2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Minnesota, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on August 9.

This is the last cycle where the Democratic candidate would win either the 1st or 8th district and the last cycle Republicans candidate would win either the 2nd or 3rd district.

Overview Statewide PartyCandidatesVotesSeats %+/– %Democratic-Farmer-Labor81,434,59050.15562.50Republican81,334,68646.66337.50Legal Marijuana Now257,9112.0200.0Independence128,8691.0100.0Write-in84,3760.1500.0Total272,860,432100.08100.0

By district Results of the 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:

DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 169,074 50.34% 166,526 49.58% 277 0.08% 335,600 100.00% Democratic holdDistrict 2 167,315 45.16% 173,970 46.95% 29,229 7.89% 370,514 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 3 169,243 43.01% 223,077 56.70% 1,144 0.29% 393,464 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 4 203,299 57.76% 121,032 34.39% 27,613 7.85% 351,944 100.00% Democratic holdDistrict 5 249,964 69.07% 80,660 22.29% 31,258 8.64% 361,882 100.00% Democratic holdDistrict 6 123,008 34.27% 235,380 65.58% 536 0.15% 358,924 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 7 173,589 52.47% 156,952 47.44% 307 0.09% 330,848 100.00% Democratic holdDistrict 8 179,098 50.17% 177,089 49.61% 792 0.22% 356,979 100.00% Democratic holdTotal 1,434,590 50.15% 1,334,686 46.66% 91,156 3.19% 2,860,432 100.00%

District 1

Incumbent Democrat Tim Walz, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 54% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+1. This is the most recent election for this congressional district to be won by a Democrat.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Tim Walz, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jim Hagedorn, blogger, candidate for this seat in 2010 and nominee in 2014

Eliminated in primary Stephen Williams, farmer and Independence nominee for the U.S. Senate 2012, candidate in 2008 and 2012 and candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2010

Results

General election Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 7, 2016Daily Kos ElectionsNovember 7, 2016 RothenbergNovember 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 7, 2016RCPOctober 31, 2016

Results

Finances Campaigns Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Tim Walz (DFL) $1,547,890 $1,585,118 $42,071 Jim Hagedorn (R) $354,204 $356,277 $225

Outside Spending Candidate (party) Supported Opposed Tim Walz (DFL) $0 $0 Jim Hagedorn (R) $1,463 $0

District 2

Incumbent Republican John Kline, who had represented the district since 2003, announced that he would not seek re-election. He was re-elected with 56% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+2.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jason Lewis, political commentator, former talk radio host, and nominee for Colorado's 2nd district in 1990

Eliminated in primary Matthew Erickson, Minnesota spokesperson for Donald Trump John Howe, former state senator, former mayor of Red Wing and candidate for Minnesota Secretary of State in 2014 Darlene Miller, president and CEO of Permac Industries and member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness

Withdrawn David Benson-Staebler, political consultant, former Democratic congressional aide, and real estate agent David Gerson, engineer and candidate in 2012 and 2014 Pam Myhra, former state representative and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014

Declined Tony Albright, state representative Ted Daley, former state senator Steve Drazkowski, state representative Pat Garofalo, state representative John Kline, incumbent U.S. Representative John Kriesel, former state representative Mike McFadden, businessman and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2014 Mary Pawlenty, former Dakota County District Court Judge and former First Lady of Minnesota Roz Peterson, state representative Eric Pratt, state senator Steve Sviggum, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Dave Thompson, state senator and candidate for governor in 2014

Endorsements

Debate + 2016 Minnesota's 2nd congressional district republican primary debate Date Host Moderator Link Republican Republican Republican Republican RepublicanKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn David Benson-Staebler David Gerson John Howe Jason Lewis Pam Myhra1 Nov. 19, 2015 Republicans in Senate District 52 YouTube

Results

Democratic primary Democrat Angela Craig, who served as vice president of global human resources for St. Jude Medical, resigned from her position in January 2015 to challenge Lewis. Mary Lawrence, a doctor, also ran as a Democrat, but dropped out before the primary.

Candidates Nominee Angie Craig, former St. Jude Medical executive

Withdrawn Roger Kittelson, dairy marketing specialist, nominee for WI-06 in 2008 and candidate for Minnesota House of Representatives in 1982 and 2014 Mary Lawrence, ophthalmologist

Declined Joe Atkins, state representative Rick Hansen, state representative Mike Obermueller, former state representative and nominee in 2012 and 2014

Results

Independence primary Candidates Nominee Paula Overby, quality assurance analyst and nominee for this seat in 2014

General election Campaign Commentators wrote that the election was "likely to be one of the most-watched congressional races in the country," (MinnPost), "expected to be one of the most competitive in the country", according to Roll Call newspaper, and "seen as a prime target for Democrats to flip" according to The Atlantic.

Area left-wing weekly City Pages described the campaign as resembling the 2016 presidential campaign, calling Lewis "an entrepreneur and media personality, whose blunt rhetoric is refreshingly honest to some, simply offensive to others", and describing Craig as "a tough female leader with moderate positions, ties to big business, and a penchant for pantsuits".

