Prime Minister Asta Dahn has praised her husband’s campaign for the lower house district of Medyn after he came a close second to former Kamchetkan governor Stepan Michalvich, who will now join the House of Deputies later this week. As the results were announced last night, Dmitri Alenichev – who married the prime minister in 2014 – took 45% of the vote to Mr Michalvich’s 54% in the toughly fought election. Aiming to defend the seat for his wife’s Coalition party, Mr Alenichev was an underdog in the campaign from the start, after the Unionists announced the former governor as their candidate in the snap election. Although he failed to retain the seat, the prime minister’s husband gained a significant amount of votes, and posted a result about 15% higher than the party managed during last year’s presidential election. With the final vote surprising many due to its closeness, many are suggesting that this better-than-expect result could help support the Prime Minister in defending herself against critics in her own party and in the opposition. The election was called after former Finance Minister Benjamin Usan stood down from the lower house and his executive cabinet role.
