2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota
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The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Minnesota, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on August 9.
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November 8, 2016
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All 8 Minnesota seats to the United States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This is the last cycle where the Democratic candidate would win either the 1st or 8th district and the last cycle Republicans candidate would win either the 2nd or 3rd district.
Overview
Statewide
| Party | Candidates | Votes[1] | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | +/– | % | |||
| Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 8 | 1,434,590 | 50.15 | 5 |  |
62.50 | |
| Republican | 8 | 1,334,686 | 46.66 | 3 | |
37.50 | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | 2 | 57,911 | 2.02 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Independence | 1 | 28,869 | 1.01 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Write-in | 8 | 4,376 | 0.15 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Total | 27 | 2,860,432 | 100.0 | 8 | |
100.0 | |
By district
Results of the 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:
| District | Democratic | Republican | Others | Total | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| District 1 | 169,074 | 50.34% | 166,526 | 49.58% | 277 | 0.08% | 335,600 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 2 | 167,315 | 45.16% | 173,970 | 46.95% | 29,229 | 7.89% | 370,514 | 100.00% | Republican hold |
| District 3 | 169,243 | 43.01% | 223,077 | 56.70% | 1,144 | 0.29% | 393,464 | 100.00% | Republican hold |
| District 4 | 203,299 | 57.76% | 121,032 | 34.39% | 27,613 | 7.85% | 351,944 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 5 | 249,964 | 69.07% | 80,660 | 22.29% | 31,258 | 8.64% | 361,882 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 6 | 123,008 | 34.27% | 235,380 | 65.58% | 536 | 0.15% | 358,924 | 100.00% | Republican hold |
| District 7 | 173,589 | 52.47% | 156,952 | 47.44% | 307 | 0.09% | 330,848 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| District 8 | 179,098 | 50.17% | 177,089 | 49.61% | 792 | 0.22% | 356,979 | 100.00% | Democratic hold |
| Total | 1,434,590 | 50.15% | 1,334,686 | 46.66% | 91,156 | 3.19% | 2,860,432 | 100.00% | |
District 1
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  Walz: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Hagedorn: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Tim Walz, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 54% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+1. This is the most recent election for this congressional district to be won by a Democrat.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Tim Walz, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Tim Walz (incumbent) | 13,538 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 13,538 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jim Hagedorn, blogger, candidate for this seat in 2010 and nominee in 2014
Eliminated in primary
- Stephen Williams, farmer and Independence nominee for the U.S. Senate 2012, candidate in 2008 and 2012 and candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2010
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Hagedorn | 10,851 | 76.5 | |
| Republican | Steve Williams | 3,330 | 23.5 | |
| Total votes | 14,181 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP[10] | Likely D | October 31, 2016 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Tim Walz (incumbent) | 169,074 | 50.3 | |
| Republican | Jim Hagedorn | 166,526 | 49.6 | |
| Write-in | 277 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 335,877 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Walz (DFL) | $1,547,890 | $1,585,118 | $42,071 |
| Jim Hagedorn (R) | $354,204 | $356,277 | $225 |
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Walz (DFL) | $0 | $0 |
| Jim Hagedorn (R) | $1,463 | $0 |
District 2
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 Precinct results Lewis: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Craig: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican John Kline, who had represented the district since 2003, announced that he would not seek re-election.[12] He was re-elected with 56% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+2.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jason Lewis, political commentator, former talk radio host, and nominee for Colorado's 2nd district in 1990[13]
Eliminated in primary
- Matthew Erickson, Minnesota spokesperson for Donald Trump[14]
- John Howe, former state senator, former mayor of Red Wing and candidate for Minnesota Secretary of State in 2014[15]
- Darlene Miller, president and CEO of Permac Industries and member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness[16]
Withdrawn
Declined
- Tony Albright, state representative[22]
- Ted Daley, former state senator[23][24]
- Steve Drazkowski, state representative[25]
- Pat Garofalo, state representative[26]
- John Kline, incumbent U.S. Representative[12]
