Minnesota's 8th Congressional District election, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16 , or in-person on Nov. 6
- Early voting: Sept. 21 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
2020 →
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| Minnesota's 8th Congressional District |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: June 5, 2018 |
| Primary: August 14, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Rick Nolan (Democrat) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Minnesota |
| Race ratings |
Cook Political Report: Lean Republican Inside Elections: Lean Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate (regular) • U.S. Senate (special) • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th Minnesota elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
St. Louis County Commissioner Pete Stauber (R) defeated former state Rep. Joe Radinovich (D) and Ray "Skip" Sandman (Independence Party) in the general election on November 6, 2018, for Minnesota's 8th Congressional District.
All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.
Incumbent Rep. Rick Nolan (D), who was first elected in 2012 by a margin of 9 percentage points, announced in February 2018 that he would not seek re-election. Nolan was re-elected in 2014 by a margin of less than 2 percentage points, and in 2016 by a margin of less than 1 percentage point.
Politico listed the general election as one of the top 10 House races to watch in 2018.[1]
For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
For more information about the Republican primary, click here.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for U.S. House Minnesota District 8
Pete Stauber defeated Joe Radinovich and Ray Sandman in the general election for U.S. House Minnesota District 8 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Pete Stauber (R) | 50.7 | 159,364 |
 | Joe Radinovich (D) | 45.2 | 141,950 | |
 | Ray Sandman (Independence Party) | 4.1 | 12,741 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 156 | ||
| Total votes: 314,211 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Minnesota District 8
Joe Radinovich defeated Michelle Lee, Jason Metsa, Kirsten Hagen Kennedy, and Soren Christian Sorensen in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Minnesota District 8 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joe Radinovich | 44.1 | 30,732 |
 | Michelle Lee | 27.5 | 19,182 | |
 | Jason Metsa | 13.2 | 9,229 | |
 | Kirsten Hagen Kennedy | 11.7 | 8,133 | |
 | Soren Christian Sorensen | 3.5 | 2,415 | |
| Total votes: 69,691 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Leah Phifer (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Minnesota District 8
Pete Stauber defeated Harry Welty in the Republican primary for U.S. House Minnesota District 8 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Pete Stauber | 90.0 | 45,391 |
 | Harry Welty | 10.0 | 5,047 | |
| Total votes: 50,438 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Candidate profiles
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Political office: Minnesota House District 10B (2013-1015)
Biography: Radinovich attended Macalester College in St. Paul from 2004-2007. He got his start in politics as an organizer working with teachers unions and the American Federation of Government Employees. In 2012, Radinovich was elected to represent District 10B in the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he served from 2013-2015.[2][3]
- Radinovich supported a number of campaign finance reforms including the passing of a constitutional amendment overturning the Citizen's United decision, introducing a law that would prohibit members of Congress from soliciting contributions during the legislative session, and the creation of a voluntary public funding system to finance qualifying candidates.[4]
- Radinovich supported Medicare for All. “As a last resort I would vote for something more incremental. At the end of the day I’m not going to refuse to vote for something that represents 75 percent of the solution if it’s going to benefit working people," he said.[5]
- Radinovich supported the legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational use. He also said farmers should be allowed to grow agricultural hemp. He called for expunging the criminal records of Americans who have marijuana offenses, and the use of tax revenue collected from the sale of cannabis for healthcare and education.[4]
Party: Republican
Incumbent: No
Political office: St. Louis County Commission (Assumed office: 2013)
Biography: Stauber earned a B.S. in criminal justice as a student-athlete at Lake Superior State University. From 1990-1993, he played professional hockey for the Adirondack Red Wings organization in the American Hockey League. After retiring from hockey, Stauber became a police officer, serving as the president of the Law Enforcement Labor Services Union, Local 363 and as an Area Commander with the Duluth Police Department. Stauber retired after 22 years of service in 2017.[6][7]
- Stauber cited his law enforcement career and two incidents where he was the victim of gun violence, one on-duty and one off-duty, as experiences that informed his stance on firearm regulations. "I was never concerned about a law-abiding citizen with a handgun, at all," he said.[8]
- Stauber said healthcare is too important an issue for Congress to allow partisanship to delay the fixes to the Affordable Care Act that he said are necessary. "We all know Obama Care was a disaster and Congress needs to work together to fix it. I favor state control over health care. You should be able to pick your own doctor and health care should be between you and your doctor," he said.[9]
- Stauber mentioned his desire to find the optimal size of the federal government in several interviews. "That money we are spending has come from people who have worked and paid taxes. We have a responsibility to use that money wisely. We have to rightsize the government."[9][7]
Party: Independence
Incumbent: No
Political office: None
Biography: Sandman served two tours in Vietnam in the U.S. Navy. He worked for more than two decades as a corrections officer at North East Regional Correction. In 2001, Sandman became a spiritual director and healer for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. In 2014, Sandman started working as a spiritual advisor for the Mash-ka-wisen.[10]
- Sandman said he supported the establishment of a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would remove any corporate constitutional rights and corporate personhood.[11]
- Sandman said wealth inequality was the greatest threat to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He said he opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.[11]
- Sandman said he looked seven generations ahead when considering policy issues, particularly those related to the environment.[12]
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
| Minnesota's 8th Congressional District election, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Poll sponsor | Radinovich |
Stauber | Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size | |||||||||||||
| The New York Times/Siena College October 11-14, 2018 | N/A | 34% | 49% | 17% | +/-4.6 | 507 | |||||||||||||
| Victoria Research September 27-30, 2018 | Radinovich | 45% | 44% | 11% | +/-4.9 | 400 | |||||||||||||
| The New York Times/Siena College September 6-10, 2018 | N/A | 44% | 43% | 13% | +/-4.6 | 504 | |||||||||||||
| AVERAGES | 41% | 45.33% | 13.67% | +/-4.7 | 470.33 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Radinovich | Democratic Party | $2,432,207 | $2,390,503 | $41,704 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Pete Stauber | Republican Party | $1,777,703 | $1,759,367 | $18,336 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Ray Sandman | Independence Party | $20,291 | $21,694 | $0 | As of December 31, 2018 |
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Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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Satellite spending
Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[13][14][15]
This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.
