Franke knocks off incumbent Hunziker in St. Paul Park mayoral race

• Keith Franke

Keith Franke unseated incumbent John Hunziker in the St. Paul Park mayoral race Tuesday. Franke is the owner of Park Cafe and Franke's Bar in St. Paul Park and another establishment in Prescott. Bulletin file photo.
• Franke wins

St. Paul Park Mayor-elect Keith Franke takes a congratulatory phone call from City Council member Jennifer Cheesman late Tuesday night while standing in his Park Cafe. Franke said he didn't plan an election night party, and instead had work to do for the restaurant late into the night. Bulletin photo by Scott Wente

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• Hunziker says mayoral loss suggests Bachmann presidency possible

Challenger Keith Franke has unseated incumbent John Hunziker in the St. Paul Park mayoral race, an upset victory that the city’s new mayor-elect said Tuesday is a sign voters are ready for change.

Making his first run for political office, Franke sprang a surprise on St. Paul Park, defeating the experienced Hunziker – who was seeking his third consecutive term as the city’s mayor and sixth term overall – with 57 percent of ballots cast, 327 votes to 239.

“I’m happy. I’m excited,” said Franke, who admitted shortly after the last of the city’s four election precincts reported his results that he was “a little bit” surprised by his victory.

“But I knew people were ready for it and I said if everybody got out and voted I knew I had a shot,” he said

The victory for Franke – the owner of Park Café and Franke’s Bar on Broadway Avenue – marks the first change at the head of the St. Paul Park City Council since Hunziker defeated then-incumbent Mayor Don Mullen in 2003, returning to the mayor’s seat after a previous stint in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Check swcbulletin.com for more on this story.

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