2012 United States Senate election in Minnesota

The 2012 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives as well as various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic–Farmer–Labor U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar faced Republican State Representative Kurt Bills. Klobuchar was reelected in a landslide, defeating Bills by almost one million votes and carrying all but two of the state's 87 counties by double digits. This election marked the first time since 1996 that an incumbent Democratic senator was re-elected and the first time since 1976 that an incumbent Democratic senator was re-elected to this seat.

Background
Incumbent Amy Klobuchar was first elected in 2006 to succeed the retiring DFL incumbent Mark Dayton. She beat Republican nominee Mark Kennedy, 58% to 38%. Klobuchar served as Minnesota's only senator between January 3 and July 7, 2009, due to the contested results of Minnesota's senatorial election held the previous year, finally decided in favor of DFLer Al Franken.

DFL primary
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party held its Senate primary on August 14, 2012.

Declared

 * Dick Franson, perennial candidate
 * Amy Klobuchar, incumbent U.S. Senator
 * Jack Shepard, dentist, convicted felon, fugitive and perennial candidate
 * Darryl Stanton

Republican primary
The Republican Party of Minnesota held its nominating convention in May 2012 and held its Senate primary on August 14, 2012.

Declared

 * Kurt Bills, state representative; won May 2012 convention nomination
 * David Carlson, former Marine Corps sergeant; candidate in August 2012 primary
 * Bob Carney Jr., inventor, independent businessman; finished 2nd in 2010 GOP primary for Governor of Minnesota, candidate in August 2012 primary

Withdrew

 * Joe Arwood, St. Bonifacius city councilman; withdrew before May 2012 convention
 * Pete Hegseth, executive director of Vets for Freedom; withdrew after May 2012 convention
 * Anthony Hernandez, former state senate candidate; withdrew before May 2012 convention to run for Congress against Betty McCollum
 * Dan Severson, former state representative; withdrew after May 2012 convention

Results
[[File:Minnesota U.S. Senate Republican primary, 2012.svg|thumb|260px|Results by county: {{legend|#d75d5d|Bills}}

{{legend|#ffb2b2|40–50%}}

{{legend|#e27f7f|50–60%}}

{{legend|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend|#37c837|Carlson}}

{{legend|#87de87|40–50%}}

{{legend|#5fd35f|50–60%}}

{{legend|#37c837|60–70%}} ]]

Campaign
The Independence Party of Minnesota did not plan to run a candidate in the general election. Party chairman Mark Jenkins said in November 2011 that he saw the Senate election as "a distraction from having our best and brightest engaged in state legislative races". At the party's convention in June 2012, neither candidate was endorsed. Williams won a majority of the votes and came within two votes of the required 60% needed for the party's endorsement. He proceeded with his run for the Senate but the party focused its attention on state legislative races.

Candidates

 * Stephen Williams, farmer and Independence Party endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2008
 * Glen R. Anderson Menze, accountant and Republican nominee in 2008 and Independence Party nominee in 2010 for the 7th congressional district

Candidates

 * Amy Klobuchar (DFL), incumbent U.S. Senator
 * Kurt Bills (Republican), State Representative
 * Stephen Williams (Independence), Farmer
 * Michael Cavlan, (Minnesota Open Progressives) Registered Nurse
 * Tim Davis, (Grassroots), Environmental Activist

Debates
On August 29 Klobuchar and Bills held their second debate at the State Fair, sponsored by MPR News. Their third debate, on September 16 in Duluth, was about the nation's struggle with deficit spending and unemployment. The audience was assembled by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and Duluth News Tribune.
 * External links
 * Complete video at Minnesota Public Radio, second debate, August 29, 2012
 * Audio from Minnesota Public Radio, third debate, September 18, 2012

Top contributors
This section lists the top contributors by employer. These organizations themselves didn't donate, but these numbers include donations from their PACs, members, employees, owners, and their immediate families.

Polling

 * Republican primary


 * General election

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

 * Carver (Largest city: Chaska)
 * Redwood (largest city: Redwood Falls)
 * Wright (Largest city: Otsego)
 * Sherburne (Largest city: Elk River)
 * Otter Tail (Largest city: Fergus Falls)
 * Wadena (Largest city: Wadena)

Results by congressional district
Klobuchar won all 8 congressional districts, including three held by Republicans.