Republicans gathered to launch the local election headquarters Thursday. The new office will be a center for the GOP election campaign in District 27A.

The office space at 136 W. Main St. is leased to the party for two months, according to caucus co-chairman Matt Benda. The office will be open 7 a.m to noon Tuesday and 5 to 8

p.m. Thursday.

Caucus co-chairwoman Jennifer Brist said the party will use the office to distribute campaign materials for two local candidates &045; House incumbent Dan Dorman and Senate incumbent Grace Schwab &045; and other GOP candidates on the ballot. It will also serve as a stopover point for statewide and national-level candidates to have meetings with local GOP officials.

DFL House candidate Allan Halvorsen, who challenges Dorman, said that the DFL will not have a local election headquarters, though it has already opened one in Austin for all of District 27.