United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2008

The 2008 Minnesota U.S. House of Representatives elections took place on November 4, 2008. All 8 congressional seats that make up the state's delegation were contested. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th United States Congress

111th United States Congress

The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...

from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011.

The 2008 Presidential election

United States presidential election, 2008

The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...

, 2008 Senate election (for the seat held by Republican Norm Coleman

Norm Coleman

Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...

), and 2008 Minnesota Legislature

Minnesota Legislature

The Minnesota Legislature is the legislative branch of government in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is a bicameral legislature located at the Minnesota Capitol in Saint Paul and it consists of two houses: the lower Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate...

elections occurred on the same date, as well as many local elections and ballot initiatives.

The 110th congressional

110th United States Congress

The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of...

delegation from the U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

state of Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

has 3 Republicans

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

and 5 Democratic Farmer Labor Party members (DFLers). Six are men; 2 are women. Three were freshman in the 110th congress. The veterans range in experience from Jim Oberstar

Jim Oberstar

James Louis "Jim" Oberstar is a former U.S. Representative who served in the U.S. Congress from 1975 until 2011 as a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. He represented northeastern , which included the cities of Duluth, Brainerd, Grand Rapids, International Falls, and Hibbing...

with 32 years of experience and the chairman of the Transporatation Committee

United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...

to John Kline

John Kline (politician)

John Paul Kline is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. The district includes most of the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities, including Apple Valley, Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville and Eagan. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:Kline was born...

with just four years of experience.

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2008
Party		Votes	Percentage	Seats	+/–
	Democratic	1,612,480	57.53%	5	—
	Republican	1,069,015	38.14%	3	—
	Independents	121,119	4.32%	0	—
Totals		2,802,614	100.00%	8	—

District 1

This district extends across southern Minnesota

Minnesota

from the border with South Dakota

South Dakota

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...

to the border of Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

. DFLer Tim Walz

Tim Walz

Timothy James Walz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party .The district comprises the state's southern end, running along the entire border with Iowa...

defeated 6-term veteran Republican Gil Gutknecht

Gil Gutknecht

Gilbert William "Gil" Gutknecht, Jr. is an American politician. Gutknecht was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives first elected in 1994 to represent Minnesota's 1st congressional district, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota...

in 2006 in somewhat of a surprise victory. Walz had no opponent in the race for the DFL nomination for the seat in the September 12, 2006 primary election. He beat incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht

Gil Gutknecht

in the general election

United States general elections, 2006

The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. All United States House of Representatives seats and one third of the United States Senate seats were contested in this election, as well as 36 state governorships, many state legislatures, four territorial...

by a margin of 53% to 47%. The popular Walz is a former teacher and Command Sergeant Major in the National Guard

United States National Guard

The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...

. The district is rated as an R+1 on the CPVI scale. Incumbent Tim Walz was opposed by Brian Davis, a Mayo Clinic physician, who was endorsed by the CD1 Republican Party and Independence Party of Minnesota

Independence Party of Minnesota

The Independence Party of Minnesota , formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Republican Party . It is the political party of former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura , and endorsed former U.S...

candidate, Greg Mikkelson. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Leans Democratic'. Walz won the 2008 race, garnering 62.5% of the vote.

District 2

This district spans the width of the entire southern metro area and contains all of Carver

Carver County, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 70,205 people, 24,356 households, and 18,778 families residing in the county. The population density was 197 people per square mile . There were 24,883 housing units at an average density of 70 per square mile...

, Scott

Scott County, Minnesota

Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was organized in 1853 and named in honor of General Winfield Scott. As of 2010, the population was 129,928. Its county seat is Shakopee...

, Le Sueur

Le Sueur County, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 25,426 people, 9,630 households, and 6,923 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 10,858 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...

, Goodhue

Goodhue County, Minnesota

Goodhue County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 46,183. Its county seat is Red Wing. Nearly all of Prairie Island Indian Community is within the county.-History:...

and Rice

Rice County, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 56,665 people, 18,888 households, and 13,353 families residing in the county. The population density was 114 people per square mile . There were 20,061 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...

Counties and most of Dakota County

Dakota County, Minnesota

Dakota County is the third most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of Wisconsin on the east. Dakota County comprises the southeast portion of seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul, the thirteenth...

. Republican John Kline

John Kline (politician)

held on to the second district seat in 2006, defeating DFL challenger, former FBI agent, Coleen Rowley

Coleen Rowley

Coleen Rowley is a former FBI agent and whistleblower, and was a Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate for Congress in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota in 2006...

