2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

Results of the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:^[3]

2014 Minnesota's 1st congressional district election

← 2012 2016 →

Nominee Tim Walz Jim Hagedorn Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Popular vote 122,851 103,536 Percentage 54.2% 45.7%

Precinct results Walz:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Hagedorn:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Tie:      50%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Tim Walz Democratic (DFL) Elected U.S. Representative Tim Walz Democratic (DFL)

Incumbent Democrat Tim Walz, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of R+1.

• Tim Walz, incumbent U.S. Representative

Republican State Representative Mike Benson,^[5] Jim Hagedorn of Blue Earth and U.S. Army veteran Aaron Miller of Byron all sought the nomination to challenge Walz. Hagedorn and Miller had pledged to abide by the Republican endorsement while Benson did not.^[6] On April 5, 2014, Aaron Miller won the GOP endorsement.^[7] Benson and Hagedorn then withdrew, though Hagedorn re-entered the race on May 18, expressing concerns that Miller was not dedicating enough time to the race.^[8]

• Jim Hagedorn, former congressional affairs officer for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and candidate for this seat in 2010^[8]

• Aaron Miller, U.S. Army veteran^[6]

• Mike Benson, state representative^[7]

• Jeremy Miller, state senator^[9]

2014 Minnesota's 2nd congressional district election

← 2012 2016 →

Nominee John Kline Mike Obermueller Paula Overby Party Republican Democratic (DFL) Independence Popular vote 137,778 95,565 12,319 Percentage 56.0% 38.9% 5.0%

Precinct results Kline:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Obermueller:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Tie:      40–50%

U.S. Representative before election John Kline Republican Elected U.S. Representative John Kline Republican

Incumbent Republican John Kline, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 54% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of R+2.

Kline was rumoured to be interested in running for Governor of Minnesota or the United States Senate. Instead, he announced he would seek re-election.

David Gerson challenged Kline for the Republican nomination but conceded after Kline won the Republican endorsement.^[15]

• John Kline, incumbent U.S. Representative^[16]

• David Gerson, candidate for this seat in 2012^[15][17]

• Kurt Bills, former state representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012^[18]
• Chris Gerlach, state senator and Dakota County Commissioner^[18]
• Pat Garofalo, state representative^[18]
• Kelby Woodard, state representative^[18]

Mike Obermueller, who lost to Kline in 2012, had decided to run again.^[16] He won the DFL endorsement on April 26, 2014.^[19]

Sona Mehring, the founder of CaringBridge, declared her candidacy, but dropped out of the race three weeks later.^[20] Thomas Craft, who volunteered for Obermueller in the 2012 race, declared his candidacy in July 2013 and positioned himself as a fiscally conservative, socially liberal alternative to Kline and Obermueller.^[21] Craft ceased his campaign after Obermueller won the DFL endorsement.^[19] Eagan quality assurance analyst Paula Overby initially sought the DFL endorsement but withdrew after Obermueller won it and instead became the Independence Party nominee.^[19][22]

• Mike Obermueller, former state representative and nominee for this seat in 2012^[16]

• Michael Roberts^[23]

• Thomas Craft, IT consultant^[19]
• Sona Mehring, founder of CaringBridge^[20]
• Paula Overby, quality assurance analyst (ran for the Independence nomination)^[19]

• Paula Overby, quality assurance analyst^[24]

The 2014 election in the 2nd district was expected to be one of the tightest congressional races in the country. Kline's district was one of 17 Republican congressional districts to vote for President Barack Obama in 2012, and polling data suggested a Democratic challenger could unseat Kline.^[25]

2014 Minnesota's 3rd congressional district election

← 2012 2016 →

Nominee Erik Paulsen Sharon Sund Party Republican Democratic (DFL) Popular vote 167,515 101,846 Percentage 62.1% 37.8%

Precinct results Paulsen:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Sund:      50–60%      60–70%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Erik Paulsen Republican Elected U.S. Representative Erik Paulsen Republican

Incumbent Republican Erik Paulsen, who had represented the district since , ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of R+2.

Paulsen considered running for governor or the United States Senate in 2014 before announcing he would seek re-election to the U.S. House instead.^[26]

• Erik Paulsen, incumbent U.S. Representative^[26]

• Sharon Sund, businesswoman^[27]

• James Lawrence, businessman^[28]
• Don Shelby, former WCCO-TV anchor^[29]

2014 Minnesota's 4th congressional district election

← 2012 2016 →

Nominee Betty McCollum Sharna Wahlgren Dave Thomas Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Independence Popular vote 147,857 79,492 14,059 Percentage 61.2% 32.9% 5.8%

Precinct results McCollum:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Wahlgren:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Betty McCollum Democratic (DFL) Elected U.S. Representative Betty McCollum Democratic (DFL)

Incumbent Democrat Betty McCollum, who had represented the district since 2001, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 62% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of D+11.

• Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative^[23]

• Sharna Wahlgren, attorney^[23]

• Dave Thomas, educator, firefighter, and Iraq War veteran^[23]

2014 Minnesota's 5th congressional district election

← 2012 2016 →

Nominee Keith Ellison Doug Daggett Lee Bauer Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Independence Popular vote 167,079 56,577 12,001 Percentage 70.8% 24.0% 5.1%

Precinct results Ellison:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Daggett:      40–50%      50–60%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Keith Ellison Democratic (DFL) Elected U.S. Representative Keith Ellison Democratic (DFL)

Incumbent Democrat Keith Ellison, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 75% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of D+22.

