2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

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.

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)

All 8 Minnesota seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic (DFL) Republican
Last election 5 3
Seats won 5 3
Seat change
Popular vote 985,760 913,539
Percentage 50.20% 46.53%
Swing 5.28% 3.51%

Popular vote by congressional district. As this is a first-past-the-post election, seat totals are not determined by total popular vote in the state, but instead by results in each congressional district.

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

By district

Results of the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:[3]

District Democratic Republican Others Total Result
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%
District 1122,85154.19%103,53645.67%3080.14%226,695100.0%Democratic Hold
District 295,56538.87%137,77856.04%12,5055.09%245,848100.0%Republican Hold
District 3101,84637.78%167,51562.14%2240.08%269,585100.0%Republican Hold
District 4147,85761.19%79,49232.90%14,2885.91%241,637100.0%Democratic Hold
District 5167,07970.79%56,57723.97%12,3545.24%236,010100.0%Democratic Hold
District 690,92638.39%133,32856.29%12,5925.32%236,846100.0%Republican Hold
District 7130,54654.21%109,95545.66%3340.14%240,835100.0%Democratic Hold
District 8129,09048.52%125,35847.11%11,6354.37%266,083100.0%Democratic Hold
Total985,76050.20%913,53946.53%64,2403.27%1,963,539100.0%

District 1

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

Republican State Representative Mike Benson,[4] 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.[5] On April 5, 2014, Aaron Miller won the GOP endorsement.[6] 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.[7]

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Tim Walz (incumbent) 19,983 100.0

Candidates

Declared
Withdrew
Declined

Results

Republican primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Hagedorn 12,748 54.0
Republican Aaron Miller 10,870 46.0
Total votes 23,618 100.0

Polling

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

Results

Minnesota's 1st congressional district, 2014[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Tim Walz (incumbent) 122,851 54.2
Republican Jim Hagedorn 103,536 45.7
n/a Write-ins 308 0.1
Total votes 226,695 100.0
Democratic (DFL) 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.[11]

The 2014 election in the 2nd district was 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 suggested a Democratic challenger could unseat Kline.[12]

Candidates

Declared
Withdrew
  • David Gerson, candidate for the seat in 2012[11][14]
Declined

Results

Republican primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Kline (incumbent) 18,236 100.0

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Mike Obermueller, who lost to Kline in 2012, had decided to run again.[13] He won the DFL endorsement on April 26, 2014.[16] Sona Mehring, the founder of CaringBridge, declared her candidacy, but dropped out of the race three weeks later.[17] 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.[18] Craft ceased his campaign after Obermueller won the DFL endorsement.[16] Eagan quality assurance analyst Paula Overby initially sought the DFL endorsement but withdrew after Obermueller won it and instead became the Independence Party nominee.[16][19]

Declared
Withdrew

Results

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Mike Obermueller 12,361 82.5
Democratic (DFL) Michael J. Roberts 2,622 17.5
Total votes 14,983 100.0

Candidates

Nominee
  • Paula Overby, quality assurance analyst[21]

Results

Independence primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independence Paula Overby 461 100.0

Polling

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

Results

Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, 2014[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Kline (incumbent) 137,778 56.0
Democratic (DFL) Mike Obermueller 95,565 38.9
Independence Paula Overby 12,319 5.0
n/a Write-ins 186 0.1
Total votes 245,848 100.0
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]

Candidates

Declared

Candidates

Declared
  • Sharon Sund, businesswoman[23]
Declined

Results

Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, 2014[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Erik Paulsen (incumbent) 167,515 62.1
Democratic (DFL) Sharon Sund 101,846 37.8
n/a Write-ins 224 0.1
Total votes 269,585 100.0
Republican hold

District 4

Candidates

Nominee

Candidates

Nominee

Candidates

Nominee
  • Dave Thomas, educator, firefighter, and Iraq War veteran[20]

Results

Minnesota's 4th congressional district, 2014[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Betty McCollum (incumbent) 147,857 61.2
Republican Sharna Wahlgren 79,492 32.9
Independence Dave Thomas 14,059 5.8
n/a Write-ins 229 0.1
Total votes 241,637 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 5