. The district leans Republican with a CPVI of R+3, and Kline's unwavering support for Bush

George W. Bush

George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

and the Iraq War did not make him too vulnerable to a challenger in 2008. On October 4, 2007, Iraq War veteran Steve Sarvi

Steve Sarvi

Stephen Todd 'Steve' Sarvi is an Iraq War veteran and the 2008 Democratic Farmer Labor Party candidate for U.S. Congress in .-Civic leadership:...

announced he would challenge Kline for the seat. His experience also includes being mayor of Watertown, Minnesota

Watertown, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,029 people, 1,078 households, and 775 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,808.0 people per square mile . There were 1,100 housing units at an average density of 656.6 per square mile...

and city administrator for Victoria, Minnesota

Victoria, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,025 people, 1,367 households, and 1,141 families residing in the city. The population density was 575.4 people per square mile . There were 1,410 housing units at an average density of 201.6 per square mile...

. He believed that a change in U.S. policy in Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

was needed. On May 3, Sarvi was endorsed by the 2nd District DFL

DFL

The initialism DFL can stand for the following:*Danmarks Lærerforening, the Danish Union of Teachers*Degree of Financial Leverage Leverage *David Florida Laboratory, a Canadian aerospace laboratory...

party. Sarvi was also endorsed by the Independence Party of Minnesota

Independence Party of Minnesota

. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Republican Favored'. Kline won the 2008 race, garnering 57.3% of the vote.

District 3

This district encompasses the suburbs of Hennepin County

Hennepin County, Minnesota

Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...

to the north, west, and south of Minneapolis. Republican 9-term incumbent Jim Ramstad

Jim Ramstad

James Marvin "Jim" Ramstad is a United States politician from the state of Minnesota.-Early life:Ramstad was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, was educated at the University of Minnesota and the George Washington University Law School. He was an officer in the United States National Guard from 1968...

announced on September 17, 2007 that he would not seek reelection in 2008. Erik Paulsen

Erik Paulsen

Erik Paulsen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives...

, a Republican who was the majority leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives

Minnesota House of Representatives

The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...

when the Republicans held a majority was opposed by DFLer, Ashwin Madia

Ashwin Madia

Jigar Ashwin Madia, known as Ashwin Madia , is an American attorney and Iraq War veteran who ran for the United States Congress in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in 2008...

who is an Iraq War veteran. David Dillon of the Independence Party of Minnesota

Independence Party of Minnesota

(campaign website) and Harley Swarm of the Constitution Party

Constitution Party (United States)

The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...

(campaign website) also competed. The district is rated as an R+1 on the CPVI scale, indicating a district that could swing toward either party. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'No Clear Favorite'. Paulsen won the 2008 race, garnering 48.5% of the vote.

District 4

This district covers most of Ramsey County

Ramsey County, Minnesota

Ramsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1849. As of 2010, the population was 508,640. Its county seat is St. Paul, which is also Minnesota's state capital. The county is named for Alexander Ramsey , the first governor of the Minnesota Territory...

including all of Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...

and several Saint Paul suburb

Suburb

The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...

s. It is held by the solidly progressive

Progressivism

Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...

4-term DFLer, Betty McCollum

Betty McCollum

Betty Louise McCollum is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. She is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party ....

. The district is rated a secure D+13 on the CPVI scale, posing a formidable barrier to any potential Republican challengers. Ed Matthews, an attorney, was the Republican candidate. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democratic'. McCollum won the 2008 race, garnering 68.4% of the vote.

District 5

This district covers eastern Hennepin County, including the entire city of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

, along with parts of Anoka

Anoka County, Minnesota

Anoka County is the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the counties of Isanti on the north, Chisago and Washington on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey on the south, Sherburne on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest.As of 2010, Anoka...

and Ramsey

Ramsey County, Minnesota

counties. With the 2007 retirement of Martin Sabo, the opportunity presented itself for Keith Ellison

Keith Ellison (politician)

Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...

to compete for Sabo's seat against several aspirants. He is the first African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

U.S. Representative from Minnesota and the first Muslim

Muslim

A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

member of the U.S. Congress. Like McCollum, Ellison is also a solidly progressive legislator, which is in keeping with the district, rating D+21 on the CPVI scale. He was challenged by Republican Barb Davis White, a minister, author, and civil rights activist. The Independence Party of Minnesota

Independence Party of Minnesota

candidate was Bill McGaughey. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democratic'.

District 6

This district includes most or all of Benton

Benton County, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 34,226 people, 13,065 households, and 8,518 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 13,460 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...

, Sherburne

Sherburne County, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 64,417 people, 21,581 households, and 16,746 families residing in the county. The population density was 148 people per square mile . There were 22,827 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...

