United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2014

United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2014
Minnesota
November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)
All of Minnesota's eight seats in the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party DFL Republican
Last election 5 seats, 55.48% 3 seats, 43.02%
Seats before 5 3
Seats won 5 3
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 985,760 913,539
Percentage 50.20% 46.53%
Swing Decrease5.28% Increase3.51%

The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota took place in the U.S. State of Minnesota on November 4, 2014, to elect Minnesota's eight representatives in the United States House of Representatives for two-year terms, one from each of Minnesota's eight congressional districts. Primary elections were held on August 12, 2014.

In these elections, Minnesotans elected their oldest U.S. House delegation across the 80 cycles since statehood, at an average age of 58.8 years: Rick Nolan (age 70), Collin Peterson (70), John Kline (67), Betty McCollum (60), Keith Ellison (51), Tom Emmer (53), Tim Walz (50) and Erik Paulsen (49).[1]

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2014[2]
Party Votes Percentage Seats Before Seats After +/–
Democratic Farmer-Labor 985,760 50.20% 5 5 -
Republican 913,539 46.53% 3 3 -
Independence 50,836 2.59% 0 0 -
Green 11,450 0.58% 0 0 -
Others 1,954 0.10% 0 0 -
Totals 1,963,539 100.00% 8 8 —

District 1

DFL incumbent Tim Walz has represented the 1st district since 2007.

Republican State Representative Mike Benson,[3] Jim Hagedorn of Blue Earth and U.S. Army veteran Aaron Miller of Byron all sought the nomination to challenge Walz. Hagedorn and Miller had pledged to abide by the Republican endorsement while Benson did not.[4] On April 5, 2014, Aaron Miller won the GOP endorsement.[5] Benson and Hagedorn then withdrew, though Hagedorn re-entered the race on May 18, expressing concerns that Miller was not dedicating enough time to the race.[6]

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
DFL Tim Walz 19,983 100

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared
Withdrew
Declined

Results

Republican primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Hagedorn 12,748 53.98
Republican Aaron Miller 10,870 46.02
Total votes 23,618 100.00

General election

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Tim
Walz (DFL)		 Jim
Hagedorn (R)		 Other Undecided
Harper Polling* September 9–10, 2014 437 ± 4.69% 38% 32% — 31%

Results

Minnesota's 1st Congressional district election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
DFL Tim Walz (Incumbent) 122,851 54.19
Republican Jim Hagedorn 103,536 45.67
Write-in Others 308 0.14
Majority 19,315 8.52%
Total votes 226,695 100
Democratic hold

District 2

Republican Representative John Kline was rumored to be interested in running for Governor of Minnesota or the United States Senate. Instead, he announced he would seek re-election. David Gerson challenged Kline for the Republican nomination but conceded after Kline won the Republican endorsement.[10]

The 2014 election in the 2nd district is expected to be one of the tightest congressional races in the country. Kline's district was one of 17 Republican congressional districts to vote for President Barack Obama in 2012, and polling data suggests a Democratic challenger could unseat Kline.[11]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared
Withdrew
Declined

Results

Republican primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Kline 18,236 100

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Mike Obermueller, who lost to Kline in 2012, is running.[12] He won the DFL endorsement on April 26, 2014.[15] Sona Mehring, the founder of CaringBridge, declared her candidacy, but dropped out of the race three weeks later.[16] Thomas Craft, who volunteered for Obermueller in the 2012 race, declared his candidacy in July 2013 and positioned himself as a fiscally conservative, socially liberal alternative to Kline and Obermueller.[17] Craft ceased his campaign after Obermueller won the DFL endorsement.[15] Eagan quality assurance analyst Paula Overby sought the DFL endorsement but withdrew after Obermueller won it and is now the Independence Party nominee.[18][15]

Declared
Withdrew

Results

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
DFL Mike Obermueller 12,361 82.50
DFL Michael J. Roberts 2,622 17.50
Total votes 14,983 100

