Randy Schubring wins the seat of Rochester City Council president

ROCHESTER – Randy Schubring, a community activist at the Mayo Clinic who championed progressive causes during his campaign, will become the next president of the Rochester City Council.

Schubring defeated current Ward 5 councilor Shaun Palmer by nearly four points in what was sometimes a controversial campaign for the council’s only major seat.

Schubring, who took a leave of absence during his campaign, has said he would resign if Mayo won. Palmer, who was first elected to the council in 2018, has two years left on his term.

In northwest Rochester, Lutheran pastor Dan Doering defeated Mark Schleusner by a margin of more than seven points to capture the Ward 6 seat now held by controversial councilor Molly Dennis.

On the city’s east side, business owner Andy Friederichs unseated Councilmember Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick in Ward 4. The election, with 6,436 votes cast, was decided by 190 votes.

In Ward 2, on the city’s west side, Nick Miller, a financial analyst, defeated Tripp Welch, an administrative leader at Mayo Clinic, by nearly 6 points.

Schubring, Doering and Miller were all endorsed by Faith in Minnesota, a progressive group that made inroads in Rochester this election cycle.

In the only two contested races for Olmsted County Board, incumbent Gregg Wright defeated April Sutor in District 3, while Bob Hopkins topped Tawonda Burks in District 6.