- America First Action spent $1.2 million on an ad buy against Radinovich in October 2018.[16]
- Through September 2018, the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) spent $668,596 to oppose Radinovich.[17]
- Through September 2018, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) spent $470,849 in support of Radinovich and $64,683 in opposition to Stauber.
- Through September 2018, the Progress Tomorrow PAC spent $150,613 in support of Radinovich.
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
| Race ratings: Minnesota's 8th Congressional District election, 2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| October 30, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | October 9, 2018 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Lean Republican | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season. | |||||||||
District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+4, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 4 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Minnesota's 8th Congressional District the 199th most Republican nationally.[18]
FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.10. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.10 points toward that party.[19]
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
Click the links below for to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites.
| Click here to see a list of endorsements in the August 14, 2018 Democratic primary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Campaign advertisements
Joe Radinovich
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Pete Stauber
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Debates and forums
October 26, 2018, debate
Radinovich and Stauber participated in a radio debate on October 26, 2018, moderated by Mike Mulcahy of Minnesota Public Radio. The candidates discussed tariffs, taxes, and Social Security, among other issues.[26]
- Find the Associated Press round-up of the debate here.
- Find the Duluth News Tribune round-up of the debate here.
- Find the Star Tribune round-up of the debate here.
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Campaign themes
These were the policy positions stated in interviews or listed on the candidates' websites, if available.
Joe Radinovich
| “ |
Reform Agenda A broken political system is at the root of many problems facing Minnesota’s working families. Our economy won’t work for all of us until we change the way our system works and prioritize the interests of working people ahead of wealthy special interests. We must eliminate the influence of secret money flowing into our elections, increase the transparency of our political process, and elevate our political discourse. If we want to fix our healthcare system, support the middle class, and protect Social Security and Medicare, we need to reform our system. I am determined to reduce the influence of money in politics, which starts right here with my campaign: that’s why I am refusing donations from corporate PACs. In Congress, I will work tirelessly to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision that drowned out the voices of working people, and will fight for policies that clean up our campaign finance system and make our politics reflect the priorities of the people of the Eighth. Here’s how I’ll represent you and what I’ll fight for in Washington: Working for the people of Minnesota in Congress, not special interests Publicly post congressional calendar so my constituents know who I am meeting with It is critical that the public is able see the individuals and interest groups that their representative is meeting with and how frequently those meetings take place. I am committed to making my congressional calendar publicly available so that when I make a decision or take a vote, the public knows who I have been meeting and can have confidence that my decisions have not been unduly influenced by wealthy special interests. Refuse corporate PAC money and fund my campaigns with the support of the people of Minnesota I will stand up against the corrupting influence of corporate special interest money. It is important that our elected leaders are beholden only to the people that elect them, not wealthy corporations that can dole out large campaign contributions. That’s why I will not accept corporate PAC money. Hold regular town halls as your member of Congress Residents of the Eighth District must have meaningful access to their representative so they can share their concerns and hold their representative accountable for his or her actions. In Congress, I pledge to hold regular town halls throughout the year so that constituents have the opportunity to engage with me on the matters most important to them and to best ensure that my office and I are promptly responding to the issues of the day. Reducing the corrupting power that special interests have over our government and elected officials Pass a Constitutional Amendment Overturning Citizens United The Citizens United decision opened the floodgates of dark money flowing into our elections and gave corporations and wealthy special interests an outsized influence on our campaigns. Pass the STOP Act to reduce the focus on fundraising and big-donor influence in Washington Representatives to Washington should spend their time working for the people back home, not their own reelection. Today, leaders in both parties encourage their members to spend at least 30 hours a week “dialing for dollars” and hosting fundraising events. The public deserves a representative who is more than a mid-level telemarketer. They deserve a representative who will devote all of their energy to fighting on their behalf. I will advocate for the STOP Act, which would prohibit members of Congress from soliciting contributions during the legislative session. Pass the Government By the People Act to return power to the people in our elections When our elected officials spend time dialing for dollars from wealthy donors, they sacrifice valuable time meeting with stakeholders and voters in their districts. To level the playing field, I will support efforts to create a voluntary public funding system of small-dollar matching funds, tax credits and advertising vouchers for qualified candidates. Bringing transparency and accountability to our democracy Pass the DISCLOSE Act to end secret, undisclosed money in our elections In Congress, I will champion the DISCLOSE Act. This legislation will increase transparency in our election by requiring all organizations - including PACs, corporations, political nonprofits - to publicly disclose the names of donors contributing $10,000 or more during an election cycle. Additionally, the legislation would mandate these organizations file a report with the FEC if they spend $10,000 or more on political advertising. Pass the Keeping Our Campaigns Honest Act (KOCH) Act to bring transparency to political advertising Voters deserve to know who is contributing large swaths of money to the political groups running advertisements. This legislation would require political groups with anonymous donors to disclose their biggest donors at the end of each advertisement. I am committed to being a fierce advocate for this legislation if elected to Congress. Pass the Get Foreign Money Out of US Elections Act to restrict the influence of foreign interests in our elections Foreign owned, influenced or controlled corporations should not influence the outcome of elections that directly impact the lives of working people across the country. Pass the Honest Ads Act to require equal levels of transparency in all political advertising The way in which we consume media has changed over the years and it's important that our campaign finance laws reflect those changes. This legislation would update disclosure requirements for online political advertising to apply the same rules as TV, radio, and satellite ads. I will champion this legislation to modernize our political advertising so that wherever voters are seeing advertisements they know who is behind those advertisements. Jobs The workforce continues to change, and we need to enact policies and programs that support new opportunities. Making investments in skills