How Jake Johnson closed the gap on Brad Finstad in Minnesota’s 1st District

Jake Johnson supporters mostly celebrated wins by other Democrats at his Rochester watch party. The crowd erupted whenever positive results flashed across big screens, signaling a growing blue wave flowing from the Sun Belt into the Midwest. Absent, though, from an otherwise upbeat atmosphere were decisive vote returns in the Rochester Democrat’s own race. In the 1st Congressional District, Johnson ran behind incumbent Republican Brad Finstad almost the entire evening. His brief, sole address to the crowd during the night came about a half hour after the polls had closed. “I’ll keep this short because we don’t know anything yet, but we are encouraged by the early results as they are coming in,” he said. Before midnight, campaign manager Nik Marda stepped to the mic to say they didn’t expect the race to be called that night. Most people left, including Johnson. More than two hours later, Marda called Johnson to inform him he was ahead.

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