Jennifer Carnahan elected Nisswa mayor

NISSWA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Jennifer Carnahan, former chair of the Minnesota GOP, was elected mayor of Nisswa.

She resigned after it was revealed she had ties to GOP donor Anton "Tony" Lazarro who was accused and later convicted of sex trafficking minors.

What we know

Carnahan won the race with 54.2% of the vote, with 826 votes total.

Her incumbent opponent, John Ryan, garnered 45.41% of the vote, with 692 votes total. 

About 0.39% of the votes, 6 total, were write-ins. 

Ryan would have begun his sixth term as Nisswa's mayor. 

Background

Jennifer Carnahan resigned as chair of the Minnesota GOP after negotiating a $36,000 severance package. 

She had previously survived a vote of no-confidence after it was revealed she had ties to Anton "Tony" Lazarro, a GOP donor later convicted of sex trafficking minors.

READ MORE: GOP Chair pushes back against calls for resignation after donor arrested

Carnahan was also accused of financial mismanagement as Minnesota GOP chair.

She is also the widow of the late Rep. Jim Hagedorn, and unsuccessfully ran for his seat following his death. 

Hagedorn's family later filed a lawsuit against her, claiming Carnahan didn't pay back medical expenses related to his cancer treatment.