Jennifer Carnahan becomes mayor of Nisswa

NISSWA, Minn. (FOX 9) – Jennifer Carnahan, former chair of the Minnesota GOP, was elected mayor of Nisswa.

She resigned after it was revealed she had ties to a GOP donor Anton “Tony” Lazarro who was accused and later convicted of sex trafficking of minors.

What we know

Carnahan won the race with 54.2% of the vote, with a total of 826 votes.

Her incumbent opponent, John Ryan, received 45.41% of the vote, with a total of 692 votes.

About 0.39% of the votes, 6 in total, were write-ins.

Ryan would have started his sixth term as mayor of Nisswa.

Background

Jennifer Carnahan subsequently resigned as chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota negotiate a $36,000 severance package.

She had done that before survived a vote of no confidence after it was revealed she had ties to Anton “Tony” Lazarroa GOP donor who was later convicted of sex trafficking minors.

READ MORE: GOP chairman resists calls to resign after donor arrested

Carnahan was also accused of financial mismanagement as chairman of the Republican Party in Minnesota.

She is also the widow of the late Rep. Jim Hagedornand after his death ran in vain for his seat.

Hagedorn’s family later has filed a lawsuit against heralleging that Carnahan failed to reimburse medical expenses related to his cancer treatment.