2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota
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The 2004 congressional elections in Minnesota were held on November 2, 2004, to determine who would represent the state of Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives.
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November 2, 2004
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All 8 Minnesota seats to the United States House of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 109th Congress from January 3, 2005, until January 3, 2007. The election coincided with the 2004 presidential election. All of the incumbents who represented Minnesota in the United States House of Representative in the 108th Congress were re-elected to the 109th Congress.
Overview
Statewide
| Party | Candidates | Votes[1] | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | +/– | % | |||
| Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 8 | 1,399,624 | 51.42 | 4 |  |
50.00 | |
| Republican | 8 | 1,236,094 | 45.42 | 4 | |
50.00 | |
| Independence | 3 | 56,490 | 2.08 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Green | 2 | 26,917 | 0.99 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Write-in | 8 | 2,556 | 0.09 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Total | 29 | 2,721,681 | 100.0 | 8 | |
100.0 | |
By district
Results of the 2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:
| District | Democratic | Republican | Others | Total | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| District 1 | 115,088 | 35.51% | 193,132 | 59.60% | 15,835 | 4.89% | 324,055 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 2 | 147,527 | 41.11% | 206,313 | 57.49% | 283 | 0.08% | 358,892 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 3 | 126,665 | 35.29% | 231,871 | 64.61% | 356 | 0.10% | 358,892 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 4 | 182,387 | 57.48% | 105,467 | 33.24% | 29,445 | 9.28% | 317,299 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 5 | 218,434 | 69.67% | 76,600 | 24.43% | 18,492 | 5.90% | 313,526 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 6 | 173,309 | 45.94% | 203,669 | 53.99% | 246 | 0.07% | 377,224 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 7 | 207,628 | 66.07% | 106,349 | 33.84% | 280 | 0.09% | 314,257 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 8 | 228,586 | 65.22% | 112,693 | 32.15% | 9,204 | 2.63% | 350,483 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| Total | 1,399,624 | 51.42% | 1,236,094 | 45.42% | 85,963 | 3.16% | 2,721,681 | 100.0% | |
District 1
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 Precinct results Gutknecht: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Pomeroy: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht, who had represented the district since 1995, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 61.5% of the vote in 2002.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Gil Gutknecht, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gil Gutknecht (Incumbent) | 17,651 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 17,651 | 100.0 | ||
DFL primary
Candidates
Nominee
Withdrawn
- Joe Mayer, former Rochester City Council member, former chair of the Olmsted County DFL, retired teacher and football coach at Rochester Lourdes High School (Withdrew June 16, due to health issues)[5][6]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Leigh Pomeroy | 12,682 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 12,682 | 100.0 | ||
Independence primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | Gregory Mikkelson | 765 | 67.1 | |
| Independence | David Pechulis | 375 | 32.9 | |
| Total votes | 1,140 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Champaign
With a large financial advance over his opponent, Gutkencht felt confident enough in his re election not to campaign as heavily as previously.[10]
Endorsements
Newspapers
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[12] | Safe R | October 29, 2004 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe R | November 1, 2004 |
Results
Gutknecht easily won a fifth term, defeating second-place Pomeroy by a comfortable 24 percent margin, as Mikkelson placed at an even more distant third.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gil Gutknecht (Incumbent) | 193,132 | 59.6 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Leigh Pomeroy | 115,088 | 35.5 | |
| Independence | Gregory Mikkelson | 15,569 | 4.8 | |
| Write-in | 266 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 324,055 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gil Gutknecht (R) | $839,764 | $666,410 | $360,607 |
| Leigh Pomeroy (DFL) | $59,327 | $58,826 | $500 |
| Gregory Mikkelson (I) | $7,196 | $7,472 | $0 |
District 2
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 Precinct results Kline: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Daly: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican John Kline, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was elected with 53.3% of the vote in 2002.[14][15]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- John Kline, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Kline (Incumbent) | 12,710 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 12,710 | 100.0 | ||
DFL primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Teresa Daly, Burnsville City Councillor[16][17]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Teresa Daly | 10,206 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 10,206 | 100.0 | ||
Independence primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Doug Williams, perennial candidate
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | Doug Williams | 493 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 493 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[18]
Debate
- Complete video of debate, October 15, 2004
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[12] | Likely R | October 29, 2004 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe R | November 1, 2004 |
Results
Kline won a second term, defeating Daly by a 16 percent margin, as Williams finished a very distant third.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Kline (Incumbent) | 206,313 | 56.4 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Teresa Daly | 147,527 | 40.4 | |
| Independence | Doug Williams | 11,822 | 3.2 | |
| Write-in | 283 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 365,945 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Kline (R) | $1,585,892 | $1,600,055 | $25,928 | |
| Teresa Daly (DFL) | $1,193,784 | $1,182,465 | $11,318 | |
| Doug Williams (I) | Unreported | |||
District 3
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 Precinct results Ramstad: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Watts: 50–60% 60–70% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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This conservative leaning district encompasses 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 72.0% of the vote in 2002
Republican primary
Ramstad faced a primary challenge from Burton Hanson, but won renomination by a margin of nearly 80 percent in the Republican primary.
