2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

The 2010 Minnesota U.S. House of Representatives elections took place on November 2, 2010. All eight congressional seats that make up the state's delegation were contested. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 112th United States Congress from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013.

The 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial, 2010 Minnesota House elections and 2010 Minnesota Senate elections occurred on the same date, as well as many local elections and ballot initiatives.

The 111th congressional delegation from the U.S. state of Minnesota had five Democratic Farmer Labor Party members (DFLers) and 3 Republicans. All the incumbents ran successfully for re-election, except District 8's Jim Oberstar, who was defeated in his bid for a 19th term. This left Minnesota with an even number of Democratic and Republican representatives.

Overview
The table below shows the total number and percentage of votes, as well as the number of seats gained and lost by each political party in the election for the United States House of Representatives in Minnesota.

By district
Results of the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:

District 1


Incumbent Democrat Tim Walz, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 62.5% of the vote in 2008. The district had a PVI of R+1.

No primary elections were held in the 1st congressional district in 2010.

Nominee

 * Tim Walz, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Randy Demmer, state representative and candidate for this seat in 2008

Withdrawn

 * Jim Engstrand, Minnesota Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel and Iraq veteran
 * Jim Hagedorn, former congressional affairs officer for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and son of former U.S. Representative Tom Hagedorn
 * Frank McKinzie, veteran
 * Allen Quist, former state representative and candidate for governor in 1994 & 1998

Campaign
Shortly after launching his campaign Quist attracted controversy for a speech he gave at a Christmas Party of the Wabasha County Republicans on December 7, in which he said:

''""Our country is being destroyed. Every generation has had to fight the fight for freedom… Terrorism? Yes. That's not the big battle," he said. "The big battle is in D.C. with the radicals. They aren’t liberals. They are radicals. Obama, Pelosi, Walz: They’re not liberals, they’re radicals. They are destroying our country."''

Quist would also speak against the Affordable Health Care for America Act in the same speech saying "This is the most insidious, evil piece of legislation I have ever seen in my life… Every one of us has to be totally committed to killing this travesty… I have to kill this bill."

Nominee

 * Steve Wilson, state department diplomat and former Republican candidate for state senator in 2006

Independents

 * Lars Johnson, food safety certification trainer

Results
Walz won the general election on November 2, 2010, with 49% of the vote to Demmer's 44%.


 * External links
 * Race ranking and details from CQ Politics
 * Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
 * Race Profile at The New York Times

District 2


Incumbent Republican John Kline, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 57.3% of the vote in 2008. The district had a PVI of R+4.

Nominee

 * John Kline, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Shelley Madore, former state representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Dan Powers, construction contractor and candidate for this seat in 2008

Campaign
Despite losing the DFL endorsement to Powers, Madore remained in the race much to the anger of a number of party loyalists She was boosted by questions being raised about Powers' résumé.

Predictions
CQ Politics rated the seat as 'Safe Republican'.

Results
Kline won the general election on November 2, 2010, 63%-37%.


 * External links
 * Race ranking and details from CQ Politics
 * Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
 * Race Profile at The New York Times

District 3


Incumbent Republican Erik Paulsen, who had represented the district since 2009, ran for re-election. He was elected with 48.5% of the vote in 2008. The district had a PVI of Even.

No primary elections were held in the 3rd congressional district in 2010.

Nominee

 * Erik Paulsen, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Jim Meffert, former President of the Minnesota Parent-Teacher Association

Withdrawn

 * Maureen Hackett, Air Force veteran and forensic psychiatrist

Declined

 * Terri Bonoff, state senator and candidate for this seat in 2008

Campaign
Though Meffert lacked the funds to be able to afford television advertising, he gained some name recognition through television attack ads from the Paulsen campaign. Political analyst Dave Schultz said that "Given how little money that Meffert has, you would've thought Paulsen would've just ignored Meffert completely and just run a positive campaign." Meffert responded to the attack, saying "It's the kind of thing that makes people cynical about politics and politicians. When you hide behind a big bank account and you throw up an ad that's designed to tear down your opponent." After the Paulsen campaign included a misleading graph in a mailing, Meffert filed an ethics complaint against Paulsen.

Predictions
CQ Politics rated the seat as 'Safe Republican'.

Results
Paulsen won the general election on November 2, 2010, 59%-37%.