Independence primary

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Independence primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independence Paula Overby 461 100

General election

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 John
Kline (R)		 Mike
Obermueller (DFL)		 Other Undecided
Remington Research Group September 18–21, 2014 568 ± 4.1% 54% 32% 4%[21] 10%
Public Policy Polling October 21–22, 2013 825 ± 3.4% 38% 42% — 20%

Results

Minnesota's 2nd Congressional district election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Kline (Incumbent) 137,778 56.04
DFL Mike Obermueller 95,565 38.87
Independence Paula Overby 12,319 5.01
Write-in Others 186 0.08
Majority 42,212 17.17%
Total votes 245,848 100
Republican hold

District 3

Republican U.S. Representative Erik Paulsen considered running for Governor or the United States Senate in 2014. He announced he would seek re-election to the U.S. House instead.[22]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Candidates

Declared
Declined

General election

Results

Minnesota's 3rd Congressional district election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Erik Paulsen (Incumbent) 167,515 62.14
DFL Sharon Sund 101,846 37.78
Write-in Others 224 0.08
Majority 65,669 24.36%
Total votes 269,585 100
Republican hold

District 4

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Independence primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

Minnesota's 4th Congressional district election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
DFL Betty McCollum (Incumbent) 147,857 61.19
Republican Sharna Wahlgren 79,492 32.19
Independence Dave Thomas 14,059 5.82
Write-in Others 229 0.09
Majority 68,365 28.29%
Total votes 241,637 100
Democratic hold

District 5

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Independence primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

Minnesota's 5th Congressional district election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
DFL Keith Ellison (Incumbent) 167,079 70.79
Republican Doug Daggett 56,577 23.97
Independence Lee Bauer 12,001 5.08
Write-in Others 353 0.15
Majority 110,502 46.82%
Total votes 236,010 100
Democratic hold

District 6

Republican U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann won re-election in 2012, defeating DFL nominee Jim Graves by approximately 1.2 percentage points, although fellow Republican Mitt Romney received 56% of the vote to Democrat Barack Obama's 41% in this district in the 2012 presidential election. Bachmann announced on May 29, 2013, that she would not seek re-election.[26] Graves, who had previously said he would run again, said he would continue to run.[27] However, on May 31, 2013, Graves announced that he was suspending his campaign.[28]

Former State Representative and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer and Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah are seeking the Republican nomination.[29][30][31] Allan Levene, a Kennesaw, Georgia resident who sought the Republican nomination in four congressional districts in four separate states, including Minnesota, ultimately did not file an affidavit of candidacy.[32]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared
Withdrew
Declined

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Tom
Emmer		 Phil
Krinkie		 Rhonda
Sivarajah		 Undecided
Public Opinion Strategies* April 16–17, 2014 300 ± 5.66% 73% 4% 5% 18%

Results

Republican primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Emmer 19,557 73.3
Republican Rhonda Sivarajah 7,125 26.7
Total votes 26,682 100

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Joe Perske, Mayor of Sartell, Minnesota, is the DFL endorsed candidate and nominee. Judy Adams, a painter and environmental activist, and Jim Read, an author and professor of political science at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, both withdrew after failing to win the DFL endorsement.[35][36][37][38]

Candidates

Nominee
Withdrew

Results

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
DFL Joe Perske 10,070 100

Independence primary

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Independence primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independence John Denney 467 100

General election

Results

Minnesota's 6th Congressional district election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Emmer 133,328 56.29
DFL Joe Perske 90,926 38.39
Independence John Denney 12,457 5.26
Write-in Others 135 0.06
Majority 42,402 17.9%
Total votes 236,846 100
Republican hold

District 7

The 7th district covers almost the entire western side of Minnesota. It is the largest district in the state and one of the largest in the country and includes the cities of Moorhead, Fergus Falls, Alexandria and Willmar. The incumbent is DFLer Collin Peterson, who has represented the district since 1991. He was re-elected with 60% of the vote in 2012 and the district has a PVI of R+6.