• Keith Ellison, incumbent U.S Representative^[23]

• Doug Daggett, sales rep^[23]

• Lee Bauer, machinist^[23]

2014 Minnesota's 6th congressional district election

← 2012 2016 →

Nominee Tom Emmer Joe Perske John Denney Party Republican Democratic (DFL) Independence Popular vote 133,328 90,926 12,457 Percentage 56.3% 38.4% 5.2%

Precinct results Emmer:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      >90% Perske:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      80–90% Tie:      50%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Michele Bachmann Republican Elected U.S. Representative Tom Emmer Republican

Incumbent Republican Michele Bachmann, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 51% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of R+10.

Bachmann had won re-election to a fourth term in 2012, defeating DFL nominee Jim Graves by approximately 1.2 points, despite Mitt Romney receiving 56% of the vote in this district in the 2012 presidential election. Facing a rematch with Graves, Bachmann announced on May 29, 2013, that she would not seek re-election.^[30]

Former state representative and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer and Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah sought the Republican nomination.^[31][32][33] Allan Levene, a Kennesaw, Georgia, resident who sought the Republican nomination in four congressional districts in four separate states, including Minnesota, ultimately did not file an affidavit of candidacy.^[34]

• Tom Emmer, former state representative and nominee for Governor in 2010^[31]

• Rhonda Sivarajah, Anoka County Commissioner^[32]

• Phil Krinkie, former state representative^[35]
• Allan Levene, resident of Georgia running in three other congressional races^[34]
• John Pederson, state senator^[36]

• Michele Bachmann, incumbent U.S. Representative^[30]

Jim Graves, who had previously said he would run again, said he would continue to run after Bachmann retired.^[37] However, on May 31, 2013, Graves announced that he was suspending his campaign.^[38]

Joe Perske, Mayor of Sartell, Minnesota, was the DFL endorsed candidate and nominee. Judy Adams, a painter and environmental activist, and Jim Read, an author and professor of political science at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, both withdrew after failing to win the DFL endorsement.^{[39][40][41][42]}

• Joe Perske, Mayor of Sartell^[40]

• Judy Adams, environmental activist^[39][42]
• Jim Graves, businessman and nominee for the seat in 2012^[38]
• Jim Read, professor at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University^[41][42]

• John Denney, law student^[23]

2014 Minnesota's 7th congressional district election

← 2012 2016 →

Nominee Collin Peterson Torrey Westrom Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Popular vote 130,546 109,955 Percentage 54.2% 45.7%

Precinct results Peterson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Westrom:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Tie:      40–50%      50%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Collin Peterson Democratic (DFL) Elected U.S. Representative Collin Peterson Democratic (DFL)

The 7th district covers almost the entire western side of Minnesota. It is the largest district in the state and one of the largest in the country and includes the cities of Moorhead, Willmar, Alexandria, and Fergus Falls. Incumbent Democrat Collin Peterson, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 60% of the vote in 2012 and the district had a PVI of R+6.

In 2013, Republicans began pressuring Peterson, in hopes of convincing him to retire. His seat was one of only a handful that was represented by a Democrat but was carried by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in the 2012 election and was seen as a top pick-up opportunity had Peterson retired. Their tactics included airing television advertisements, hiring a press staffer to give opposition research to reporters, hiring a tracker to follow him around his district and record him, and sending mobile billboards with critical statements on them to drive around his hometown. Peterson responded by saying "They don't have anybody else to go after. It's kind of ridiculous, but whatever."^[44][45] After Republicans spread rumors that Peterson was planning to buy a house in Florida and retire there, he said: "I went from neutral on running again to 90 percent just because of this stupid stuff they're doing. You can't let these people be in charge of anything, in my opinion."^[46] On March 17, 2014, Peterson officially announced that he was running for re-election, saying, "I still have a lot of work to do."^[47]

• Collin Peterson, incumbent U.S. Representative^[47]

• Paul Marquart, state representative^[18]

• Torrey Westrom, state senator^[48]

• Dan Fabian, state representative^[18]
• Mary Franson, state representative^[18]
• Bill Ingebrigtsen, state senator^[18]
• Morrie Lanning, former state representative^[18]
• Marty Seifert, former Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives and candidate for Governor of Minnesota in 2010 and 2014^[18]
• Scott Van Binsbergen, businessman^[18]

2014 Minnesota's 8th congressional district election

← 2012 2016 →

Nominee Rick Nolan Stewart Mills III Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Popular vote 129,090 125,358 Percentage 48.5% 47.1%

Precinct results 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

U.S. Representative before election Rick Nolan Democratic (DFL) Elected U.S. Representative Rick Nolan Democratic (DFL)

Incumbent Democrat Rick Nolan, who had represented the district since 2013, ran for re-election. He was elected with 54% of the vote in 2012, and the district had a PVI of D+1.

• Rick Nolan, incumbent U.S. Representative^[23]

• Stewart Mills III, Mills Fleet Farm executive^[49]

• Skip Sandman

• 2014 Minnesota elections
• 2014 United States House of Representatives elections

• Elections & Voting - Minnesota Secretary of State
• U.S. House elections in Minnesota, 2014 at Ballotpedia
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets