Hennepin Board opponents Heather Edelson and Marisa Simonetti square off in candidate forum

A candidate forum featuring Hennepin County Commissioner Heather Edelson and challenger Marisa Simonetti on Wednesday night was heavy on public policy but lacked the spectacle that has drawn public attention to the contest.

The District 6 opponents answered numerous questions submitted by community members, ranging from property taxes to crime and health care. But there was no direct mention of the controversy surrounding Simonetti — a dispute involving a tarantula and questions about her background — that has raised eyebrows in what is typically a quiet race for a County Board seat.

Edelson and Simonetti were the top candidates in an April special primary, with Edelson winning the May special election to fill a vacancy after Chris LaTondresse left the board in September 2023.

In the forum at Minnetonka City Hall, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Minnetonka/Eden Prairie/Hopkins, Edelson emphasized her experience in the Legislature and her work in the last few months since she won the special election for the District 6 seat. She said Hennepin County faces serious challenges and needs some who will "show up" to solve them.

"This is not about me. This is about the work we do for the people," Edelson said.

Simonetti described herself as a "controversial businesswoman" who wants to lower taxes and tackle public safety challenges. She emphasized her proposal to make it easier for homeowners to challenge their property valuations and tax bills.

"I think all of us can agree Hennepin County needs some major changes," she said.

The Hennepin County Board has seven commissioners who oversee a $2.7 billion budget and 10,000 workers serving 1.3 million residents. The county is Minnesota's second-largest government after the state bureaucracy.

Edelson served three terms in the Legislature as a DFLer representing Edina in the House. Previously, she worked as a therapist and said mental health services would be a top priority for her as commissioner.

Simonetti drew international attention in June after she released a tarantula down the stairs of her Edina home during an altercation with a tenant that resulted in her being charged with fifth-degree misdemeanor assault. She has pleaded not guilty.

Simonetti later acknowledged that she works as an OnlyFans model under the pseudonym Jennie Kennedy and previously worked as an escort. She has said she had to make a plan for her and her son to escape an abusive relationship and that she now has "considerable wealth."

Edelson made a passing mention to Simonetti's work under her alias, saying: "There are not two versions of me. With me, you get what you see."

The District 6 special election in May drew just 11,386 of more than 126,000 registered voters in the district, which includes Edina, Greenwood, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Shorewood and Wayzata. Nearly 98,000 District 6 voters cast ballots when the seat was last on the general election ballot in November 2020.

District 6 isn't the only Hennepin County district to feature a competitive board race.

District 1 Commissioner Jeffrey Lunde is being challenged by Brooklyn Center resident Gulled Ahmed Badel, who has never sought elected office. A former Brooklyn Park mayor and council member, Lunde was first elected to the County Board in 2020. The district includes Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Crystal, New Hope and Robbinsdale.

District 5 Commissioner Debbie Goettel is running for a third term on the board against Eden Prairie resident Jeffrey A. Beck. Goettel was first elected in 2016 to the board, representing Bloomington, Richfield, Eden Prairie and Chanhassen.

District 7 Commissioner Kevin Anderson is being challenged by Champlin resident Brad Kohler, a former mixed martial arts fighter who has run for Congress and the Legislature. Anderson is finishing his first term on the board. District 7 stretches from Minnetrista to Champlin and includes Medina, Maple Grove, Rogers and Dayton.