Candidates
Nominee
- Jim Ramstad, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- Burton Hanson, attorney and nominee for State Supreme Court Chief Justice in 2000
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Ramstad (Incumbent) | 19,232 | 89.9 | |
| Republican | Burton Hanson | 2,159 | 10.1 | |
| Total votes | 21,391 | 100.0 | ||
DFL primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Deborah Watts, marketing and management consultant
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Deborah Watts | 7,438 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 7,438 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[12] | Safe R | October 29, 2004 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe R | November 1, 2004 |
Results
Ramstad defeated DFL challenger Deborah Watts, easily winning election to his eighth term in Congress.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Ramstad (Incumbent) | 231,871 | 64.6 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Deborah Watts | 126,665 | 35.3 | |
| Write-in | 356 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 358,892 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Ramstad (R) | $1,011,873 | $921,476 | $981,936 |
| Deborah Watts (D) | $38,511 | $36,064 | $2,447 |
District 4
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 Precinct results McCollum: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Bataglia: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% No votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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 62.2% of the vote in 2002.
DFL primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Betty McCollum (Incumbent) | 16,529 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 16,529 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Patrice Bataglia, Dakota County commissioner
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[19]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Patrice Bataglia | 7,969 | 76.7 | |
| Republican | Jack Shepard | 2,417 | 23.3 | |
| Total votes | 10,386 | 100.0 | ||
Independence primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Peter Vento, Antique store owner, son of former U.S. Representative Bruce Vento and candidate for this seat in 2002
Eliminated in primary
- Bob Cardinal, investment broker and Republican nominee for State Senate District 54 in 1990
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | Peter Vento | 754 | 60.9 | |
| Independence | Bob Cardinal | 485 | 39.1 | |
| Total votes | 1,239 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[12] | Safe D | October 29, 2004 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe D | November 1, 2004 |
Results
Defeating Bataglia by a comfortable 24 percent margin, McCollum easily won re-election to her third term in Congress, as Vento finished a distant third
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Betty McCollum (Incumbent) | 182,387 | 57.5 | |
| Republican | Patrice Bataglia | 105,467 | 33.2 | |
| Independence | Peter F. Vento | 29,099 | 9.2 | |
| Write-in | 346 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 317,299 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betty McCollum (DFL) | $687,907 | $707,384 | $124,068 | |
| Patrice Bataglia (R) | $201,403 | $194,717 | $6,682 | |
| Peter Vento (I) | Unreported | |||
District 5
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 Precinct results Sabo: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% No votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 67.0% of the vote in 2002.
