DFLer Slipy joins race for Senate District 6 seat

BRAINERD — Breezy Point resident Denise Slipy announced Thursday, March 28, her candidacy for the vacant Senate District 6 seat.

The seat opened after former state Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, announced his resignation Thursday, March 20, and was charged in U.S. District Court with a felony count of soliciting a minor following his arrest Monday, March 17, in a sting operation by the Bloomington Police Department that resulted in the arrests of more than a dozen men.

Slipy is running as a DFL candidate and announced she would be seeking her party’s endorsement at an upcoming convention. The Crow Wing County DFL, in a Facebook post that also tagged the Cass County DFL and Itasca County DFL, noted Thursday a convention would be taking place but offered no other details.

Senate District 6 covers portions of Cass, Crow Wing and Itasca counties.

Slipy is an environmental health and safety professional, teaching and consulting with companies on OSHA regulations as well as a first responder in Zone 3 in Crow Wing County.

“And yes, I’m an activist and a hard worker, and I’m ready to be the voice for the people in Senate District 6 down in St. Paul,” Slipy said. “I am an activist. I'm already a voice for the people. I just don't have any leverage, right, because we have no representation in this area. I want to be for the whole community, not just a party. I'm a people person, not a party, person.”

She said she has never run for elected office, but was considering a run for the House District 6B seat in 2026. However, she decided to seek the Senate District 6 seat after Eichorn’s arrest and resignation.

“Who knew that this was going to happen, right? So it kind of expedited my run,” Slipy said.

Her platform will focus on health care, the economy and the environment. She noted the middle class is crumbling, small businesses are having a hard time finding employees and corporate jobs are underpaying people.