training and re-training, protecting the rights of workers to unionize, and fortifying complementary systems and services that make work possible—like healthcare, childcare, and public education—gives all of us the stability, employability, and safety we need to build our futures. Health Healthcare is a right. A broken arm shouldn’t bankrupt you and you shouldn’t have to choose between preventative care and paying your electric bill. I support Universal Healthcare that keeps us and our families healthy and working. This is a system that benefits all Americans, whether they’ve been self-employed, run a small business, or have bargained collectively for healthcare benefits. Too many of our healthcare dollars are going to middlemen and special interests when they should go to caring for our families and neighbors. A woman's healthcare decisions must be made between a woman and her doctor. The government should not play a role in a woman's reproductive health decisions. Now, more than ever, we need to fight to protect women's right to choose. Natural Resources With regard to specific projects in this district, I believe it is the proper due process of our regulatory agencies to ensure that these projects are done in the safest possible way. Where a project is proposed we should have a clear, science-based process that sets aside a significant amount of bankruptcy-proof financial assurances so that a proper closure can be done after the life of the project or the life of the company. We should increase inspection and oversight to ensure safe and ethical operation of any project. Families Our kids deserve every opportunity we can give them. That starts with high-quality, affordable, and safe childcare options. Minnesota has some of the highest childcare costs in the country and that forces families to make decisions that aren’t right for their families—including whether both parents can afford to work or whether they can afford to find better job opportunities away from the friends and family who are often serving as their childcare providers. Policies such as caps on childcare costs, scholarships to working families, or utilizing our local school districts for additional care have the power to make childcare accessible for all. Seniors People work their whole lives for a secure and comfortable retirement. We owe it to them to honor the promises we’ve made on programs that people pay into throughout their careers. I will fight to protect the benefits allowed through Social Security, Medicare, and pensions. Infrastructure Rural America is changing, and we need to be on the front end of those changes, making life better for those living and working outside urban areas. Opportunity in rural America means that we all need equitable access to basic services—chief among them is high-speed internet access—so that we are able to keep up with the pace of changes ahead. Roads, bridges, airports, rail, ports and cyber connectivity are the arteries of our economy. If we can’t move goods, people and information efficiently our economy will grind to a halt. Rural America, like much of the 8th Congressional District, is changing. We need to be on the front end of those changes, making life better for those living and working outside urban areas. This means we all need equitable access to basic services so that we are able to keep up with the pace of changes ahead. I believe in the importance of our rural communities and are committed to rebuilding Main Street in our small towns across the district, state, and country so that limited resources are used efficiently, and all populations grow and thrive Agriculture As a state representative, I prioritized farmers' interests by supporting farm bills and emphasizing local food production. If elected, I will continue to fight for the 10,000 farms (99% of them family owned) in the 8th district. This will be done through strengthening crop insurance, continuing the sugar program, and updating dairy policy to meet the needs of today's dairy farmers. Veterans From World War II, through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our veterans, many of them suffering from physical and mental wounds, are now forced to fight for the benefits they have earned for themselves and their families. This is wrong. Our veterans, not lobbyists or big corporations, deserve a break from their government. We need to fully fund the Veterans Administration, cut the red tape, cut the long lines at VA hospitals and find innovative solutions to better serve those who have served their country. Native American & Tribal Issues In Congress, it would be my great honor to represent five sovereign Indian nations in my District. I will respect the self-governing authority of the tribes and fight for better health care, housing and educational opportunities for American Indians. Cannabis Reform I support the legalization of marijuana, both medicinally and recreationally. I also support farmers having the right to cultivate agricultural hemp. I believe that the federal prohibition on research of the benefits of medicinal marijuana for illnesses ranging from chronic seizures in children to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) impacting our veterans is wrong, and that it should be thoroughly studied to assess benefits and risks in the same way we study many other drugs. As a part of legalization, I believe we should act to expunge the criminal records of Americans who have marijuana offenses, and that we should put the revenue local governments collect from sales after legalization to good use by making stronger investments in healthcare and education that Minnesota families expect. |
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| —Joe Radinovich for Congress[28] | ||
Pete Stauber
| “ |
2nd Amendment: I am committed to protecting the Second Amendment which guarantees the right of individual, law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms and will fight any attempts to weaken it. Abortion: I support life from conception to natural death and will always be a strong and constant voice for the right to life. Healthcare: I support high quality, affordable and accessible healthcare which is patient-driven and physician-guided, putting individuals in charge of their healthcare rather than the government. Immigration: As a retired law enforcement officer, I believe we need to abide by the laws that are put in place and will support LEGAL immigrants who aspire to live the American dream. Mining: I support iron ore and precious metals mining which employs scientifically- based methods to ensure our environment remains pristine. Tax Reform: I support the ongoing efforts to reform our tax code which puts more money into the pockets of our families. Veterans: I believe we have no higher commitment than to take care of our active duty military, their families and our veterans. [27] |
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| —Pete Stauber for Congress[29] | ||
Social media
Twitter accounts
Tweets by Joe Radinovich Tweets by Pete Stauber
Facebook accounts
Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.
Joe Radinovich 
Pete Stauber
Timeline
- October 31, 2018: America First Action spent $1.2 million on an ad buy against Radinovich.[16]
- October 26, 2018: Radinovich and Stauber participated in a radio debate moderated by Mike Mulcahy of Minnesota Public Radio. The candidates discussed tariffs, taxes, and Social Security, among other issues.[30]
- October 17, 2018: Radinovich's campaign manager, Meredith Raimondi, departed from the campaign.[31]
- October 16, 2018: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee canceled $1.2 million in ads in the districts.[31]
- October 14, 2018: In a New York Times/Siena College poll of 507 voters, Stauber led Radinovich by 15 percent, 49 percent to 34 percent. The margin of error was 4.6 percent.
September 10, 2018: The New York Times live polled 504 people from September 6-10, finding that 44 percent planned to vote for Radinovich and 43 percent planned to vote for Stauber.
August 29, 2018: Radinovich released an ad critical of Stauber and highlighting his stance on healthcare.
August 17, 2018: The Congressional Leadership Fund released an ad critical of Radinovich.
