Overview
Redistricting
A redistricting plan was proposed by Republican Party (United States), Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature on May 9, 2011. The plan was passed by the Minnesota House of Representatives on May 13 and the Minnesota Senate on May 18, but was vetoed by Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Governor of Minnesota, Governor Mark Dayton on May 19. In February 2012, a state court panel redrew Minnesota's congressional boundaries with the effect of enacting a "least-change" map.District 1
Democrat Tim Walz, who has represented Minnesota's 1st congressional district since 2007, sought re-election. In redistricting, Murray County, Minnesota, Murray County, Pipestone County, Minnesota, Pipestone County and half of Cottonwood County, Minnesota, Cottonwood County were moved from the 1st district to the Minnesota's 7th congressional district, 7th and Wabasha County, Minnesota, Wabasha County was moved from the 1st district to the Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, 2nd; while Le Sueur County, Minnesota, Le Sueur County and most of Rice County, Minnesota, Rice County were moved from the 2nd district to the 1st. The 1st district was expected to continue to slightly favor Republicans.Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Tim Walz, incumbent U.S. RepresentativeResults
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Allen Quist, former Minnesota House of Representatives, state representative from legislative district 23B (1983-1989)=Eliminated in primary
= * Mike Parry (politician), Mike Parry, Minnesota Senate, state senator from senate district 26 since 2010=Declined
= * Randy Demmer, former state representative nominee for this seat in United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2010#District 1, 2010, * Steve Drazkowski, state representative * Julie A. Rosen, Julie Rosen state senatorResults
General election
Endorsements
Results
Walz handily dispatched Quist in the election, garnering 58% of the vote.District 2
Republican John Kline (politician), John Kline, who has represented Minnesota's 2nd congressional district since 2003, sought re-election. In redistricting, Le Sueur County, Minnesota, Le Sueur County and Rice County, Minnesota, Rice County were moved from the 2nd district to the Minnesota's 1st congressional district, 1st and Carver County, Minnesota, Carver County was moved from the 2nd district to the Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, 3rd and Minnesota's 6th congressional district, 6th; while West St. Paul, Minnesota, West St. Paul and parts of South St. Paul, Minnesota, South St. Paul were moved from the Minnesota's 4th congressional district, 4th district to the 2nd. The 2nd district was made slightly more favorable to Democrats, but continues to favor Republicans.Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * John Kline (politician), John Kline, incumbent U.S. Representative=Eliminated in primary
= * David GersonResults
Democratic primary
Patrick Ganey, a member of the Northfield, Minnesota, Northfield City Council; Kathleen Gaylord, a member of the Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County Commission; former Minnesota House of Representatives, state Representative Mike Obermueller; and Dan Powers, a former small business owner who unsuccessfully sought the DFL nomination in the 2nd district in United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2010#District 2, 2010, sought the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination to challenge Kline. At the congressional district convention, the party endorsed Mike Obermueller.Candidates
=Nominee
= * Mike Obermueller, former State Representative from legislative district 38B (2009-2011)=Withdrawn
= * Patrick Ganey, Northfield, Minnesota, Northfield City Council member * Kathleen Gaylord, Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County Commission member * Dan Powers, former small business owner candidate for this seat in United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2010#District 2, 2010Results
General election
Endorsements
Polling
Predictions
Results
Despite a strong challenge from Obermueller, Kline prevailed.District 3
Republican Erik Paulsen, who has represented Minnesota's 3rd congressional district since 2009 sought re-election. In redistricting, the 3rd district was expanded to include eastern Carver County, Minnesota, Carver County, while part of the northeastern Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro area was moved to the Minnesota's 5th congressional district, 5th. The district was made more favorable to Republicans.Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Erik Paulsen, incumbent U.S. Representative=Eliminated in primary
= * John W. Howard IIIResults
Democratic primary
Brian Barnes, an Edina, Minnesota, Edina businessman and former United States Navy Reserve, Navy Reserve officer and Sharon Sund, a Plymouth, Minnesota, Plymouth scientist and small-business owner sought the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination to challenge Paulsen. In the third district Democratic convention, Barnes won the party endorsement and Sund backed his candidacy. Sund was subsequently elected Chair of the Hennepin County Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.Candidates
=Nominee
= * Brian Barnes, businessman and former United States Navy Reserve, Navy Reserve officer=Withdrawn
= * Sharon Sund, Plymouth, Minnesota, Plymouth scientist and small-business ownerResults
General election
Endorsements
Results
Paulsen received 58% of the vote, defeating Barnes who received 42%.District 4
Democrat Betty McCollum, who has represented Minnesota's 4th congressional district since 2001, sought re-election. In redistricting, the 4th district was made slightly more favorable to Republicans, but continues to strongly favor Democrats. The home of Republican U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann, who has represented Minnesota's 6th congressional district since 2007, was drawn into the 4th district in redistricting; however Bachmann sought re-election in the 6th district. McCollum retained her seat, defeating Hernandez.Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative=Eliminated in primary