- John Kriesel, former state representative[27]
- Mike McFadden, businessman and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2014[28]
- Mary Pawlenty, former Dakota County District Court Judge and former First Lady of Minnesota[29]
- Roz Peterson, state representative[30]
- Eric Pratt, state senator[31]
- Steve Sviggum, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives[32]
- Dave Thompson, state senator and candidate for governor in 2014[33]
Endorsements
David Gerson (withdrawn)
Organizations
- Madison Project[34]
John Howe
Organizations
Jason Lewis
State legislators
- Steve Drazkowski, state representative[36]
- Dan Hall, state senator[36]
- Dave Thompson, state senator and candidate for governor in 2014[36]
Organizations
Individuals
- Bill Cooper, former chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota[36]
Darlene Miller
Organizations
Debate
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Republican | Republican | Republican | Republican | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn |
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| David Benson-Staebler | David Gerson | John Howe | Jason Lewis | Pam Myhra | |||||
| 1[38] | Nov. 19, 2015 | Republicans in Senate District 52 | [39] | P | P | P | P | P | |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jason Lewis | 11,641 | 48.9 | |
| Republican | Darlene Miller | 7,305 | 30.7 | |
| Republican | John Howe | 3,244 | 13.6 | |
| Republican | Matthew D. Erickson | 1,612 | 6.8 | |
| Total votes | 23,802 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Democrat Angela Craig, who served as vice president of global human resources for St. Jude Medical, resigned from her position in January 2015 to challenge Lewis.[40] Mary Lawrence, a doctor, also ran as a Democrat,[41] but dropped out before the primary.
Candidates
Nominee
- Angie Craig, former St. Jude Medical executive[42][43]
Withdrawn
Declined
- Joe Atkins, state representative[49]
- Rick Hansen, state representative[50]
- Mike Obermueller, former state representative and nominee in 2012 and 2014[42]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Angie Craig | 15,155 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 15,155 | 100.0 | ||
Independence primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Paula Overby, quality assurance analyst and nominee for this seat in 2014
General election
Campaign
Commentators wrote that the election was "likely to be one of the most-watched congressional races in the country," (MinnPost[51]), "expected to be one of the most competitive in the country", according to Roll Call newspaper,[52] and "seen as a prime target for Democrats to flip" according to The Atlantic.[53]
Area left-wing weekly City Pages described the campaign as resembling the 2016 presidential campaign, calling Lewis "an entrepreneur and media personality, whose blunt rhetoric is refreshingly honest to some, simply offensive to others", and describing Craig as "a tough female leader with moderate positions, ties to big business, and a penchant for pantsuits".[54]
In May 2016, the Rothenberg and Gonzales Political Report changed its rating of the race from "pure tossup" to "tossup/tilt Democratic,"[55] with political analyst Nathan Gonzales writing that Craig "is probably to the left of the district in her ideology, but she has a good story to tell, is raising considerable money (she had $1.3 million in the bank at the end of March) and is solid as a candidate."[55] Other political prognosticators rated the race "Republican Toss-up" (Charlie Cook), and "pure" toss-up (Larry Sabato's "Crystal Ball"), according to MinnPost.[55]
Endorsements
Jason Lewis (R)
State legislators
- Steve Drazkowski, state representative[36]
- Dan Hall, state senator[36]
- Dave Thompson, state senator and candidate for governor in 2014[36]
Organizations
- National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program[56]
- Republican Party of Minnesota[36]
Individuals
- Bill Cooper, former chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota[36]
Angie Craig (DFL)
U.S. Senators
- Al Franken, U.S. Senator (D-MN)
U.S. Representatives
- Keith Ellison, U.S. Representative (MN-05)
- Jared Polis, U.S. Representative (CO-02)[57]
- Mark Takano, U.S. Representative (CA-41)[57]
- Tim Walz, U.S. Representative (MN-01)
State legislators
- Jim Carlson, state senator[58]
- Greg Clausen, state senator[59]
- Scott Dibble, state senator[60]
- Laurie Halverson, state representative[58]
- Sandra Masin, state representative[58]
- Will Morgan, former state representative[61]
- Erin Murphy, state representative[60]
- Sandy Pappas, President of the Minnesota Senate
- Mike Obermueller, former state representative and nominee in 2012 and 2014[58]
- Dan Schoen, state representative[62]
- Katie Sieben, state senator[62]
Labor unions
- AFL-CIO[3]
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees[4]
- International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers[5]
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 82[63]
- United Steelworkers[64]
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[65]
- EMILY's List[66]
- Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund[58]