In 2013, Republicans began pressuring Peterson, in hopes of convincing him to retire. His seat is one of only a handful that is represented by a Democrat but was carried by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in the 2012 election and was seen as a top pick-up opportunity had Peterson retired. Their tactics included airing television advertisements, hiring a press staffer to give opposition research to reporters, hiring a tracker to follow him around his district and record him, and sending mobile billboards with critical statements on them to drive around his hometown. Peterson responded by saying "They don't have anybody else to go after. It's kind of ridiculous, but whatever."[39][40] After Republicans spread rumors that Peterson was planning to buy a house in Florida and retire there, he said: "I went from neutral on running again to 90 percent just because of this stupid stuff they're doing. You can't let these people be in charge of anything, in my opinion."[41] On March 17, 2014, Peterson officially announced that he was running for re-election, saying, "I still have a lot of work to do".[42]

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Candidates

Nominee
Declined

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Declined

General election

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Collin
Peterson (DFL)		 Torrey
Westrom (R)		 Other Undecided
Tarrance Group* October 12–14, 2014 300 ± 5.8% 43% 44% — 13%
SurveyUSA October 3–6, 2014 545 ± 4.3% 50% 41% — 10%
Tarrance Group^ September 21–23, 2014 402 ± 4.9% 45% 40% — 15%
Global Strategy Group** September 4–7, 2014 405 ± 4.9% 53% 29% — 18%
Tarrance Group* February 3–5, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 46% 39% — 15%

Results

Minnesota's 7th Congressional district election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
DFL Collin Peterson (Incumbent) 130,546 54.21
Republican Torrey Westrom 109,955 45.66
Write-in Others 334 0.14
Majority 20,591 8.55%
Total votes 240,835 100
Democratic hold

District 8

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Green Party

Nominee

General election

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Rick
Nolan (DFL)		 Stewart
Mills (R)		 Other Undecided
KSTP/SurveyUSA October 9–12, 2014 555 ± 4.2% 39% 47% 4%[45] 11%
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner* September 25–28, 2014 405 ± 4.9% 48% 37% 7%[45] 9%

Results

Minnesota's 8th Congressional district election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
DFL Rick Nolan (Incumbent) 129,090 48.51
Republican Stewart Mills III 125,358 47.11
Green Skip Sandman 11,450 4.3
Write-in Others 185 0.07
Majority 3,732 1.4%
Total votes 266,083 100
Democratic hold

