A Tuesday special election in north-central Minnesota will determine who fills the state Senate seat left open by Justin Eichorn, who resigned last month following his arrest in an underage prostitution sting.

Republican Keri Heintzeman and Democrat Denise Slipy are vying to replace Eichorn in Senate District 6, which covers portions of Crow Wing, Cass and Itasca counties. The district favors Republicans, with Eichorn defeating his last DFL challenger by 27 percentage points in 2022.

Democrats will control the Minnesota Senate regardless of the special election outcome, but a GOP win would narrow their majority to just one vote. Whoever wins the special election on Tuesday will join the Minnesota Legislature at a critical time, as lawmakers race to pass a two-year budget before their May 19 adjournment deadline.

Heintzeman, who served as district director for President Donald Trump's campaign last year, defeated seven other Republican candidates in an April 15 primary to advance to the special election.

She owns a recreational rental business and is married to GOP state Rep. Josh Heintzeman. They live in Nisswa with their six children.

Slipy is an environmental health professional and first responder from Breezy Point. She was the only DFL candidate in the race, advancing to Tuesday's special election without a primary challenge.

Minnesota DFL Chair Richard Carlbom said in a statement earlier this month that Slipy "will fight to protect her constituents' health care and be a champion for strong public schools."

In an interview last month, Heintzeman said she would focus on "cutting spending and exposing and eliminating fraud" if elected. She said her values — supporting gun rights, opposing abortion, combating the "woke agenda" and exercising fiscal responsibility — match those of the district.

The Senate District 6 race will be the third special election in Minnesota this year.

A late-January special election was held to fill a Minneapolis Senate seat after DFL Sen. Kari Dziedzic died from ovarian cancer. Another special election in March filled a Roseville-area House seat that had become vacant after a Democrat was ruled ineligible to serve because he failed to meet residency requirements.

Eichorn pleaded not guilty earlier this month to a federal charge of attempted enticement of a minor. He was arrested March 17 after exchanging texts with an undercover officer posing as a 17-year-old girl and arranging to meet for sex in Bloomington, according to court records.

Allison Kite of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.