MINNEAPOLIS — Republicans in Minnesota’s 1st District have backed Jim Hagedorn for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Democrat Tim Walz.

The party said delegates picked Hagedorn over state Sen. Carla Nelson at an endorsing convention Saturday in Mankato.

Hagedorn is a businessman and former federal employee from Blue Earth.

Walz decided to run for governor instead of seeking re-election the district representing southern Minnesota.

Dan Feehan was endorsed by the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party as its candidate for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District at the 1st District DFL Convention in Le Sueur.

“Folks are energized by our positive message, and I am so thankful for the incredible support we received today. We will continue to work hard and build the grassroots movement that will win in November.” Feehan said.

Prior to his run for Congress, Feehan served two tours of duty in Iraq, taught in classrooms on the Southside of Chicago and in Gary, Indiana, and served in the Pentagon as an acting Assistant Secretary of Defense.