 * External links
 * Race ranking and details from CQ Politics
 * Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
 * Race Profile at The New York Times

District 4


Incumbent Democrat Betty McCollum, who had represented the district since 2001, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 68.4% of the vote in 2008. The district had a PVI of D+13.

Nominee

 * Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Diana Longrie, attorney and former Mayor of Maplewood

Nominee

 * Teresa Collett, law professor at the University of St. Thomas

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)

Nominee

 * Steve Carlson, consultant and writer

Predictions
CQ Politics rated the seat as 'Safe Democratic'.

Results
McCollum won the general election on November 2, 2010, 59%-35%.


 * External links
 * Race ranking and details from CQ Politics
 * Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
 * Race Profile at The New York Times

District 5


Incumbent Democrat Keith Ellison, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. Ellison is the first Muslim to be elected to the United States Congress. He was re-elected with 67.7% of the vote in 2008. The district had a PVI of D+23.

Nominee

 * Keith Ellison, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Gregg A. Iverson
 * Barb Davis White, minister, author, and civil rights activist

Nominee

 * Joel Demos, banker

Nominee

 * Tom Schrunk

Predictions
CQ Politics rated the seat as 'Safe Democratic'.

Results
Ellison won the general election on November 2, 2010, 68%-24%.


 * External links
 * Race ranking and details from CQ Politics
 * Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
 * Race Profile at The New York Times

District 6


Incumbent Republican Michele Bachmann, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 46.4% of the vote in 2008. The district had a PVI of R+7.

Nominee

 * Michele Bachmann, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary
Democrat Tarryl Clark, the state Senate assistant majority leader, received the endorsement of the DFL Party and was the sole Democratic challenger to Bachmann's seat, Maureen Reed having dropped out of the race in June 2010. Reed, a former University of Minnesota regent chair and a physician, threw her support behind Clark saying she felt "it is time for the DFL to unify behind one candidate in this race".

Nominee

 * Tarryl Clark, state senator and assistant majority leader of the Minnesota State Senate

Eliminated in primary

 * Maureen Kennedy Reed, physician and chair of the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota

Withdrawn

 * Elwyn Tinklenberg, former Minnesota Commissioner of Transportation and nominee for this seat in 2008

Nominee

 * Bob Anderson, dental technician

Polling
Bachmann vs. Reed

Results
Michele Bachmann won the general election on November 2, 2010, by a margin of 52% to 38%.


 * External links
 * Race ranking and details from CQ Politics
 * Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
 * Race Profile at The New York Times

District 7


Incumbent Democrat Collin Peterson, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 72.2% of the vote in 2008. The district had a PVI of R+5.

Nominee

 * Collin Peterson, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Lee Byberg, business executive

Eliminated in primary

 * Alan Roebke, farmer and candidate for this seat in 2008

Withdrawn

 * Glen Menze, accountant and nominee for this seat in 2008

Nominee

 * Glen R. Menze, accountant and Republican nominee for this seat in 2008

Results
Peterson won the general election on November 2, 2010, 55%-38%.


 * External links
 * Race ranking and details from CQ Politics
 * Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
 * Race Profile at The New York Times

District 8


Incumbent Democrat Jim Oberstar, who had represented the district since 1975, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 67.7% of the vote in 2008. The district had a PVI of D+3.

Nominee

 * James L. Oberstar, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * W. D. (Bill) Ham, chair of the Freedom Coalition of Minnesota

Nominee

 * Chip Cravaack, former Northwest Airlines pilot

Withdrawn

 * Michael Cummins, small business owner and nominee for this seat in 2008 (withdrew February 2010 endured Cravaack
 * Justin Eichorn, small business owner
 * Rob Fransworth, special education teacher
 * Darrel Trulson, business owner

Nominee

 * Timothy Olson, sawmill operator

Campaign
Cravaack entered the race as a clear underdog, he was a political novice, the 8th district had been held by Democrats since 1947 and Oberstar was the longest-serving congressman in Minnesota's history who had never received less than 59% of the vote.

Cravaack campaigned on a standard republican platform of free-market principles and government spending cuts while attacking Oberstar's vote for the health care bill.

Results
Jim Oberstar lost his bid for a 19th term to Cravaack 48% to 47%.


 * External links
 * Race ranking and details from CQ Politics
 * Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
 * Race Profile at The New York Times