- May 2, 2018: Pete Stauber was added to the National Republican Congressional Committee's “Contenders” phase, the second tier of the "Young Guns" program.[32]
- March 25, 2018: All seven of the candidates running for the 8th District seat participate in a candidate forum at the College of St. Scholastica.[33]
Democratic district won by Donald Trump
This district was one of 13 Democratic-held U.S. House districts that Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election.[34] Some were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2018.
| 2018 election results in Democratic-held U.S. House districts won by Donald Trump in 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Incumbent | 2018 winner | 2018 margin | 2016 presidential margin | 2012 presidential margin |
| Arizona's 1st | Tom O'Halleran |
Tom O'Halleran |
D+7.7 | Trump+1.1 | Romney+2.5 |
| Iowa's 2nd | Dave Loebsack |
Dave Loebsack |
D+12.2 | Trump+4.1 | Obama+13.1 |
| Illinois' 17th | Cheri Bustos |
Cheri Bustos |
D+23.6 | Trump+0.7 | Obama+17.0 |
| Minnesota's 1st | Tim Walz |
Jim Hagedorn |
R+0.4 | Trump+14.9 | Obama+1.4 |
| Minnesota's 7th | Collin Peterson |
Collin Peterson |
D+4.3 | Trump+30.8 | Romney+9.8 |
| Minnesota's 8th | Rick Nolan |
Pete Stauber |
R+5.5 | Trump+15.6 | Obama+5.5 |
| New Hampshire's 1st | Carol Shea-Porter |
Chris Pappas |
D+11.7 | Trump+1.6 | Obama+1.6 |
| New Jersey's 5th | Josh Gottheimer |
Josh Gottheimer |
D+11.7 | Trump+1.1 | Romney+3.1 |
| Nevada's 3rd | Jacky Rosen |
Susie Lee |
D+9.1 | Trump+1.0 | Obama+0.8 |
| New York's 18th | Sean Patrick Maloney |
Sean Patrick Maloney |
D+10.2 | Trump+1.9 | Obama+4.3 |
| Pennsylvania's 8th | Matt Cartwright[35] |
Matt Cartwright |
D+9.2 | Trump+9.6 | Obama+11.9 |
| Pennsylvania's 14th | Conor Lamb[36] |
Guy Reschenthaler |
R+15.9 | Trump+29.0 | Romney+17.7 |
| Wisconsin's 3rd | Ron Kind |
Ron Kind |
D+19.4 | Trump+4.5 | Obama+11.0 |
Click here to see the 25 Republican-held U.S. House districts that Hillary Clinton (D) won.
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Nineteen of 87 Minnesota counties—21.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
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| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Beltrami County, Minnesota | 9.72% | 9.89% | 10.15% | ||||
| Blue Earth County, Minnesota | 3.69% | 9.48% | 12.95% | ||||
| Chippewa County, Minnesota | 28.70% | 1.87% | 5.87% | ||||
| Clay County, Minnesota | 1.95% | 7.92% | 16.02% | ||||
| Fillmore County, Minnesota | 21.70% | 7.34% | 8.26% | ||||
| Freeborn County, Minnesota | 17.24% | 14.11% | 17.13% | ||||
| Houston County, Minnesota | 13.87% | 3.16% | 10.69% | ||||
| Itasca County, Minnesota | 16.35% | 9.83% | 12.92% | ||||
| Kittson County, Minnesota | 22.05% | 6.03% | 18.54% | ||||
| Koochiching County, Minnesota | 19.85% | 9.45% | 10.10% | ||||
| Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota | 25.60% | 0.90% | 5.92% | ||||
| Mahnomen County, Minnesota | 2.92% | 18.56% | 25.31% | ||||
| Mower County, Minnesota | 7.82% | 22.61% | 23.61% | ||||
| Nicollet County, Minnesota | 3.04% | 7.83% | 10.52% | ||||
| Norman County, Minnesota | 13.34% | 10.79% | 26.94% | ||||
| Rice County, Minnesota | 3.06% | 8.27% | 11.50% | ||||
| Swift County, Minnesota | 25.57% | 9.83% | 13.79% | ||||
| Traverse County, Minnesota | 23.30% | 4.44% | 5.41% | ||||
| Winona County, Minnesota | 2.90% | 12.85% | 19.09% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Minnesota with 46.4 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 44.9 percent. In presidential elections between 1860 and 2016, Minnesota voted Republican 50 percent of the time and Democratic 47.5 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Minnesota voted Democratic all five times.[37]
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Minnesota. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[38][39]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 68 out of 134 state House districts in Minnesota with an average margin of victory of 27.6 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 62 out of 134 state House districts in Minnesota with an average margin of victory of 30.4 points. Clinton won 12 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 66 out of 134 state House districts in Minnesota with an average margin of victory of 12.3 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 72 out of 134 state House districts in Minnesota with an average margin of victory of 23.8 points. Trump won seven districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1A | 43.15% | 54.54% | R+11.4 | 27.87% | 64.99% | R+37.1 | R |
| 1B | 46.10% | 51.92% | R+5.8 | 31.45% | 61.37% | R+29.9 | R |
| 2A | 48.08% | 50.09% | R+2 | 33.59% | 60.04% | R+26.4 | R |
