Jim Hagedorn has won the Republican nomination for Minnesota’s 1st District, hoping the third time is the charm to win the highly competitive seat.

With 88 percent of precincts reporting, Hagedorn led state Sen. Carla Nelson 60 percent to 33 percent, when The Associated Press called the race.

Hagedorn came within a point of defeating Democratic-Farmer-Labor Rep. Tim Walz in 2016, and now that it’s an open seat — Walz is running for governor — Republicans see a top pickup opportunity.

Hagedorn will face DFL nominee Dan Feehan, an Iraq War veteran and former Pentagon official, who coasted in his primary Tuesday. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race a Toss-up.

The 1st District GOP endorsed Hagedorn at its convention in April, but Nelson decided to continue her campaign and picked up the support of female members of Congress, as well as the National Rifle Association and influential donors such as Richard Uihlein and Paul Singer.