years on the Mankato City Council, is a registered nurse and has spent more than a decade as an instructor and assistant professor of nursing.

Republican Mark Piepho of Skyline has been a mayor, spent nine years in the state House and Senate starting in 1978 and manages a family-owned business.

The duo have been campaigning for nearly a year, jumping into the race just days after Sen. John Hottinger, DFL-St. Peter, announced his plans to retire after 16 years in the Senate.

The race has been extremely polite and courteous to date, although both candidates are showing the wear of 12 months of campaigning.

Sheran made clear that the forums before various groups are starting to run together. She wouldn’t even venture a guess at how many she and Piepho have participated in.

“I haven’t got the slightest idea,” she said laughing.

Piepho, after letting out a large yawn during a late morning interview recently, guessed there have been close to 10 — mostly in the last few weeks.

“I was with her more than I was with my wife,” he said.

Piepho no stranger to campaign trail

MANKATO — Mark Piepho, who now has a son who’s a senior in high school, wasn’t even married when he first ran for the state House in 1978.

The upstart young candidate won that race and ran off a string of victories before suffering three excruciatingly close losses starting in 1986 — the three defeats coming by a combined margin of fewer than 500 votes.

“In a sense, it’s better to get blown out,” he said. “Because then you know you’re not wanted. Of course, you super analyze everything (you did).”