Iraq War veteran Steve Sarvi won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsement Saturday, clearing the path for him to face Rep. John Kline (R) this November.

Sarvi knocked off his minimal competition on the first ballot in order to earn his party’s nod to run for the district south of the Twin Cities.

“We will make history by taking back our district,” Sarvi said in a statement. “This isn’t a ‘Republican district’ — it’s a Minnesota district. And in Minnesota, there are certain things we just don’t do.”

The 2nd district is one of two in the state with Republican incumbents seeking re-election — the other is the exurban 6th district north of the Twin Cities, currently represented by freshman Rep. Michele Bachmann (R).

President Bush carried the 2nd district with 54 percent in 2004, though some observers see the three-term incumbent as possibly vulnerable with a solid opponent. Democrats tried to take him down in 2006 by nominating former FBI agent and whistle-blower Coleen Rowley. But despite her high profile nationally, her candidacy quickly went downhill by November.

— Shira Toeplitz