11 p.m. update: Sieben, Quinlan compete for Senate District 54 seat

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Incumbent state Sen. Katie Sieben held a 62-37 percent advantage over Republican challenger Janis Quinlan in early election returns Tuesday.

Sieben had 10,214 votes to Quinlan’s 6,103 with 18 of 34 precincts reporting in the Senate District 54 race.

Sieben, DFL-Cottage Grove, is seeking her third term in the Senate, where she was first elected in 2006 after serving four years in the House.

Quinlan, a realtor, was making her first bid for elected office. In 2010 she campaigned for Sieben’s Republican opponent, Karin Housley. When redistricting earlier this year put Housley outside the south Washington County district, Quinlan said Housley encouraged her to run.

Quinlan lives in St. Paul Park.

Senate District 54 includes Cottage Grove, St. Paul Park, Newport, part of South St. Paul, Hastings, Denmark Township, Afton, Grey Cloud Island Township and Nininger Township.

The Senate term is four years.

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