In May 2016, the Rothenberg and Gonzales Political Report changed its rating of the race from "pure tossup" to "tossup/tilt Democratic," with political analyst Nathan Gonzales writing that Craig "is probably to the left of the district in her ideology, but she has a good story to tell, is raising considerable money (she had $1.3 million in the bank at the end of March) and is solid as a candidate." Other political prognosticators rated the race "Republican Toss-up" (Charlie Cook), and "pure" toss-up (Larry Sabato's "Crystal Ball"), according to MinnPost.

Endorsements

Debates Complete video of debate, October 30, 2016

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JasonLewis (R) AngieCraig (DFL) PaulaOverby (I) UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSA October 13–16, 2016 600 ± 4.1% 41% 46% — 12%WPA Opinion Research (R-NRCC)WPA Opinion Research (R-NRCC) October 9–10, 2016 400 ± 4.9% 36% 33% — 26%GBA Strategies (D-Craig)Gerstein Bocian Agne Strategies (D-Craig) August 13–16, 2016 500 ± 4.4% 42% 43% 9% 6%WPA Opinion Research (R-Lewis/NRCC)WPA Opinion Research (R-Lewis/NRCC) August 14–15, 2016 400 ± 4.9% 39% 27% 7% 25%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 7, 2016Daily Kos ElectionsNovember 7, 2016 RothenbergNovember 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 7, 2016RCPOctober 31, 2016

Results Lewis ended up defeating Craig by several thousand votes.election.http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/Results/USRepresentative/100?officeinelectionid=10735&districtid=557

Finances Campaigns Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Jason Lewis (R) $1,030,485 $1,020,649 $9,837 Angie Craig (DFL) $4,025,326 $4,012,823 $12,503 Paula Overby (I) Unreported

Outside Spending Candidate (party) Supported Opposed Jason Lewis (R) $404,338 $3,200,222 Angie Craig (DFL) $181,244 $2,287,501 Paula Overby (I) $0 $0

District 3

Incumbent Republican Erik Paulsen, who had represented the district since 2009, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 62% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+2.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Erik Paulsen, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Terri Bonoff, state senator

Withdrawn Jon Tollefson, former U.S. diplomat, lobbyist for the Minnesota Nurses Association and candidate for state representative in 2014

General election Endorsements

Debates Complete video of debate, October 30, 2016

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ErikPaulsen (R) Terri Bonoff (DFL) UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSA October 10–13, 2016 579 ± 4.2% 49% 38% 13%Clarity Campaign Lab (D-House Majority PAC)Clarity Campaign Lab (D-House Majority PAC) September 11–13, 2016 353 ± 4.34% 45% 42% 13%DCCC (D)DCCC (D) September 12, 2016 353 ± 5.2% 38% 40% 22%Newton Heath LLC (R-AAN)Newton Heath LLC (R-AAN) August 9–11, 2016 402 ± 4.9% 57% 31% 12%Victoria Research & Consulting (D-Bonoff)Victoria Research & Consulting (D-Bonoff) June 27–30, 2016 400 ± 4.9% 45% 45% 10%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 7, 2016Daily Kos ElectionsNovember 7, 2016 RothenbergNovember 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 7, 2016RCPOctober 31, 2016

Results

Finances Campaigns Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Erik Paulsen (R) $4,939,819 $5,761,611 $373,169 Terri Bonoff (DFL) $1,970,869 $1,970,297 $572

Outside Spending Candidate (party) Supported Opposed Erik Paulsen (R) $540,029 $3,392,767 Terri Bonoff (DFL) $571,546 $1,521,629

District 4

Incumbent Democrat Betty McCollum, who had represented the district since 2001, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 61% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+11.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary Steve Carlson, development consultant, attorney, Independence nominee for this seat in 2010 and 2012 and for U.S. Senate in 2014

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Greg Ryan, businessman

Eliminated in primary Gene Rechtzigel, farmer and Independent candidate for State Senate, District 53 in 1980 Nikolay Nikolayevich Bey, airport cleaning company supervisor

Results

Legal Marijuana Now primary Candidates Nominee Susan Pendergast Sindt, business owner

General election Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 7, 2016Daily Kos ElectionsNovember 7, 2016 RothenbergNovember 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 7, 2016RCPOctober 31, 2016

Results

Finances Campaigns Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Betty McCollum (DFL) $915,558 $962,049 $124,672 Greg Ryan (R) $51,293 $48,298 $2,996 Susan Sindt (LM) Unreported

Outside Spending Candidate (party) Supported Opposed Betty McCollum (DFL) $3,679 $0 Greg Ryan (R) $0 $0 Susan Sindt (LM) $0 $0

District 5

Incumbent Democrat Keith Ellison, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 71% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+71.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Keith Ellison, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary Lee Bauer, machinist and Independence nominee for this seat in 2014 Gregg Iverson, perennial candidate

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Frank Nelson Drake, real estate investor

Results

Legal Marijuana Now primary Candidates Nominee Dennis Schuller, media and event producer

General election Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 7, 2016Daily Kos ElectionsNovember 7, 2016 RothenbergNovember 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 7, 2016RCPOctober 31, 2016

Results