Keith Downey Re-Elected As Minnesota GOP Chairman

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) - Keith Downey has been re-elected to a second two-year term as chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota.

Downey received 68 percent of the vote at the party's State Central Committee meeting in Bloomington on Saturday, turning back challenges from Neil Lynch and Bill Jungbauer.

Chris Fields was re-elected deputy chairman. Ryan Love was elected to his first term as party secretary.

Republicans took control of the Minnesota House under Downey's watch after years of financial struggles but were unable to capitalize on the national GOP resurgence elsewhere.

Democrats swept the races for statewide office, easily re-electing Gov. Mark Dayton and returning Al Franken to the U.S. Senate.