Gene Berens, who ran unopposed for a township supervisor seat in Spring Lake Township, got 1,246 votes Tuesday.

The race had 41 write-in votes and 406 under-votes (where voters left the item blank).

Republican state Rep. Michael Beard leads DFL challenger Doug Zila by 6 percentage points with half of all Scott County precincts reporting. Two-term incumbent Beard of Shakopee has 53 percent of the vote; Zila of Prior Lake has 47 percent.

The Associated Press declared U.S. Rep. John Kline the winner tonight over Democratic challenger Coleen Rowley in the Second Congressional District.

Kline, a Republican, led Democratic challenger Coleen Rowley 57 to 39 percent, with 72 percent of the precincts reporting.

Check back here (www.plamerican.com) tonight for election results!

By Shannon Fiecke

Correspondent

Republican incumbents representing Scott County easily held onto their seats in Tuesday's election.

This issue you’re reading is the last for election letters this season.

In our Nov. 4 issue, we will print only letters that do not raise new political issues and are direct rebuttals to previously published letters. No political endorsement letters will be printed in the Nov. 4 paper.

By Shannon Fiecke

Correspondent

About Kline: Perhaps the most glamorous duty of Kline’s 25-year career with the U.S.