= * Diana Longrie, former Mayor of Maplewood, Minnesota, Maplewood (2005-2009) * Brian StalboergerResults
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Tony Hernandez, businessman and candidate for Senate in United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2012, 2012=Eliminated in primary
= * Ron Seiford, adjunct professor, adjunct business instructor at Globe College=Withdrawn
= * Dan Flood, retired United States Navy, Navy officer=Declined
= * Michele Bachmann, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 6th districtResults
Independence primary
Candidates
* Steve CarlsonResults
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 5
Minnesota's 5th congressional district has been represented by Democrat Keith Ellison (politician), Keith Ellison since 2007. Gary Boisclair, an opposition to the legalization of abortion, anti-abortion activist, and Gregg Iverson unsuccessfully challenged Ellison in the Democratic primary. In redistricting, the 5th district was expanded to include parts of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Brooklyn Center, Edina, Minnesota, Edina and Minnetonka, Minnesota, Minnetonka, and continues to strongly favor Democrats.Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Keith Ellison (politician), Keith Ellison, incumbent U.S. Representative=Eliminated in primary
= * Gary Boisclair, anti-abortion activist * Gregg A. IversonResults
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Chris Fields, retired United States Marine Corps, U.S. MarineResults
General election
Endorsements
Results
Ellison easily defeated Fields, carrying about 75% of the vote.District 6
Michele Bachmann, who has represented Minnesota's 6th congressional district since 2007 and unsuccessfully sought the Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2012, Republican presidential nomination in 2012, sought re-election. In redistricting, the 6th district was expanded to include Carver County, Minnesota, Carver County and was made more favorable to Republicans.Republican primary
Ron Seiford, an adjunct professor, adjunct business instructor at Woodbury, Minnesota, Woodbury's Globe College, and Aubrey Immelman unsuccessfully challenged her in the Republican nomination, though Bachmann won by the lowest margin of any incumbent Republican congressional candidate in 50 years.Candidates
=Nominee
= * Michele Bachmann, incumbent U.S. Representative=Eliminated in primary
= * Aubrey Immelman, candidate for this seat in United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2008#District 6, 2008 * Stephen Thompson=Withdrawn
= * Ron Seiford, adjunct professor, adjunct business instructor at Globe CollegeResults
Democratic primary
Jim Graves, a hotel executive, won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination at the party's convention in April 2012.Candidates
=Nominee
= * Jim Graves, hotel executive=Withdrawn
= *Brian McGoldrick, businessman *Anne Nolan, attorney and business consultant *Mike Starr, substitute teacherResults
General election
Endorsements
Polling
Predictions
Results
Bachmann narrowly retained the seat, receiving 4,298 more votes than Graves.District 7
Democrat Collin Peterson, who has represented Minnesota's 7th congressional district since 1991, sought re-election. In redistricting, the 7th district was expanded to include rural counties in southern Minnesota, while cities were moved from the Minnesota's 6th congressional district, 6th and Minnesota's 8th congressional district, 8th districts into the 7th.Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= *Collin Peterson, incumbent U.S. RepresentativeRepublican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= *Lee Byberg, business executive and nominee for this seat in United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2010#District 7, 2010 and state senator Gretchen Hoffman,=Withdrawn
= *Gretchen Hoffman, state senatorGeneral election
Endorsements
Predictions
Results
District 8
Republican Chip Cravaack, who was first elected to represent Minnesota's 8th congressional district in 2010, sought re-election. In redistricting, the 8th district was not significantly changed and remained competitive.Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Chip Cravaack, incumbent U.S. RepresentativeResults
Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
= * Rick Nolan, Richard Nolan, former U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 6th congressional district (1975-1981)=Eliminated in primary
= * Jeff Anderson, former Duluth, Minnesota, Duluth City Councilor (2007-2011) * Tarryl Clark, former State Senator from senate district 15 (2006-2011) and nominee for the 6th district in United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2010#District 6, 2010=Withdrawn
= *Daniel Fanning, former deputy state director for Senator Al Franken=Declined
= *Thomas M. Bakk, Tom Bakk, Minnesota Senate Minority Leader, State senate minority leader *Carly Melin, Minnesota House of Representatives, State representative *Don Ness,list of mayors of Duluth, Minnesota, Mayor of Duluth *Roger Reinert, state senator *Tom Rukavina, state representative *Anthony Sertich, Tony Sertich, former Minnesota House Majority Leader, state house majority leader *Yvonne Prettner Solon, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, Lieutenant GovernorCampaign
Nolan was victorious in a February 2012 caucus, receiving 1,537 votes to Anderson's 1,008 and Clark's 408. 269 uncommitted votes were cast. Delegates to a political convention, convention held in May 2012 could endorse one candidate, but candidates who did not receive the party's endorsement were nonetheless able to run in the August 2012 primary election, primary.Endorsements
Results
General election
Endorsements
Polling
Predictions
Results
Nolan triumphed over Cravaack, receiving about 55% of the vote.References
External links