Candidates

Nominee

Candidates

Nominee

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Minnesota's 5th congressional district, 2014[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Keith Ellison (incumbent) 167,079 70.8
Republican Doug Daggett 56,577 24.0
Independence Lee Bauer 12,001 5.1
n/a Write-ins 353 0.1
Total votes 236,010 100.0
Democratic (DFL) 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 sought 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]

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 (R-Emmer) April 16–17, 2014 300 ± 5.66% 73% 4% 5% 18%

Results

Republican primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Emmer 19,557 73.3
Republican Rhonda Sivarajah 7,125 26.7
Total votes 26,682 100.0

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Joe Perske, Mayor of Sartell, Minnesota, was 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[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Joe Perske 10,070 100.0

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Independence primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independence John Denney 467 100.0

Results

Minnesota's 6th congressional district, 2014[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Emmer 133,328 56.3
Democratic (DFL) Joe Perske 90,926 38.4
Independence John Denney 12,457 5.2
Write-in 135 0.1
Total votes 236,846 100.0
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 was DFLer Collin Peterson, who had 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 was one of only a handful that was 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]

Candidates

Nominee
Declined

Candidates

Nominee
Declined

Polling

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

Results

Minnesota's 7th congressional district, 2014[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Collin Peterson (incumbent) 130,546 54.2
Republican Torrey Westrom 109,955 45.7
n/a Write-ins 334 0.1
Total votes 240,835 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 8

Candidates

Nominee

Candidates

Nominee

Green Party

Nominee
  • Skip Sandman

Polling

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

Results

Minnesota's 8th congressional district, 2014[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Rick Nolan (incumbent) 129,090 48.5
Republican Stewart Mills III 125,358 47.1
Green Skip Sandman 11,450 4.3
n/a Write-ins 185 0.1
Total votes 266,083 100.0
Democratic (DFL) 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. Haas, Karen L. (March 9, 2015). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2014". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  4. Carlson, Heather J. (June 17, 2013). "Benson to run for Congress against Walz". Post-Bulletin. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  5. Baier, Elizabeth (September 4, 2013). "Hagedorn launches bid to challenge Walz". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
  6. Carlson, Heather J. (April 5, 2014). "Miller wins Republican endorsement". Post-Bulletin. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  7. Moniz, Josh (May 18, 2014). "Hagedorn re-entering 1st District race". The Free Press. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  8. "Results for All Congressional Districts, Primary Election". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  9. 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.
  10. "Results for All Congressional Districts, 2014". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  11. Zdechlik, Mark (April 5, 2014). "Rep. John Kline endorsed for seventh term". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  12. Mitchell, Corey (October 26, 2013). "Fierce re-election battle forecast for Kline". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  13. Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (April 19, 2013). "Kline to seek re-election, not Senate or governor's office". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  14. Henry, Devin (December 9, 2013). "David Gerson launches second challenge to Kline". MinnPost. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  15. Cahn, Emily (September 18, 2013). "Minnesota Politicians Wait for Kline, Peterson Exits to Ascend". Roll Call. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  16. Salisbury, Bill (April 26, 2014). "Obermueller wins DFL bid to take on Kline". Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  17. Boldt, Megan (April 24, 2013). "CaringBridge founder Sona Mehring drops out of congressional race". Pioneer Press. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  18. Bierschbach, Briana (July 10, 2013). "Kline gets a second DFL challenger: Thomas Craft". Politics in Minnesota. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  19. Magan, Christopher (August 11, 2013). "Eagan woman doesn't want gender identity to define impending run for Congress". Pioneer Press. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  20. "2014 State General Election Candidate Filings, U.S. Representatives". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  21. Magan, Christopher (June 9, 2014). "Independence Party endorses Paula Overby for Congress". Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  22. 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. 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. Black, Eric (May 31, 2013). "With Bachmann not running, Jim Graves pulls out of 6th District race". MinnPost. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  29. Salisbury, Bill (June 5, 2013). "Tom Emmer announces candidacy for Congress". Pioneer Press. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  30. 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. 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. Durkin, Mike (June 10, 2013). "Democrat Judy Adams jumps into 6th District race". KMSP-TV. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  36. Sommerhauser, Mark (January 14, 2014). "Perske makes run for 6th District seat official". St. Cloud Times. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  37. Budig, T.W. (November 1, 2013). "Political science professor enters 6th District race". Morrison County Record. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  38. 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. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. 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. 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.
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