Prominent business owner Joe Powers wins Rochester mayor race

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Joe Powers beat Jess Garcia in a very close race. Powers will take over the office held for the last eight years by mayor Kim Norton, who announced her retirement earlier this year. 

Joe Powers, who owns a Rochester catering business and popular restaurants, including Canadian Honker, has won a very close race for mayor of Minnesota’s third largest city.

Unofficial results show that Powers received 50.5 percent of the vote, beating Jess Garcia, a psychologist and former Rochester school board member. He’ll take over the office held for the last eight years by mayor Kim Norton, who announced her retirement earlier this year.

While both candidates focused on conversations around affordability in town — from property tax hikes to affordable housing — Power’s campaign also focused on public safety, proposing greater investments in the Rochester Police Department.

The new mayor wi...