| 2B | 42.17% | 56.05% | R+13.9 | 29.64% | 64.36% | R+34.7 | R |
| 3A | 55.31% | 42.36% | D+13 | 43.14% | 49.65% | R+6.5 | D |
| 3B | 60.19% | 38.11% | D+22.1 | 50.13% | 42.59% | D+7.5 | D |
| 4A | 55.32% | 42.31% | D+13 | 48.97% | 41.71% | D+7.3 | D |
| 4B | 46.65% | 51.41% | R+4.8 | 35.41% | 57.18% | R+21.8 | D |
| 5A | 52.05% | 45.83% | D+6.2 | 39.67% | 51.97% | R+12.3 | R |
| 5B | 49.48% | 48.58% | D+0.9 | 35.93% | 57.00% | R+21.1 | R |
| 6A | 63.20% | 34.57% | D+28.6 | 44.68% | 47.85% | R+3.2 | D |
| 6B | 61.82% | 35.90% | D+25.9 | 45.05% | 47.77% | R+2.7 | D |
| 7A | 67.15% | 30.27% | D+36.9 | 62.12% | 28.28% | D+33.8 | D |
| 7B | 69.99% | 27.63% | D+42.4 | 59.01% | 32.66% | D+26.3 | D |
| 8A | 39.32% | 59.07% | R+19.8 | 31.05% | 62.92% | R+31.9 | R |
| 8B | 40.24% | 57.98% | R+17.7 | 27.72% | 65.66% | R+37.9 | R |
| 9A | 37.61% | 60.36% | R+22.7 | 23.48% | 70.76% | R+47.3 | R |
| 9B | 37.60% | 60.41% | R+22.8 | 21.44% | 73.05% | R+51.6 | R |
| 10A | 42.68% | 55.47% | R+12.8 | 31.71% | 61.41% | R+29.7 | R |
| 10B | 44.58% | 53.66% | R+9.1 | 31.38% | 62.81% | R+31.4 | R |
| 11A | 62.19% | 35.79% | D+26.4 | 46.93% | 45.13% | D+1.8 | D |
| 11B | 46.72% | 50.92% | R+4.2 | 31.58% | 61.39% | R+29.8 | R |
| 12A | 46.30% | 51.70% | R+5.4 | 32.87% | 59.48% | R+26.6 | R |
| 12B | 36.32% | 61.98% | R+25.7 | 23.78% | 70.60% | R+46.8 | R |
| 13A | 41.20% | 57.04% | R+15.8 | 29.40% | 63.98% | R+34.6 | R |
| 13B | 40.74% | 57.46% | R+16.7 | 29.76% | 63.36% | R+33.6 | R |
| 14A | 47.70% | 50.25% | R+2.6 | 40.14% | 51.73% | R+11.6 | R |
| 14B | 53.28% | 43.56% | D+9.7 | 43.47% | 46.88% | R+3.4 | R |
| 15A | 42.24% | 55.67% | R+13.4 | 26.60% | 66.72% | R+40.1 | R |
| 15B | 34.92% | 62.92% | R+28 | 21.90% | 71.37% | R+49.5 | R |
| 16A | 45.53% | 52.33% | R+6.8 | 31.31% | 60.77% | R+29.5 | R |
| 16B | 40.08% | 57.64% | R+17.6 | 26.83% | 64.99% | R+38.2 | R |
| 17A | 47.24% | 50.94% | R+3.7 | 29.82% | 63.25% | R+33.4 | R |
| 17B | 47.10% | 51.19% | R+4.1 | 34.89% | 57.60% | R+22.7 | R |
| 18A | 39.80% | 57.83% | R+18 | 26.88% | 65.04% | R+38.2 | R |
| 18B | 37.06% | 60.70% | R+23.6 | 25.23% | 67.02% | R+41.8 | R |
| 19A | 52.51% | 45.09% | D+7.4 | 43.51% | 47.62% | R+4.1 | D |
| 19B | 57.05% | 39.91% | D+17.1 | 48.70% | 40.94% | D+7.8 | D |
| 20A | 40.38% | 57.73% | R+17.4 | 30.47% | 62.58% | R+32.1 | R |
| 20B | 53.95% | 43.71% | D+10.2 | 47.02% | 45.86% | D+1.2 | D |
| 21A | 51.06% | 46.99% | D+4.1 | 40.39% | 51.63% | R+11.2 | R |
| 21B | 44.07% | 53.85% | R+9.8 | 30.94% | 61.07% | R+30.1 | R |
| 22A | 41.53% | 56.48% | R+14.9 | 26.80% | 66.15% | R+39.4 | R |
| 22B | 44.04% | 54.37% | R+10.3 | 30.63% | 63.03% | R+32.4 | R |
| 23A | 39.08% | 58.83% | R+19.8 | 26.82% | 66.32% | R+39.5 | R |
| 23B | 47.30% | 50.57% | R+3.3 | 32.70% | 59.47% | R+26.8 | R |
| 24A | 45.64% | 52.20% | R+6.6 | 33.70% | 57.84% | R+24.1 | R |
| 24B | 47.07% | 50.66% | R+3.6 | 33.44% | 58.77% | R+25.3 | R |
| 25A | 45.24% | 52.32% | R+7.1 | 37.03% | 52.94% | R+15.9 | R |
| 25B | 53.14% | 44.51% | D+8.6 | 50.23% | 40.22% | D+10 | D |
| 26A | 57.64% | 39.78% | D+17.9 | 54.11% | 36.72% | D+17.4 | D |
| 26B | 44.47% | 53.59% | R+9.1 | 38.48% | 53.17% | R+14.7 | R |
| 27A | 55.57% | 42.31% | D+13.3 | 37.42% | 55.76% | R+18.3 | R |
| 27B | 59.95% | 37.84% | D+22.1 | 41.96% | 50.58% | R+8.6 | D |
| 28A | 56.63% | 40.82% | D+15.8 | 46.44% | 44.13% | D+2.3 | D |
| 28B | 51.67% | 46.36% | D+5.3 | 37.30% | 55.31% | R+18 | R |
| 29A | 37.73% | 60.22% | R+22.5 | 28.82% | 63.10% | R+34.3 | R |
| 29B | 40.42% | 57.50% | R+17.1 | 30.71% | 61.38% | R+30.7 | R |
| 30A | 39.60% | 58.57% | R+19 | 30.48% | 61.61% | R+31.1 | R |
| 30B | 36.49% | 61.79% | R+25.3 | 29.58% | 62.31% | R+32.7 | R |
| 31A | 35.58% | 62.46% | R+26.9 | 23.94% | 69.10% | R+45.2 | R |
| 31B | 38.58% | 59.53% | R+20.9 | 29.00% | 63.74% | R+34.7 | R |
| 32A | 41.06% | 56.85% | R+15.8 | 28.13% | 64.23% | R+36.1 | R |
| 32B | 42.98% | 55.07% | R+12.1 | 31.50% | 60.69% | R+29.2 | R |
| 33A | 36.20% | 62.39% | R+26.2 | 37.84% | 54.78% | R+16.9 | R |
| 33B | 43.71% | 54.67% | R+11 | 46.18% | 45.68% | D+0.5 | R |
| 34A | 40.35% | 58.12% | R+17.8 | 40.80% | 51.26% | R+10.5 | R |
| 34B | 46.78% | 51.60% | R+4.8 | 47.91% | 43.62% | D+4.3 | R |
| 35A | 45.40% | 52.32% | R+6.9 | 37.77% | 53.46% | R+15.7 | R |
| 35B | 41.04% | 57.50% | R+16.5 | 36.48% | 55.65% | R+19.2 | R |
| 36A | 48.54% | 49.44% | R+0.9 | 44.09% | 47.07% | R+3 | R |
| 36B | 53.38% | 45.11% | D+8.3 | 52.16% | 40.08% | D+12.1 | D |
| 37A | 53.32% | 44.53% | D+8.8 | 45.38% | 46.05% | R+0.7 | D |
| 37B | 48.64% | 49.49% | R+0.9 | 43.74% | 48.04% | R+4.3 | R |
| 38A | 44.17% | 53.89% | R+9.7 | 40.36% | 51.11% | R+10.7 | R |
| 38B | 46.39% | 51.99% | R+5.6 | 45.39% | 46.56% | R+1.2 | R |
| 39A | 45.12% | 53.25% | R+8.1 | 40.85% | 51.57% | R+10.7 | R |
