Faribault Mayor John Jasinski hinted on our New Year's Eve AM Minnesota program he was contemplating a higher office.

Today he issued a news release making the announcement formal that he is running for the Minnesota Senate seat in District 24 against first-term Sen. Vicki Jensen (DFL) of Owatonna.

Jasinski told KDHL he is hopeful to receive the Republican party endorsement for the post.

I asked why the Senate instead of the House and Jasinski said he believes the Senate district is a perfect fit for him and he likes the idea of running in four years and not every two years.

In his news release, Jasinski cites his lifelong Faribault residency and service as mayor for two terms.

The Faribault mayor also believes there needs to be a more aggressive focus on economic development in the region.

According to the news release, "Jasinski has been actively involved in the relocation and expansion of many businesses in Faribault, including the re-opening of Faribault Woolen Mill, Minnesota's oldest manufacturing facility. More recently, he has been involved with Faribault Foods and their proposed $100 million expansion project in Faribault."

Jasinski is a Faribault High School graduate and then joined the U.S. Navy, where he served as the primary Air Intercept Controller and Anti-Submarine Air Controller aboard the nuclear cruiser USS Truxtun.

During his time in the Navy, he was deployed twice to the Persian Gulf.

After the Navy, Jasinski pursued a bachelor's degree in business administration from Mankato State University through the GI Bill.

Jasinski told KDHL today he wants to use his experiences, "in business and local government to help the Minnesota Legislature better understand what's happening to businesses in greater Minnesota."

The Republican Caucus is March 1, so if Jasinski did not receive the endorsement from the party for the Senate District 24 seat he could still run for mayor again.

He indicated to KDHL that he would still be willing to do that, but is confident he will receive the endorsement.

His mayoral term is up this year.

District 24 includes the cities of Faribault, Owatonna, Waseca, Morristown, Medford, Blooming Prairie and Claremont; Rice County townships of Wells, Warsaw, Cannon City, Walcott, Richland and Wheeling; Steele County townships of Deerfield, Meriden, Lemond, Somerset, Owatonna, Havana and Aurora; Waseca County townships of Blooming Grove and Woodville; and Dodge County townships of Ellington, Ripley and Ashland.

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