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ostermeier, Eric (November 13, 2014). "Minnesotans Elect Oldest Governor, US House Delegation in State History". Smart Politics.
  2. ↑ http://history.house.gov/Institution/Election-Statistics/Election-Statistics/
  3. ↑ Carlson, Heather J. (June 17, 2013). "Benson to run for Congress against Walz". Post-Bulletin. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  4. 1 2 Baier, Elizabeth (September 4, 2013). "Hagedorn launches bid to challenge Walz". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Carlson, Heather J. (April 5, 2014). "Miller wins Republican endorsement". Post-Bulletin. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Moniz, Josh (May 18, 2014). "Hagedorn re-entering 1st District race". The Free Press. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Results for All Congressional Districts, Primary Election". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  8. ↑ Juhl, Mary (June 15, 2013). "Thanks, but no thanks: Miller won’t take on Walz in ’14 but isn’t ruling out future run". Winona Daily News. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Results for All Congressional Districts, 2014". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  10. 1 2 Zdechlik, Mark (April 5, 2014). "Rep. John Kline endorsed for seventh term". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  11. ↑ Mitchell, Corey (October 26, 2013). "Fierce re-election battle forecast for Kline". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (April 19, 2013). "Kline to seek re-election, not Senate or governor's office". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  13. ↑ Henry, Devin (December 9, 2013). "David Gerson launches second challenge to Kline". MinnPost. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Cahn, Emily (September 18, 2013). "Minnesota Politicians Wait for Kline, Peterson Exits to Ascend". Roll Call. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Salisbury, Bill (April 26, 2014). "Obermueller wins DFL bid to take on Kline". Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  16. 1 2 Boldt, Megan (April 24, 2013). "CaringBridge founder Sona Mehring drops out of congressional race". Pioneer Press. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  17. ↑ Bierschbach, Briana (July 10, 2013). "Kline gets a second DFL challenger: Thomas Craft". Politics in Minnesota. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  18. ↑ Magan, Christopher (August 11, 2013). "Eagan woman doesn't want gender identity to define impending run for Congress". Pioneer Press. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "2014 State General Election Candidate Filings, U.S. Representatives". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  20. ↑ Magan, Christopher (June 9, 2014). "Independence Party endorses Paula Overby for Congress". Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  21. ↑ Paula Overby (I)
  22. 1 2 Diaz, Kevin (May 13, 2013). "U.S. Rep. Paulsen rules out run for Minnesota governor or U.S. Senate". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  23. ↑ Zdechlik, Mark (March 13, 2014). "Plymouth businesswoman announces run in 3rd Congressional District". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  24. ↑ Brucato, Cyndy (November 7, 2013). "Possible challenger to Paulsen surfaces". MinnPost. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Former WCCO-TV anchor Don Shelby won't run for Congress". Star Tribune. August 9, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  26. 1 2 Henry, Devin (May 29, 2013). "Michele Bachmann announces she will not run for re-election". MinnPost. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  27. ↑ Henry, Devin (May 29, 2013). "Graves: Strategy won't change with Bachmann out of the race". MinnPost. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  28. 1 2 Black, Eric (May 31, 2013). "With Bachmann not running, Jim Graves pulls out of 6th District race". MinnPost. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  29. 1 2 Salisbury, Bill (June 5, 2013). "Tom Emmer announces candidacy for Congress". Pioneer Press. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  30. 1 2 Belden, Doug (June 12, 2013). "Bachmann's seat has 3rd contender: Rhonda Sivarajah, Anoka County commissioner". Pioneer Press. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Republican Phil Krinkie to run for Bachmann's Sixth District seat". Star Tribune. July 19, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  32. 1 2 Galloway, Jim (November 6, 2013). "Running for Congress, in Georgia and three other states – at the same time". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  33. ↑ Kimball, Joe (June 3, 2014). "Phil Krinkie drops out of GOP 6th District congressional race". MinnPost. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  34. ↑ Sommerhauser, Mark (January 3, 2014). "Pederson drops 6th District run, says he's undecided on whom to endorse". St. Cloud Times. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  35. 1 2 Durkin, Mike (June 10, 2013). "Democrat Judy Adams jumps into 6th District race". KMSP-TV. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  36. 1 2 Sommerhauser, Mark (January 14, 2014). "Perske makes run for 6th District seat official". St. Cloud Times. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  37. 1 2 Budig, T.W. (November 1, 2013). "Political science professor enters 6th District race". Morrison County Record. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  38. 1 2 3 Sommerhauser, Mark (May 3, 2014). "Perske gets DFL endorsement in 6th District". St. Cloud Times. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  39. ↑ Neely, Brett (May 28, 2013). "GOP pokes at Peterson on healthcare and the IRS". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  40. ↑ Wilson, Reid (May 23, 2013). "Parties Push For House Retirements". National Journal. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  41. ↑ Neely, Brett (June 6, 2013). "Peterson says GOP efforts to push him out having the opposite effect". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  42. 1 2 Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (March 17, 2014). "Democratic U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson will run again". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  43. ↑ Henry, David (December 4, 2013). "State Sen. Torrey Westrom to challenge Collin Peterson". MinnPost. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  44. ↑ Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (June 25, 2013). "Mills Fleet Farm executive to vie for Congress". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  45. 1 2 Ray "Skip" Sandman (G)

External links

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