| 39B | 47.78% | 50.62% | R+2.8 | 45.97% | 46.25% | R+0.3 | R |
| 40A | 69.71% | 28.69% | D+41 | 67.81% | 26.13% | D+41.7 | D |
| 40B | 68.60% | 29.42% | D+39.2 | 65.29% | 27.68% | D+37.6 | D |
| 41A | 59.61% | 38.36% | D+21.2 | 55.79% | 35.28% | D+20.5 | D |
| 41B | 62.30% | 35.32% | D+27 | 62.11% | 29.12% | D+33 | D |
| 42A | 51.48% | 46.50% | D+5 | 52.61% | 38.39% | D+14.2 | R |
| 42B | 56.76% | 41.28% | D+15.5 | 56.05% | 35.37% | D+20.7 | D |
| 43A | 56.52% | 41.92% | D+14.6 | 54.01% | 38.15% | D+15.9 | D |
| 43B | 57.50% | 40.33% | D+17.2 | 52.35% | 39.35% | D+13 | D |
| 44A | 47.99% | 50.66% | R+2.7 | 53.47% | 38.83% | D+14.6 | R |
| 44B | 54.39% | 44.30% | D+10.1 | 57.27% | 35.36% | D+21.9 | D |
| 45A | 59.17% | 38.72% | D+20.5 | 58.13% | 33.53% | D+24.6 | D |
| 45B | 63.39% | 34.34% | D+29.1 | 64.02% | 27.43% | D+36.6 | D |
| 46A | 64.31% | 33.66% | D+30.7 | 66.50% | 25.81% | D+40.7 | D |
| 46B | 65.79% | 32.01% | D+33.8 | 68.45% | 23.31% | D+45.1 | D |
| 47A | 35.32% | 63.07% | R+27.7 | 31.29% | 60.91% | R+29.6 | R |
| 47B | 42.17% | 56.19% | R+14 | 44.19% | 47.17% | R+3 | R |
| 48A | 52.14% | 46.19% | D+5.9 | 55.55% | 36.50% | D+19.1 | D |
| 48B | 46.72% | 51.70% | R+5 | 53.09% | 39.54% | D+13.6 | R |
| 49A | 52.29% | 46.68% | D+5.6 | 60.37% | 32.60% | D+27.8 | R |
| 49B | 52.45% | 46.18% | D+6.3 | 56.50% | 36.35% | D+20.2 | D |
| 50A | 63.81% | 33.98% | D+29.8 | 61.93% | 29.97% | D+32 | D |
| 50B | 56.96% | 40.99% | D+16 | 55.51% | 36.29% | D+19.2 | D |
| 51A | 55.56% | 42.44% | D+13.1 | 54.45% | 37.27% | D+17.2 | D |
| 51B | 51.44% | 46.79% | D+4.7 | 54.17% | 37.06% | D+17.1 | D |
| 52A | 58.72% | 39.32% | D+19.4 | 56.76% | 34.99% | D+21.8 | D |
| 52B | 52.90% | 45.36% | D+7.5 | 49.95% | 42.08% | D+7.9 | R |
| 53A | 56.63% | 41.59% | D+15 | 54.59% | 37.63% | D+17 | D |
| 53B | 46.78% | 51.95% | R+5.2 | 50.81% | 42.01% | D+8.8 | R |
| 54A | 55.87% | 41.75% | D+14.1 | 46.83% | 43.55% | D+3.3 | R |
| 54B | 49.32% | 48.74% | D+0.6 | 42.76% | 48.63% | R+5.9 | R |
| 55A | 46.18% | 51.67% | R+5.5 | 43.39% | 47.89% | R+4.5 | R |
| 55B | 38.11% | 60.15% | R+22 | 34.43% | 57.98% | R+23.5 | R |
| 56A | 47.26% | 50.85% | R+3.6 | 47.12% | 44.13% | D+3 | R |
| 56B | 49.26% | 48.97% | D+0.3 | 48.62% | 43.89% | D+4.7 | R |
| 57A | 50.85% | 47.34% | D+3.5 | 49.06% | 42.78% | D+6.3 | D |
| 57B | 48.75% | 49.64% | R+0.9 | 48.21% | 43.72% | D+4.5 | R |
| 58A | 42.24% | 56.02% | R+13.8 | 40.36% | 51.99% | R+11.6 | R |
| 58B | 42.46% | 55.75% | R+13.3 | 34.86% | 57.04% | R+22.2 | R |
| 59A | 84.23% | 13.96% | D+70.3 | 78.85% | 13.74% | D+65.1 | D |
| 59B | 80.65% | 17.23% | D+63.4 | 79.46% | 13.04% | D+66.4 | D |
| 60A | 77.47% | 18.61% | D+58.9 | 76.38% | 14.48% | D+61.9 | D |
| 60B | 76.39% | 19.31% | D+57.1 | 79.57% | 11.88% | D+67.7 | D |
| 61A | 78.23% | 19.40% | D+58.8 | 81.47% | 12.06% | D+69.4 | D |
| 61B | 78.20% | 19.94% | D+58.3 | 81.29% | 12.45% | D+68.8 | D |
| 62A | 86.72% | 9.26% | D+77.5 | 84.08% | 7.57% | D+76.5 | D |
| 62B | 86.87% | 10.09% | D+76.8 | 85.70% | 6.89% | D+78.8 | D |
| 63A | 82.84% | 14.33% | D+68.5 | 81.97% | 10.62% | D+71.4 | D |
| 63B | 73.83% | 23.99% | D+49.8 | 73.80% | 18.58% | D+55.2 | D |
| 64A | 76.89% | 20.30% | D+56.6 | 78.82% | 13.58% | D+65.2 | D |
| 64B | 70.63% | 27.37% | D+43.3 | 74.41% | 18.39% | D+56 | D |
| 65A | 83.74% | 13.76% | D+70 | 80.78% | 12.13% | D+68.6 | D |
| 65B | 77.60% | 19.70% | D+57.9 | 74.28% | 17.59% | D+56.7 | D |
| 66A | 65.92% | 31.91% | D+34 | 67.89% | 23.85% | D+44 | D |
| 66B | 78.86% | 18.90% | D+60 | 76.62% | 15.90% | D+60.7 | D |
| 67A | 76.07% | 21.79% | D+54.3 | 70.99% | 21.62% | D+49.4 | D |
| 67B | 74.76% | 23.00% | D+51.8 | 70.67% | 22.02% | D+48.6 | D |
| Total | 52.84% | 45.12% | D+7.7 | 46.88% | 45.34% | D+1.5 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
District history
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as a race to watch. Incumbent Rick Nolan (D) defeated Stewart Mills (R) in the general election on November 8, 2016. This was a rematch of the 2014 race, in which Nolan successfully defended his seat from Mills by 1.4 percent of the vote. Neither candidate faced a primary opponent in August.[40][41]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Rick Nolan Incumbent |
50.2% | 179,098 | |
| Republican | Stewart Mills | 49.6% | 177,089 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0.2% | 792 | |
| Total Votes | 356,979 | |||
| Source: Minnesota Secretary of State | ||||
2014
The 8th Congressional District of Minnesota held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Rick Nolan (D) defeated Stewart Mills (R) and Ray "Skip" Sandman (G) in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Nolan Incumbent |
48.5% | 129,090 | |
| Republican | Stewart Mills | 47.1% | 125,358 | |
| Green | Skip Sandman | 4.3% | 11,450 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0.1% | 185 | |
| Total Votes | 266,083 | |||
| Source: Minnesota Secretary of State | ||||
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Minnesota heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in Minnesota.
- Democrats held 5 of 8 U.S. House seats in Minnesota.
State executives
- The governor of Minnesota was Democrat Mark Dayton. The state held an election for governor and lieutenant governor on November 6, 2018.
State legislature
- Republicans had a 77-56 majority in the state House. The state Senate was tied, with 33 Republicans and 33 Democrats.
Trifecta status
- Minnesota was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Mark Dayton (D) served as governor, while Republicans controlled the state legislature.
2018 elections
- See also: Minnesota elections, 2018
Minnesota held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- Two U.S. Senate seats (one regular election and one special election)
- 8 U.S. House seats
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- Five lower state executive positions
- 134 state House seats
- One state Senate seat
- Municipal elections in St. Paul, Hennepin County, and Ramsey County
Demographics
| Demographic data for Minnesota | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,482,435 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 79,627 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 84.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 5.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 4.4% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.7% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 5% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 92.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 33.7% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $61,492 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Minnesota. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2016, Minnesota's three largest cities were Minneapolis (pop. est. 422,000), St. Paul (pop. est. 307,000), and Rochester (pop. est. 116,000).[42]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Minnesota from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Minnesota every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Minnesota 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton |
46.4% | Donald Trump |
44.9% | 1.5% |
| 2012 | Barack Obama |
52.7% | Mitt Romney |
45.0% | 7.7% |
| 2008 | Barack Obama |
54.1% | John McCain |
43.8% | 10.3% |
| 2004 | John Kerry |
51.1% | George W. Bush |
47.6% | 3.5% |
| 2000 | Al Gore |
47.9% | George W. Bush |
45.5% | 2.4% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Minnesota from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Minnesota 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | Al Franken |
53.2% | Mike McFadden |
42.9% | 10.3% |
| 2012 | Amy Klobuchar |
65.2% | Kurt Bills |
30.5% | 34.7% |
| 2008 | Al Franken |
41.99% | Norm Coleman |
41.98% | 0.01% |
| 2006 | Amy Klobuchar |
58.1% | Mark Kennedy |
37.9% | 20.2% |
| 2002 | Norm Coleman |
49.5% | Walter Mondale |
47.3% | 2.2% |
| 2000 | Mark Dayton |
48.8% | Rod Grams |
43.3% | 5.5% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Minnesota.
| Election results (Governor), Minnesota 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | Mark Dayton |
50.1% | Jeff Johnson |
44.5% | 5.6% |
| 2010 | Mark Dayton |
43.6% | Tom Emmer |
43.2% | 0.4% |
| 2006 | Tim Pawlenty |
46.7% | Mike Hatch |
45.7% | 1.0% |
| 2002 | Tim Pawlenty |
44.4% | Roger Moe |
36.5% | 7.9% |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Minnesota in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Minnesota 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2012 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2010 | 4 |
50.0% | 4 |
50.0% | Even |
| 2008 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2006 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2004 | 4 |
50.0% | 4 |
50.0% | Even |
| 2002 | 4 |
50.0% | 4 |
50.0% | Even |
| 2000 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Minnesota Party Control: 1992-2024
Four years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | I | I | I | I | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D |
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Minnesota heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in Minnesota.
- Democrats held 5 of 8 U.S. House seats in Minnesota.
State executives
- The governor of Minnesota was Democrat Mark Dayton. The state held an election for governor and lieutenant governor on November 6, 2018.
State legislature
- Republicans had a 77-56 majority in the state House. The state Senate was tied, with 33 Republicans and 33 Democrats.
