Verlene Booker lived on Rondo Avenue until construction of Interstate 94 took away her home. At age 87, she has seen her adopted Frogtown neighborhood “go down, and come back up, and go down” again, earning her the unofficial title “neighborhood psychologist” for her leadership as a black elder.

When Rashad Turner, the public face of Black Lives Matter St. Paul, chose to run against three-term state Rep. Rena Moran in Tuesday’s DFL primary, Booker said she respected his intent, though she quibbled with his approach. “As far as police are concerned, they have a job to do,” said Booker, who supported Moran in the House District 65A primary. “And their lives matter. There’s good and bad in each and everyone of us.”

With 12 of 13 precincts reporting, Moran held a decisive lead over her challenger, 79-21 percent.

Some in House District 65A saw Tuesday’s primary as an unofficial referendum on Turner’s organizing work with the protest movement, including a march last year for which the stated intent was to shut down the Minnesota State Fair. Turner had attempted instead to make the primary a referendum on Moran’s six years in office — he called her too passive on social issues — and what he deemed her lack of visibility.

The district, which spans much of Hamline-Midway, Frogtown, Summit-University and part of the North End, is one of the most diverse in the state. Moran is the only African-American in the state House.

“Rena has a little more experience than what Rashad has,” said Booker’s daughter, Glenice Butler, who also threw her support to Moran. “I do know him, and I don’t think the (Black Lives Matter) objective is violence. I think he’s getting a bad rap. But personally, I think it should be ‘lives matter.’ We have a lot of different cultures here.”

WEIRD TURNS

Turner faced the improbable task of defeating the DFL-endorsed incumbent without the support of organized labor, the business community or another major backer. Since Jan. 1, Moran’s campaign had raised more than $14,000 and spent $9,000. Turner’s campaign had raised roughly $1,600 and spent about $1,000.

The race, which drew some bitter rhetoric between the two candidates, took some unusual turns. In recent days, a car dealer circulated a flier offering anyone who votes for Turner a free entry in a drawing to win a car, which could be illegal. Turner said he was familiar with the individual who made the offer but it did not come from his campaign and he was not under legal obligation to intervene. Previously, one of Turner’s fliers carried the DFL logo, though he was not endorsed.

In at least one precinct, Moran’s campaign fliers directed voters to cast ballots at a local church instead of the actual polling place, which was a high school. She later corrected the error through a follow-up mailing.

Moran will face Republican challenger Monique Giordana in the November election.

RACE TO REPLACE METZEN

In Senate District 52, with 17 of 28 precincts reporting, voters appeared to favor DFLer Matt Klein over Todd Podgorski to replace longtime South St. Paul state Sen. Jim Metzen. Metzen announced his retirement earlier this year and died this summer. The winner will face Republican Mark Misukanis of Mendota Heights. Klein, a school board member, had the DFL endorsement in the race. Podgorski is a South St. Paul City Council member.

In the Burnsville area, the House District 56A primary determined it will be Christensen v. Christiansen in November. Jared Christiansen, who like current Republican Rep. Drew Christensen is still in his early 20s, had the DFL endorsement and fended off a primary challenge from Dan Kimmel, 60 to 40 percent, with 12 of 13 precincts reporting.

Kimmel had run for the seat before and planned to do so again but dropped out after he shared his thoughts on social media about the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the terror group known as ISIS. Kimmel later decided to run in the primary.

In House District 59A, which spans North Minneapolis, Hmong activist Fue Lee, an administrator in the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office, defeated 10-term state Rep. Joe Mullery in the DFL primary, 55 to 44 percent. Lee will face Republican candidate Jessica Newville in November.

Rachel E. Stassen-Berger contributed.