The Donald Trump wave that swept the Midwest certainly had an impact in Minnesota. As of Wednesday morning, Hillary Clinton led Donald Trump in Minnesota by 46.4% to 45%, a margin of only 43,000 votes in what had been considered a reliably Democratic state. Comparisons of the 2016 Presidential Race to the 2012 Presidential Race are revealing. In 2016, Trump exceeded Mitt Romney’s 2012 Minnesota vote total by only 990 votes while Clinton received 182,278 votes less then President Obama did in 2012.
Minnesota Legislature. The Republican momentum assured the Minnesota House of Representatives will stay in Republican hands. Prior to the election, Republicans held a 73 to 61 majority. After Tuesday’s election, the Republican majority will be 76 to 57 with one vacant seat to be filled in a February Special Election.
House DFL Representatives John Persell (5A), Tom Anzelc (5B), Ron Erhardt (49A), and Barb Yarusso (42A) lost reelection bids. The DFL also lost House District 54A left open by the retirement of Representative Joe Atkins and House District 54B left open by Representative Dan Schoen running for the State Senate. The lone House Republican incumbent to lose is Chad Anderson (50B). Republicans also lost House District 57A, left open by retiring Representative Tara Mack. House District 32B will be filled by a Special Election in February 2017.
More remarkably, the Minnesota Senate has flipped from Democratic to Republican. Democrats had held a ten seat advantage by a margin of 38 to 28 with one vacancy. However, as of Wednesday morning, it appears that Republicans will control the Senate by a slim 34 to 33 margin. However, the Senate Republican Leader, David Hann (SD 48) of Eden Prairie, was defeated by DFLer Steve Cwodzinski. In addition to losing the Hann seat, Republicans lost the seat of retiring Senator Dave Thompson (SD 58). The new Senate Republican Majority will meet on Thursday, November 10 to elect their Majority Leader. Potential candidates include Senators Bill Ingebrigtsen, David Senjem and Michelle Benson.
Republican pick-ups in the Senate were most pronounced in rural Minnesota. In western and northwestern Minnesota, Republicans defeated incumbent DFLers Rod Skoe (SD 2), Tom Saxhaug (SD 5) and Lyle Koenen (SD 17) and picked up the seat of retiring DFL Senator LeRoy Stumpf (SD 1). In southeastern Minnesota, Republicans picked up the Red Wing seat held by Senator Matt Schmit (SD 21), the Northfield seat of Senator Kevin Dahle (SD 20), and the Owatonna seat held by Senator Vicki Jensen (SD 24). Republicans also picked up Senate District 44 left open by retiring Senator Terri Bonoff.
Congressional Races. Minnesota races for Congress in the Second, Third and Fifth Districts were heavily contested and were ranked among the 30 most contested House races in the country. Independent expenditure contributions flowed into the State and the advertising barrage continued until the closing moments of the election. In the end, Congressman Erik Paulsen in the Third District comfortably defeated State Senator Terri Bonoff and incumbent Representative Rick Nolan in the Eighth District survived a rematch with businessman Stewart Mills. In the Second Congressional District, which has been held by retiring Congressman John Kline, radio talk show host Jason Lewis defeated businesswoman Angie Craig by a vote of 47.11% to 45%.
Republican wave impacts were also felt in the First Congressional District in southern Minnesota where incumbent DFL Congressman Tim Walz survived a challenge from Republican Jim Hagedorn by only 2,500 votes. This had been expected to be a very safe Democratic seat.
Constitutional Amendment. A proposed Constitutional Amendment providing for a Commission to set legislative salaries passed by a comfortable margin.
Supreme Court. Incumbent Supreme Court Justice Natalie Hudson survived a challenge from Republican Michelle MacDonald.