- Human Rights Campaign
- NARAL Pro-Choice America[67]
- Stonewall DFL Caucus[68]
- WomenWinning[69]
Local officials
Debates
- Complete video of debate, October 30, 2016
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Jason Lewis (R) |
Angie Craig (DFL) |
Paula Overby (I) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[70] | October 13–16, 2016 | 600 | ± 4.1% | 41% | 46% | — | 12% |
| WPA Opinion Research (R-NRCC)[71] | October 9–10, 2016 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 36% | 33% | — | 26% |
| GBA Strategies (D-Craig)[72] | August 13–16, 2016 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 42% | 43% | 9% | 6% |
| WPA Opinion Research (R-Lewis/NRCC)[73] | August 14–15, 2016 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 39% | 27% | 7% | 25% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Tossup | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections[7] | Tossup | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Tilt D (flip) | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Lean D (flip) | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP[10] | Lean D (flip) | October 31, 2016 |
Results
Lewis ended up defeating Craig by several thousand votes.[74]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jason Lewis | 173,970 | 46.9 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Angie Craig | 167,315 | 45.2 | |
| Independence | Paula Overby | 28,869 | 7.8 | |
| Write-in | 360 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 370,514 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Lewis (R) | $1,030,485 | $1,020,649 | $9,837 | |
| Angie Craig (DFL) | $4,025,326 | $4,012,823 | $12,503 | |
| Paula Overby (I) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Lewis (R) | $404,338 | $3,200,222 |
| Angie Craig (DFL) | $181,244 | $2,287,501 |
| Paula Overby (I) | $0 | $0 |
District 3
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 Precinct results Paulsen: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Bonoff: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Erik Paulsen, who had represented the district since 2009, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 62% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+2.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Erik Paulsen, incumbent U.S. Representative
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Terri Bonoff, state senator[75]
Withdrawn
- Jon Tollefson, former U.S. diplomat, lobbyist for the Minnesota Nurses Association and candidate for state representative in 2014[76]
General election
Endorsements
Terri Bonoff (DFL)
U.S. Presidents
Labor unions
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees[4]
- International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers[5]
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[65]
- EMILY's List[66]
Debates
- Complete video of debate, October 30, 2016
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Erik Paulsen (R) |
Terri Bonoff (DFL) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[78] | October 10–13, 2016 | 579 | ± 4.2% | 49% | 38% | 13% |
| Clarity Campaign Lab (D-House Majority PAC)[79] | September 11–13, 2016 | 353 | ± 4.34% | 45% | 42% | 13% |
| DCCC (D)[80] | September 12, 2016 | 353 | ± 5.2% | 38% | 40% | 22% |
| Newton Heath LLC (R-AAN)[81] | August 9–11, 2016 | 402 | ± 4.9% | 57% | 31% | 12% |
| Victoria Research & Consulting (D-Bonoff)[82] | June 27–30, 2016 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 45% | 45% | 10% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Lean R | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections[7] | Lean R | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Likely R | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Lean R | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP[10] | Lean R | October 31, 2016 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Paulsen (incumbent) | 223,077 | 56.7 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Terri Bonoff | 169,243 | 43.0 | |
| Write-in | 1,144 | 0.3 | ||
| Total votes | 393,464 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erik Paulsen (R) | $4,939,819 | $5,761,611 | $373,169 |
| Terri Bonoff (DFL) | $1,970,869 | $1,970,297 | $572 |
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Erik Paulsen (R) | $540,029 | $3,392,767 |
| Terri Bonoff (DFL) | $571,546 | $1,521,629 |
District 4
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 Precinct results McCollum: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Ryan: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% No votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Betty McCollum, who had represented the district since 2001, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 61% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+11.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Betty McCollum (incumbent) | 33,336 | 94.0 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Steve Carlson | 2,128 | 6.0 | |
| Total votes | 35,464 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Greg Ryan, businessman
Eliminated in primary
- Gene Rechtzigel, farmer and Independent candidate for State Senate, District 53 in 1980
- Nikolay Nikolayevich Bey, airport cleaning company supervisor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Ryan | 5,618 | 82.0 | |
| Republican | Gene Rechtzigel | 845 | 12.3 | |
| Republican | Nikolay Nikolayevich Bey | 390 | 5.7 | |
| Total votes | 6,853 | 100.0 | ||
Legal Marijuana Now primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Susan Pendergast Sindt, business owner
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP[10] | Safe D | October 31, 2016 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Betty McCollum (incumbent) | 203,299 | 57.8 | |
| Republican | Greg Ryan | 121,032 | 34.4 | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | Susan Pendergast Sindt | 27,152 | 7.7 | |
| Write-in | 461 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 351,944 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betty McCollum (DFL) | $915,558 | $962,049 | $124,672 | |
| Greg Ryan (R) | $51,293 | $48,298 | $2,996 | |
| Susan Sindt (LM) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Betty McCollum (DFL) | $3,679 | $0 |
| Greg Ryan (R) | $0 | $0 |
| Susan Sindt (LM) | $0 | $0 |
District 5
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 Precinct results Ellison: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Drake: 40–50% 50–60% No votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Keith Ellison, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 71% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+71.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Keith Ellison, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- Lee Bauer, machinist and Independence nominee for this seat in 2014
- Gregg Iverson, perennial candidate
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Keith Ellison (incumbent) | 40,380 | 91.7 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Gregg Iverson | 1,887 | 4.3 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Lee Bauer | 1,757 | 4.0 | |
| Total votes | 44,024 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Frank Nelson Drake, real estate investor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Frank Nelson Drake | 4,177 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 4,177 | 100.0 | ||
Legal Marijuana Now primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Dennis Schuller, media and event producer
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP[10] | Safe D | October 31, 2016 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Keith Ellison (incumbent) | 249,964 | 69.1 | |
| Republican | Frank Drake | 80,660 | 22.3 | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | Dennis Schuller | 30,759 | 8.5 | |
| Write-in | 499 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 361,875 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Ellison (DFL) | $2,784,931 | $2,457,969 | $489,709 | |
| Frank Drake (R) | Unreported | |||
| Dennis Schuller (LM) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Keith Ellison (DFL) | $28 | $0 |
| Frank Drake (R) | $42 | $0 |
| Dennis Schuller (LM) | $0 | $0 |
District 6
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 Precinct results Emmer: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Snyder: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% >90% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Tom Emmer, who had represented the district since 2015, ran for re-election. He was elected with 56% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+10.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Tom Emmer, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- A.J. Kern, small business owner and volunteer columnist for the St. Cloud Times[83]
- Patrick Munro, business owner and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014
Campaign
Emmer was challenged from the right by AJ Kern, who criticized his positions on immigration, education and trade. Particularly his vote for Every Student Succeeds Act and his support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. She also objected to Muslims serving in elected office.[84]
Endorsements
Tom Emmer
Organizations
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Emmer (incumbent) | 13,590 | 68.7 | |
| Republican | A. J. Kern | 5,219 | 26.4 | |
| Republican | Patrick Munro | 962 | 4.9 | |
| Total votes | 19,771 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- David Snyder, Army veteran
Eliminated in primary
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | David Snyder | 4,402 | 46.0 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Judy Adams | 3,569 | 37.3 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Bob Helland | 1,595 | 16.7 | |
| Total votes | 9,566 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Safe R | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections[7] | Safe R | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe R | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe R | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP[10] | Safe R | October 31, 2016 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Emmer (incumbent) | 235,380 | 65.6 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | David Snyder | 123,008 | 34.3 | |
