State Rep. Randy Demmer and former representative Allen Quist are the final two Republicans in the endorsement contest to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz.

The GOP 1st District Convention is Saturday at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Demmer, a four-term representative from the Rochester area, has slowly added to his lead over the course of seven ballots but is still short of victory.

Third-finishing candidate Jim Engstrand of Pine Island dropped out after the seventh ballot. Another candidate, Jim Hagedorn of Blue Earth, dropped out after the fourth ballot.

Demmer has the support of 124 out of 253 delegates after the seventh ballot, with 152 delegates needed to clinch the endorsement.

See our congressional poll