Trifecta status
- Minnesota was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Mark Dayton (D) served as governor, while Republicans controlled the state legislature.
2018 elections
- See also: Minnesota elections, 2018
Minnesota held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- Two U.S. Senate seats (one regular election and one special election)
- 8 U.S. House seats
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- Five lower state executive positions
- 134 state House seats
- One state Senate seat
- Municipal elections in St. Paul, Hennepin County, and Ramsey County
Demographics
| Demographic data for Minnesota | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,482,435 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 79,627 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 84.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 5.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 4.4% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.7% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 5% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 92.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 33.7% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $61,492 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Minnesota. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2016, Minnesota's three largest cities were Minneapolis (pop. est. 422,000), St. Paul (pop. est. 307,000), and Rochester (pop. est. 116,000).[43]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Minnesota from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Minnesota every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Minnesota 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton |
46.4% | Donald Trump |
44.9% | 1.5% |
| 2012 | Barack Obama |
52.7% | Mitt Romney |
45.0% | 7.7% |
| 2008 | Barack Obama |
54.1% | John McCain |
43.8% | 10.3% |
| 2004 | John Kerry |
51.1% | George W. Bush |
47.6% | 3.5% |
| 2000 | Al Gore |
47.9% | George W. Bush |
45.5% | 2.4% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Minnesota from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Minnesota 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | Al Franken |
53.2% | Mike McFadden |
42.9% | 10.3% |
| 2012 | Amy Klobuchar |
65.2% | Kurt Bills |
30.5% | 34.7% |
| 2008 | Al Franken |
41.99% | Norm Coleman |
41.98% | 0.01% |
| 2006 | Amy Klobuchar |
58.1% | Mark Kennedy |
37.9% | 20.2% |
| 2002 | Norm Coleman |
49.5% | Walter Mondale |
47.3% | 2.2% |
| 2000 | Mark Dayton |
48.8% | Rod Grams |
43.3% | 5.5% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Minnesota.
| Election results (Governor), Minnesota 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | Mark Dayton |
50.1% | Jeff Johnson |
44.5% | 5.6% |
| 2010 | Mark Dayton |
43.6% | Tom Emmer |
43.2% | 0.4% |
| 2006 | Tim Pawlenty |
46.7% | Mike Hatch |
45.7% | 1.0% |
| 2002 | Tim Pawlenty |
44.4% | Roger Moe |
36.5% | 7.9% |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Minnesota in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Minnesota 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2012 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2010 | 4 |
50.0% | 4 |
50.0% | Even |
| 2008 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2006 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2004 | 4 |
50.0% | 4 |
50.0% | Even |
| 2002 | 4 |
50.0% | 4 |
50.0% | Even |
| 2000 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Minnesota Party Control: 1992-2024
Four years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | I | I | I | I | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D |
See also
- Minnesota's 8th Congressional District election (August 14, 2018 Democratic primary)
- Minnesota's 8th Congressional District election (August 14, 2018 Republican primary)
- United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2018
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Politico, "The Top 10 House Races to Watch in 2018," December 25, 2017
- ↑ Star Tribune, "September 18, 2018
- ↑ Joe Radinovich, "About," accessed September 22, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Joe Radinovich, "Issues," accessed September 22, 2018
- ↑ Star Tribune, "'Medicare for All' proposal splits Minnesota Democrats," July 30, 2018
- ↑ Pete Stauber for Congress, "About," accessed September 24, 2018
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 North Shore Community Radio, "Congressional candidate Stauber talks on key issues for 8th District," accessed September 24, 2018
- ↑ City Pages, "Hockey hero and would-be congressman Pete Stauber won't talk about cheating," March 13, 2018
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cook County News-Herald, "An interview with Republican candidate for Congress Pete Stauber," August 12, 2018
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Ray Sandman," accessed November 2, 2018
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Skip Sandman, "Issues," accessed November 2, 2018
- ↑ Duluth News Tribune, "District 8 independent candidate champions the ‘disenfranchised,'" April 29, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 FEC, "FILING FEC-1287316," accessed November 2, 2018
- ↑ Open Secrets, "Outside spending: Minnesota District 08 Race," accessed September 21, 2018
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
- ↑ Twitter, "Joe Radinovich," April 14, 2018
- ↑ FOX 21 News, "8th District Congressional Candidate Michelle Lee Announces Large Endorsement," March 30, 2018
- ↑ Vote Kirsten, "Endorsements," accessed July 3, 2018
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Jason Metsa for Congress, "Home," accessed July 3, 2018
- ↑ PR Newswire, "AFGE Endorses Minnesota's Joe Radinovich for Congress," April 13, 2018
- ↑ PR Newswire, "Steelworkers Endorse Jason Metsa for Congress in Minnesota's Eighth District," March 26, 2018
- ↑ Duluth News Tribune, "Unraveling the 8th District MPR debate," October 28, 2018
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Joe Radinovich for Congress, "Issues," accessed September 21, 2018
- ↑ "Issues," accessed September 21, 2018
- ↑ Duluth News Tribune, "Unraveling the 8th District MPR debate," October 28, 2018
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Alpha News MN, "Campaign In Despair? Joe Radinovich’s Campaign Manager Quits," October 17, 2018
- ↑ NRCC, "NRCC Adds 14 Candidates to Young Guns 'Contenders,'" May 2, 2018
- ↑ Fox 21, "8th Congressional District candidates share the stage," March 25, 2018
- ↑ This figure includes Pennsylvania districts that were redrawn by the state Supreme Court in early 2018 and districts that flipped in special elections.
- ↑ The new 8th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 17th District held by Cartwright. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 14th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 18th District Lamb won in a March 2018 special election. Tim Murphy (R) won the old 18th District in the 2016 election. Click here to read more.
- ↑ 270towin.com, "Minnesota," accessed June 29, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings," accessed June 1, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Minnesota House Primaries Results," August 9, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Demographics, "Minnesota Cities by Population," accessed September 4, 2018
- ↑ Minnesota Demographics, "Minnesota Cities by Population," accessed September 4, 2018
