2018 United States Senate election in Minnesota

The 2018 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 6, 2018, to elect a United States Senator from Minnesota. Incumbent Democratic–Farmer–Labor U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar was reelected in a landslide, defeating Republican state House of Representatives member Jim Newberger. This election was held alongside a special election for Minnesota's other Senate seat, which was held by Al Franken until he resigned in January 2018. U.S. House elections, a gubernatorial election, State House elections, and other elections were also held.

The candidate filing deadline was June 5, 2018, and the primary election was held on August 14, 2018.^[1]This is the last time that the winner of the United States Senate election in Minnesota won a majority of Minnesota's counties.

Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary

Candidates

Nominated

• Amy Klobuchar, incumbent U.S. Senator^[2]

Eliminated in primary

• Steve Carlson^[3]
• Stephen A. Emery^[3]
• David R. Groves^[3]
• Leonard J. Richards^[3]

Endorsements

Amy Klobuchar

Organizations

• Communications Workers of America^[4]
• EMILY's List^[5]
• End Citizens United^[6]
• Feminist Majority Political Action Committee ^[7]
• League of Conservation Voters^[8]
• National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare^[9]
• Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund^[10]
• Population Connection^[11]
• United Automobile Workers^[12]

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

• Jim Newberger, state representative^[14] (Minnesota GOP convention endorsed)^[15]

Eliminated in primary

• Merrill Anderson,^[3] Past Candidate (Mayor of Minneapolis), Past Candidate (Governor of Minnesota)
• Rae Hart Anderson^[3]
• Rocky De La Fuente, 2016 Reform Party Presidential Nominee and perennial candidate^[3]

Declined

• Tim Pawlenty, former governor of Minnesota^[16] (running for governor)

Endorsements

Jim Newberger

State legislators

• Representative Tony Albright, 55B, Vice Chair of the Health and Human Services Finance Committee
• Senator Bruce Anderson, SD 29
• Representative Paul Anderson, 12B, Chair of the Agriculture Policy Committee
• Representative Jeff Backer, 12A, Vice Chair of the Agriculture Policy Committee
• Representative Cal Bahr, 31B.
• Representative Peggy Bennett, 27A, Vice Chair of the Education Finance Committee
• Senator Dave Brown, SD15, retired
• Representative Drew Christensen, 56A
• Representative Steve Drazkowski, 21B, Chair of the Property Tax Committee
• Representative Sondra Erickson, 15A, Chair of the Education Innovation Policy Committee
• Representative Dan Fabian, 1A, Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee
• Representative Patrick Garofalo, 58B, Chair of the Growth and Energy Affordibility Committee
• Representative Steve Green, 2B
• Representative Glenn Gruenhagen, 18B
• Representative Bob Gunther, 23A, Chair of the Legacy Committee
• Senator Dan Hall, SD 56, Chair of the Local Government Finance Committee
• Representative Josh Heintzeman, 10A, Vice Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee
• Representative Jerry Hertaus, 33A, Vice Chair of the Property Tax Committee
• Representative Jeff Howe, 13A
• Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen, SD 8, Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee
• Representative Tony Jurgens, 54B.
• Representative Ron Kresha, 9B, Majority Whip
• Representative Sandy Layman, 5B
• Representative Kathy Lohmer, 39B
• Representative Bob Loonan, 55A
• Representative Eric Lucero, 30B
• Representative Dale Lueck, 10B, Vice Chair of the Mining, Forestry and Tourism SubCommittee
• Senator Andrew Mathews, SD15, Vice Chair, Energy and Utilities Committee.
• Representative Anne Neu, 32B
• Representative Marion O'Neill, 29B, Chair of Employee Relations Sub Committee
• Representative Joyce Peppin, 34A, Majority Leader
• Representative Roz Peterson, 56B
• Representative John Poston, 9A.
• Representative Cindy Pugh, 33B, Vice Chair of the Government Operations and Elections Committee
• Representative Duane Quam, 25A
• Senator Julie Rosen, SD23, Finance Committee Chair
• Representative Dennis Smith, 34B, Vice Chair of the Civil Law and Data Practices Committee
• Representative Mark Uglem, 36A, Vice Chair of the Capital Investment Committee
• Representative Nick Zerwas, 30A

Individuals

• Mike Lindell, CEO of My Pillow^[17][18]

Organizations

• Chinese American Alliance Action^[19]

Newspapers

• Duluth News Tribune^[20]

Results

Minor parties and independents

Candidates

• Paula M. Overby (Green Party)^[21]
• Dennis Schuller (Legal Marijuana Now Party)^[22]

General election

Predictions

Debates

On August 24, MPR News hosted a debate between Amy Klobuchar and Jim Newberger at the Minnesota State Fair.^[29]

Fundraising

Polling

Hypothetical polling

Results

Klobuchar won the election by a margin of 24.10%. She carried a clear majority of the state's 87 counties, won every congressional district, and had the biggest statewide margin of any statewide candidate in Minnesota in 2018. Klobuchar ran up huge margins in the state's population centers and trounced Newberger in the counties encompassing the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. As in her 2012 victory, she also won many rural counties. Klobuchar was sworn in for a third term on January 3, 2019.

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Morrison (largest city: Little Falls)
• Todd (largest city: Long Prairie)
• Jackson (largest city: Jackson)
• Faribault (largest city: Blue Earth)
• Nobles (largest city: Worthington)
• Martin (largest city: Fairmont)
• Cottonwood (largest city: Windom)
• Dodge (largest city: Kasson)
• Murray (largest city: Slayton)
• Lincoln (largest city: Tyler)
• Redwood (largest city: Redwood Falls)
• Brown (largest city: New Ulm)
• McLeod (largest city: Hutchinson)
• Meeker (largest city: Litchfield)
• Wright (largest city: Otsego)
• Sibley (largest city: Gaylord)
• Benton (largest city: Sauk Rapids)
• Sherburne (largest city: Elk River)
• Isanti (largest city: Cambridge)
• Chisago (largest city: North Branch)
• Mille Lacs (largest city: Princeton)
• Kanabec (largest city: Mora)
• Marshall (largest city: Warren)
• Lake of the Woods (largest city: Baudette)
• Roseau (largest city: Roseau)
• Clearwater (largest city: Bagley)
• Polk (largest city: East Grand Forks)
• Becker (largest city: Detroit Lakes)
• Douglas (largest city: Alexandria)
• Otter Tail (largest city: Fergus Falls)
• Cass (largest city: Lake Shore)
• Crow Wing (largest city: Brainerd)
• Hubbard (largest city: Park Rapids)
• Wadena (largest city: Wadena)

Swing by county

Legend

•   Democratic — +10-15%
•   Democratic — +5-10%
•   Democratic — +0-5%
•   Republican — +0-5%
•   Republican — +5-10%
•   Republican — +10-15%
•   Republican — +15-20%
•   Republican — +20-25%
•   Republican — +25-30%
•   Republican — +>30%

Trend by county

Legend

•   Democratic — +10-15%
•   Democratic — +5-10%
•   Democratic — +0-5%
•   Republican — +0-5%
•   Republican — +5-10%
•   Republican — +10-15%
•   Republican — +15-20%
•   Republican — +20-25%
•   Republican — +25-30%
•   Republican — +>30%

By congressional district

Klobuchar won all 8 congressional districts, including three that elected Republicans.^[45]

Voter demographics

See also

• 2018 Minnesota elections

References

1. "United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2018 - Ballotpedia". Retrieved March 3, 2017.
2. Sherry, Allison (December 25, 2016). "Klobuchar will run again for Senate, rules herself out for governor's race". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
3. "Candidate Filings". candidates.sos.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
4. "Our Candidates - CWA Political". CWA Political. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
5. "EMILY's List Endorses Nine Democratic Women Senators for Re-Election in 2018". EMILY's List. February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
6. Tiffany Muller (July 6, 2017). "End Citizens United Endorses Senator Amy Klobuchar for Re-election". End Citizens United.
7. "Amy Klobuchar – Feminist Majority PAC". feministmajoritypac.org.
8. "Endorsements - League of Conservation Voters".
9. NCPSSM. "Candidates We Endorse and Support". Retrieved December 18, 2018.
10. "NRDC Action Fund announces first wave of 2018 Senate endorsements". www.nrdcactionfund.org. January 5, 2018.
11. "Population Connection Action Fund Endorsements". Population Connection. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
12. "Minnesota – Official UAW Endorsements". uawendorsements.org. United Automobile Workers.
13. "Minnesota 2018 Primary Election Results". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
14. Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (August 5, 2017). "Challenger emerges to run against U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar — GOP state Rep. Jim Newberger". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
15. "GOP endorses Housley, Newberger for U.S. Senate". June 2, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
16. "Pawlenty won't run for Senate in Minnesota". Politico. January 16, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
17. [1]^{[dead link]}
18. Lindell, Mike (October 31, 2018). "My friend @NewbergerJim will be one of the best US Senators ever!pic.twitter.com/gZCkRCQ1nw". Retrieved December 18, 2018.
19. "CAA Endorsing James Newberger For US Senate". Jim Newberger for US Senate.
20. "Our View / Endorsement: Newberger already focused on Klobuchar". Duluth News Tribune. July 24, 2018.
21. McMullen, Maureen (November 11, 2017). "Transgender candidate announces U.S. Senate campaign in Minn., seeking Green Party endorsement". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
22. Golden, Erin (June 16, 2018). "Legal pot advocates join Minnesota races for state, federal offices". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
23. "2018 Senate Race Ratings for October 26, 2018". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
24. "2018 Senate Ratings". The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
25. "2018 Crystal Ball Senate race ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
26. "2018 Senate Power Rankings". Fox News. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
27. "Key Races: Senate". Retrieved July 15, 2018.
28. "Battle for the Senate 2018". Retrieved August 14, 2018.
29. Pugmire, Tim (August 22, 2018). "Sen. Amy Klobuchar and state Rep. Jim Newberger debate at the State Fair". Retrieved August 29, 2018.
30. "Campaign finance data". Retrieved October 31, 2018.
31. Change Research
32. Research Co.
33. SurveyUSA
34. St. Cloud State University
35. Mason-Dixon
36. Change Research
37. Marist College
38. Mason-Dixon
39. SurveyUSA
40. Suffolk University Archived 2018-12-08 at the Wayback Machine
41. Emerson College Archived 2018-08-15 at the Wayback Machine
42. BK Strategies Archived 2018-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
43. BK Strategies (R) Archived 2018-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
44. "Minnesota Secretary Of State - 2018 General Election Results". www.sos.state.mn.us. Archived from the original on April 10, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
45. "Daily Kos".
46. "Minnesota Senate election exit poll". CNN. Retrieved November 20, 2018.

External links

• Elections & Voting - Minnesota Secretary of State
• Candidates at Vote Smart
• Candidates at Ballotpedia
• Campaign finance at FEC
• Campaign finance at OpenSecrets

Official campaign websites

• Amy Klobuchar (D) for Senate
• Jim Newberger (R) for Senate
• Paula Overby (G) for Senate