"The turn out wasn't as high as we would have liked, but it was consistent with historical data of a non-presidential year," Groth said. "The turnout may have been lower than what we hoped for but the positive energy, enthusiasm, and desire to create a meaningful change was at an all-time high."

Special appearances were made by candidates seeking DFL endorsement, which included: state Rep. Patti Fritz, DFL-Faribault, who is seeking re-election; Jeremy Eller, a Senate District 26 candidate; Senate District 25 candidates Ted Ludwig and Jessica Peterson; and State House District 25B candidates: David Bly and Tim Lies.

"I am confident that once people get to meet our candidates, they'll see that our candidates have a true desire to serve everyone within their respective district," Groth said. "It won't matter if you're a DFLer, Republican, Green or Independent ... our candidates, once elected, will serve each person and will work hard for their districts."

Tim Lies announced recently that he thinks its time the DFLparty makes a change to try to unseat Cox, a Republican from Northfield who defeated Bly in the 2002 and 2004 general elections.

"It just seemed like the right thing to do,"Lies said. "You look out there and you see the opportunity; people are ready (to elect a Democrat)."

The District 25B House seat consists of parts of Rice and Scott counties, including the cities of Belle Plaine, Dennison, Dundas, Lonsdale, Nerstrand and Northfield. Cox was elected to the House in 2002. He was recruited to run for the seat after fellow Republican John Tuma of Northfield decided not to seek re-election.

Lies, who got into politics by first serving on his city's park board for six years and then getting elected to the Belle Plain City Council in 2004, will face a steep challenge as Bly has been the DFL's endorsed candidate in each of the last two House elections and has lost narrowly to Cox in the general election each time. Additionally, Lies resides on the far western side of the district, while Northfield obviously is the district's population center.

Lies, who is a manager for a crisis unit for people with emotional and behavioral habits, has lived in Belle Plaine with his wife, Kathy Farmer, and children for almost two decades.

He said in the little over a year that he has been on the city council the city has been working hard to help the local school district put in place the infrastructure for a new school that voters approved several years ago. Lies said the issue has been difficult because it has involved negotiations between the two local governments, and he said he's played a role as a bridge-builder during the process.

"I've been one of the main players in bridging that gap," he said.

Lies added that it has been his work at the local government level that convinced him if he wanted to make real change that he'd have to run for state office. He said he's seen the effects state government has on local government, and the state level is "the only place you can make a change.

"I really, really like the work," he said of being an elected official. "I see running (for state office) as an extension of my city council work."

Although Bly announced his intention to run again for a third time in October, Lies said cautiously that he feels a change is needed if the DFL is to defeat Cox.

"Something different needs to be done," Lies said. "The Democratic caucus sees this as a very important race and winnable."

Lies added however that he'll abide by the April 11 endorsement process and drop from the race should he fail to receive the party's endorsement. Bly said he will do the same.

"I think it would be ruinous to the process if the candidates didn't abide by the endorsement process," Lies said.

Bly added: "I believe it would be harmful to a Democratic victory if whomever the runner-up is does not abide by the endorsement."

Lies said during his recent meetings with voters, residents of District 25B are concerned about three main issues: transportation, schools and taxes.

"And if you're not afraid to talk to people about this stuff, you make headway," he said. "That's what you have to do to be willing to win."

Bly said it wasn't a "slam dunk" decision for him to run for a third time against Cox, but he said the issues he cares about aren't being dealt with, and unless the DFL takes back control of the Minnesota House they won't be. He said those issues are school funding, doing something proactive about the increased cost of health care and investing in alternative energies.

Bly said he didn't know what to think if Lies, whom resides in the western portion of the district, wins the DFL endorsement and runs against Cox.

"One can only speculate: If we endorse someone from the western part of the district, how much of a favorite son does (Cox) become from Northfield," he said. "I don't know if that's true or not; that has to be tested." Lies and Bly were scheduled to participate Tuesday night in a debate sponsored by the St. Olaf College Democrats.

Cox resides with his wife, Ellen, in Northfield. He owns Northfield Construction, a company he founded in 1972, and he served on the Northfield School Board for 15 years. His great-grandfather served in the Legislature, and his mother, Marjorie, ran for his same seat in 1978, but lost to former DFL Rep. Bob Vanasek, according to "Politics in Minnesota,"a political guidebook.