DFL primary
Candidates
- Martin Olav Sabo, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- Dick Franson, former Chief Appraiser for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, industrial salesman, perennial candidate[20]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Martin Olav Sabo (Incumbent) | 23,047 | 91.1 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Dick Franson | 2,264 | 8.9 | |
| Total votes | 25,311 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Daniel Mathias, courier driver, part time college professor and nominee for this seat in 2002
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Daniel Mathias | 5,840 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 5,840 | 100.0 | ||
Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jay Pond, video editing and production business owner
Results
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[12] | Safe D | October 29, 2004 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe D | November 1, 2004 |
Results
Sabo had no difficulty winning his 14th term in Congress, defeating Republican challenger Daniel Mathias by a margin of more than 45 percent, while Green candidate Jay Pond finished a distant third.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Martin Olav Sabo (Incumbent) | 218,434 | 69.7 | |
| Republican | Daniel Mathias | 76,600 | 24.4 | |
| Green | Jay Pond | 17,984 | 5.7 | |
| Write-in | 508 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 313,526 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Olav Sabo (DFL) | $556,935 | $497,073 | $222,070 | |
| Dan Mathias (R) | $13,193 | $11,504 | $1,708 | |
| Jay Pond (G) | Unreported | |||
District 6
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 Precinct results Kennedy: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Wetterling: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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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 2001, ran for election. He was re-elected with 57.3% of the vote in 2002.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Mark Kennedy, incumbent U.S. Representative[21]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Kennedy (Incumbent) | 11,817 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 11,817 | 100.0 | ||
DFL primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Patty Wetterling, child safety advocate, and mother of kidnapping and murder victim Jacob Wetterling
Withdrawn
- Ted Thompson, banker and former chief of staff to Bill Luther[22]
Declined
- Tarryl Clark, attorney and social justice advocate
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Patty Wetterling | 10,385 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 10,385 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[18][23]
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Mark Kennedy (R) |
Patty Wetterling (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason-Dixon Opinion Research (5 Eyewitness News)[24] | October 31, 2004 | 357 | ±5.3% | 53% | 36% | 11% |
| Mason-Dixon Opinion Research (5 Eyewitness News)[25] | October 26, 2004 | ? | ±5.3% | 52% | 34% | 14% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[12] | Lean R | October 29, 2004 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe R | November 1, 2004 |
Results
Kennedy encountered little difficulty winning his third term in Congress, defeating his DFL challenger, child safety advocate Patty Wetterling, by a margin of about 8 percent. This was by far the closest congressional election in Minnesota in 2004.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Kennedy (Incumbent) | 203,669 | 54.0 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Patty Wetterling | 173,309 | 45.9 | |
| Write-in | 246 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 377,224 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Kennedy (R) | $2,548,403 | $2,381,634 | $66,218 |
| Patty Wetterling (D) | $1,972,867 | $1,935,813 | $37,053 |
District 7
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 Precinct results Peterson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Sturrock: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Tie: 50% | |||||||||||||||||
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This conservative, rural district is based in western Minnesota. Incumbent Democrat Collin Peterson, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 65.3% of the vote in 2002.
DFL primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Collin Peterson, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Collin Peterson (Incumbent) | 16,036 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 16,036 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | David Sturrock | 10,882 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 10,882 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[12] | Safe D | October 29, 2004 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe D | November 1, 2004 |
Results
Peterson faced no difficulty winning his eighth term in Congress, defeating Republican challenger David Sturrock by a landslide 32 percent margin.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Collin Peterson (Incumbent) | 207,628 | 66.1 | |
| Republican | David Sturrock | 106,349 | 33.8 | |
| Write-in | 280 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 314,257 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collin Peterson (DFL) | $422,906 | $524,067 | $22,700 |
| David Sturrock (R) | $127,022 | $127,271 | $0 |
District 8
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 Precinct results Oberstar: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Groettum: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Write-Ins: 30–40% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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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 68.6% of the vote in 2002.
DFL primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jim Oberstar, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- Michael H. Johnson, environmental scientist and commercial pilot
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | James L. Oberstar (Incumbent) | 37,353 | 85.5 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Michael H. Johnson | 6,314 | 14.5 | |
| Total votes | 43,667 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Mark Groettum, attorney and nominee for State House of Representatives, District 5B in 1994 and 1996
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Groettum | 13,429 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 13,429 | 100.0 | ||
Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Van Presley, physical therapist
Results
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[12] | Safe D | October 29, 2004 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe D | November 1, 2004 |
Results
Oberstar had no difficulty winning his 16th term in Congress, defeating Republican challenger Mark Groettum by a margin of more than 33 percent, while Green candidate Van Presley finished a very distant third.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Jim Oberstar (Incumbent) | 228,586 | 65.2 | |
| Republican | Mark Groettum | 112,693 | 32.2 | |
| Green | Van Presley | 8,933 | 2.6 | |
| Write-in | 271 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 350,483 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Oberstar (DFL) | $1,121,919 | $972,916 | $225,310 |
| Mark Groettum (R) | $42,714 | $41,187 | $1,526 |
| Van Presley (G) | $6,657 | $5,728 | $785 |