, Stearns

Stearns County, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 133,166 people, 47,604 households, and 32,132 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 people per square mile . There were 50,291 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...

, Wright

Wright County, Minnesota

Wright County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1855. As of 2010, the population was 124,700. Its county seat is Buffalo.-History:...

, Anoka

Anoka County, Minnesota

, and Washington

Washington County, Minnesota

Washington County is a county established in 1849 in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 238,136. Its county seat is Stillwater.-History:...

counties. First-term Republican Michele Bachmann

Michele Bachmann

Michele Marie Bachmann is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing , a post she has held since 2007. The district includes several of the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, such as Woodbury, and Blaine as well as Stillwater and St. Cloud.She is currently a...

won a hard-fought battle against Patty Wetterling

Patty Wetterling

Patty Wetterling is a U.S. advocate of children's safety, particularly focused on protecting children from abduction and abuse. Her advocacy began after her son Jacob was abducted in 1989...

in 2006, with the help of Karl Rove

Karl Rove

Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...

and Dick Cheney

Dick Cheney

Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....

campaigning on her behalf and a multi-million dollar warchest. With a CPVI of R+5, the district posed an uphill battle for the DFL

Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...

challenger, former state transportation commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg

Elwyn Tinklenberg

Elwyn "El" Tinklenberg is an American politician, and was the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nominee and Independence Party of Minnesota endorsee for U.S. Congress in Minnesota's 6th District elections in 2008...

(DFL). On April 26, 2008, the 6th District DFL endorsed Tinklenberg for this race, as did the Independence Party of Minnesota

Independence Party of Minnesota

although Bob Anderson was running as an INDC candidate.

Bachmann's charges about "anti-American views" shifted the political dynamics of this campaign, giving a lift to Tinklenberg's candidacy and attracting $1.3 million in new contributions, plus $1 million from the DNC

Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...

. At the same time the RNC

Republican National Committee

The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...

withdrew media buys on behalf of Bachmann. CQ Politics changed its forecast from 'Republican Favored' to 'Leans Republican' on October 20, and then to 'No Clear Favorite' on October 28. The Cook Political Report then rated it as 'Republican Toss Up'. Despite the controversy, Bachmann won the 2008 race, garnering 46.4% of the vote to Tinklenberg's 43.4% and Anderson's 10%.

Polling

Source	Date	Tinklenberg (D)	Bachmann (R)	Anderson (I)
Minnesota Public Radio	October 24, 2008	45%	43%	5%
SurveyUSA	October 24, 2008	47%	44%	6%
SurveyUSA	October 10, 2008	38%	42%	5%

District 7

This district covers almost all of the western side of Minnesota

Minnesota

from the Canadian border down to Lincoln County

Lincoln County, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,429 people, 2,653 households, and 1,785 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 3,043 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...

and is the largest district in the state. As chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, 9-term DFLer Collin Peterson

Collin Peterson

Collin Clark Peterson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991, and the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and is the dean of the Minnesota congressional delegation.The district, Minnesota's largest and most rural...

is at home in his mostly-agricultural district. Although the district leans Republican with a CPVI of R+6, Peterson's social conservatism and farmer/labor DFL values serve him well in his district. He won with 70% of the vote in 2006. Republican Glen Menze challenged Peterson. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democratic'.

District 8

This district covers the northeastern part of Minnesota

Minnesota

and includes Duluth

Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...

, Hibbing

Hibbing, Minnesota

Hibbing is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 16,361 at the 2010 census. The city was built on the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range. At the edge of town is the largest open-pit iron mine in the world. U.S...

, and the Mesabi Range

Mesabi Range

The Mesabi Iron Range is a vast deposit of iron ore and the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota. Discovered in 1866, it is the chief deposit of iron ore in the United States. The deposit is located in northeast Minnesota, largely in...

. Seventeen-term veteran DFLer, Jim Oberstar

Jim Oberstar

is Minnesota's senior representative. In 2006, former Republican U.S. Senator Rod Grams

Rod Grams

Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :...

challenged Oberstar, garnering 34% of the vote. In 2008, 74-year-old Oberstar maintained his popularity among his constituency. The district leans Democratic with a CPVI of D+4 owing to the loyalty of miners, loggers, and farmers to the DFL. Republican, Michael Cummins ran against Oberstar. On May 3, 2008, the 8th District DFL endorsed Oberstar for another term. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democratic'.

External links

Election Center from the Minnesota Secretary of State

Minnesota U.S. House Races from 2008 Race Tracker
Campaign contributions for Minnesota congressional races from OpenSecrets.org
Center for Responsive Politics
The Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.