2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

The 2006 congressional elections in Minnesota were held on November 7, 2006 to determine who would represent the state of Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives.

Minnesota had eight seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 110th Congress from January 3, 2007 until January 3, 2009. The election coincided with the Senate election and the gubernatorial election.

By district
Results of the 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:

District 1
Incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht, who had represented the district since 1995, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 59.6% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+1.

Nominee

 * Gil Gutknecht, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Gregory Mikkelson

Nominee

 * Tim Walz, high school teacher and retired military officer

Campaign
In his bid for a seventh term in Congress, incumbent Republican Congressman Gil Gutknecht faced off against Tim Walz, a high school teacher and the DFL nominee in this swing district based in southern Minnesota.

Results
Walz upset Gutknecht by a margin of 5.6%.

District 2


This district spans the width of the entire southern metro area and contains all of Carver, Scott, Le Sueur, Goodhue and Rice Counties and most of Dakota County. Incumbent Republican John Kline, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 56.4% of the vote in 2004. The district had a PVI of R+3.

Nominee

 * John Kline, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Coleen Rowley, former FBI special agent and political activist

District 3


This conservative district that encompassed the northern, western, and southern suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Hennepin County and Anoka County. Incumbent Republican Jim Ramstad, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 64.6% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of Even.

Nominee

 * Jim Ramstad, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Wendy Wilde, local radio host

Eliminated in primary

 * Kevin Ray Smith
 * Gavin Sullivan

District 4


This district covers most of Ramsey County including all of Saint Paul and several Saint Paul suburbs. Incumbent Democrat Betty McCollum, who had represented the district since 2001, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 57.5% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+13.

Nominee

 * Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Obi Sium, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources employee

Eliminated in primary

 * Jack Shepard, fugitive, alleged arsonist, and former Minneapolis dentist who fled the country after allegedly attempting to burn down his own dental office

District 5


This district covers eastern Hennepin County, including the entire city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, along with parts of Anoka and Ramsey counties. Incumbent Democrat Martin Olav Sabo, who had represented the district since 1979, decided to retire, creating an open seat. He was re-elected with 69.7% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+21.

Nominee

 * Keith Ellison, state representative from district 58B since 2003

Eliminated in primary

 * Mike Erlandson, chief of staff to Martin Olav Sabo
 * Andrew Vincent Favorite
 * Gregg A. Iverson
 * Paul Ostrow, Minneapolis City Councilor
 * Ember Reichgott Junge, former state senator from district 46 (1983-2001)
 * Patrick J. Wiles

Nominee

 * Alan Fine, businessman

Nominee

 * Tammy Lee, former press secretary for United States Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and communications director for Skip Humphrey's 1998 gubernatorial campaign

Results
Despite a surprisingly strong performance by Lee, Ellison emerged victorious, and became the first African-American Congressman from Minnesota and the first Muslim in Congress.

District 6


This district includes most or all of Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright, Anoka, and Washington counties. Incumbent Republican Mark Kennedy, who had represented the district since 2007, declined to seek a fourth term in Congress, instead opting to run for Senate in the wake of then-Senator Mark Dayton's retirement. Kennedy was re-elected with 54.0% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+5.

Nominee

 * Michele Bachmann, state senator

Withdrawn

 * Jay Esmay, businessman
 * Phil Krinkie, state representative
 * Jim Knoblach, state representative
 * Cheri Yecke, former Minnesota Commissioner of Education

Nominee

 * Patty Wetterling, national advocate of children's safety and nominee for this seat in 2004 (endorsed Wetterling)

Withdrawn

 * Scott Mortensen
 * Elwyn Tinklenberg, former Mayor of Blaine

Nominee

 * John Paul Binkowski, project coordinator for Johnson Controls

Campaign
During the campaign, Wetterling attacked Bachmann for voting against increased restrictions on sex offenders, while Bachmann accused Wetterling of wanting to negotiate with terrorists, charges each denied.

Results
Despite polling that indicated that the race would be close, and although this was the most expensive House race in Minnesota, Bachmann defeated Wetterling by a large margin, with Binkowski receiving about 8%.

District 7


Incumbent Democrat Collin Peterson, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 66.1% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+6. This conservative, rural district based in western Minnesota had tendency the district's to vote for Republicans at the national level, however Peterson had been able to hold on to his seat with ease since his first election in 1990.

Nominee

 * Collin Peterson, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Erik Thompson

Nominee

 * Michael J. Barrett, pharmacist

District 8


This district covers the northeastern part of Minnesota and includes Duluth, Hibbing, and the Mesabi Range. Incumbent Democrat Jim Oberstar, who had represented the district since 1975, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 65.2% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a PVI of D+4.

Nominee

 * Jim Oberstar, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Rod Grams, former U.S. Senator

Campaign
Oberstar sought a 17th term and faced former United States Senator Rod Grams, who lived outside the district and had represented the 6th district in Congress twelve years earlier.

Results
Despite Grams's high stature and name recognition, he posed no serious threat to Oberstar, who was re-elected in a landslide.