| Write-in | 536 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 358,924 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Emmer (R) | $1,837,927 | $1,718,560 | $137,565 | |
| David Snyder (DFL) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Emmer (R) | $4,637 | $0 |
| David Snyder (DFL) | $0 | $0 |
District 7
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  Peterson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Hughes: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Collin Peterson, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 54% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+6.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Collin Peterson, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Collin Peterson (incumbent) | 16,253 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 16,253 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Dave Hughes, U.S. Air Force veteran
Eliminated in primary
- Amanda Lynn Hinson, entrepreneur, writer, and former pastor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dave Hughes | 8,769 | 59.0 | |
| Republican | Amanda Lynn Hinson | 6,104 | 41.0 | |
| Total votes | 14,873 | 100.0 | ||
Independence primary
Candidates
Withdrawn
- Kevin Winge, former nonprofit corporation leader[85]
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP[10] | Likely D | October 31, 2016 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Collin Peterson (incumbent) | 173,589 | 52.5 | |
| Republican | Dave Hughes | 156,952 | 47.4 | |
| Write-in | 307 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 330,848 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collin Peterson (DFL) | $1,201,913 | $682,928 | $569,667 |
| Dave Hughes (R) | $19,836 | $19,564 | $272 |
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Collin Peterson (DFL) | $17,500 | $0 |
| Dave Hughes (R) | $220 | $0 |
District 8
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  Nolan: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Mills: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Rick Nolan, who had represented the district since 2013, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 49% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+1.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rick Nolan, incumbent U.S. Representative
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Stewart Mills III, Mills Fleet Farm executive and nominee for this seat in 2014[86]
General election
Endorsements
Rick Nolan (DFL)
Stewart Mills (R)
Organizations
- Minnesota Farm Bureau[87]
- National Federation of Independent Business[88]
- National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program[56]
Newspapers
- ECM Newspapers[89]
- St. Paul Pioneer Press[90]
Debate
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Democratic | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn |
||||||
| Rick Nolan | Stewart Mills | |||||
| 1 | Oct. 23, 2016 | KSTP-TV | Leah McLean | [91] | P | P |
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Rick Nolan (DFL) |
Stewart Mills (R) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[92] | October 16–19, 2016 | 595 | ± 4.1% | 41% | 45% | 14% |
| Clarity Campaign Labs (D–House Majority PAC)[93] | October 10–11, 2016 | 514 | ± 4.3% | 49% | 41% | 10% |
| Tarrance Group (R–NRCC/Mills for Congress)[94] | March 28–30, 2016 | 422 | ± 5.0% | 49% | 46% | 5% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Tossup | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections[7] | Tossup | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Lean D | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Lean D | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP[10] | Tossup D | October 31, 2016 |
Results
Though Nolan's margin of victory (2,009 votes) was too large to trigger a publicly funded automatic recount, Mills, as of late November 2016, said that he planned to request and pay for a hand recount of all votes cast in the eighth district, as is his right under law. Mills planned to cover the cost of the recount—just over $100,000— himself. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota had not seen a recount in a race for the House of Representatives since 2000, when election day totals in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district fell within the half percentage point threshold, thus triggering a state-funded recount. It is not known if Mills's request for a privately funded recount has precedent in Minnesota's electoral history, at least as it pertains to elections for the House of Representatives.[95]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Rick Nolan (incumbent) | 179,098 | 50.2 | |
| Republican | Stewart Mills III | 177,089 | 49.6 | |
| Write-in | 792 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 356,979 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rick Nolan (DFL) | $3,029,107 | $2,874,695 | $181,075 |
| Stewart Mills III (R) | $3,578,385 | $3,577,291 | $1,392 |
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Rick Nolan (DFL) | $1,846,754 | $7,184,541 |
| Stewart Mills III (R) | $147,906 | $6,316,449 |