Republican Jason Rarick has given his party a boost by winning a special election in Minnesota's state Senate.

Rarick eased past Democrat Stu Lourey to win the District 11 seat that opened up when Lourey's father, Tony Lourey, was appointed to Democratic Gov. Tim Walz's cabinet.

Rarick, a state representative from Pine City, hands the GOP a pickup that boosts their edge in the Senate to 35-32. That gives the party a little more room to maneuver at the Capitol, where the Democrats hold the House.

Stu Lourey has worked as a legislative aide to Sen. Tina Smith. John Birrenbach of the Legal Marijuana Now party.