U.S. House, Minnesota - 6th District
North and east Twin Cities suburbs; St. Cloud
Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
2008: Rep.
2006:
Elwyn Tinklenberg gets a second shot at the seat after he lost the Democratic nomination in 2006, when Bachmann won in the district with only 50 percent of the vote in an open-seat contest. And his chances of unseating Bachmann were boosted when her tendency to court controversy was demonstrated by comments that Obama holds “anti-American views.” The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee poured $1 million into the race following those comments, which drew attention nationwide. But working in Bachmann’s favor is the fact that the district is hardwired with a Republican lean that may let her prevail despite a major uproar.
Race Information
- Incumbent: Rep. Michele Bachmann, R
- First Elected: 2006 (1st term)
- Last Elected: 2006 (50.05%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
One of Minnesota’s three suburban-oriented districts, the 6th hooks counterclockwise from eastern Twin Cities suburbs through conservative, rapidly developing areas northwest to the former granite-quarrying city of St. Cloud, the 6th’s only major urban center. Development has not yet made fast-growing St. Cloud, in heavily Catholic Stearns County, a Twin Cities suburb. Officials hope a 40-mile commuter train line linking Sherburne County with the Twin Cities, planned for 2009, will help alleviate traffic problems.
Anoka and Wright counties, to the north and west of Minneapolis and its first-ring suburbs, include new, wealthy suburban developments. Washington County, to the east and north of St. Paul, includes Woodbury (a small part of which is in the 2nd), which is growing rapidly, and the small town of Stillwater on the St. Croix River, which marks the Wisconsin border.
The 6th has a GOP lean. It gave George W. Bush his best state showing (57 percent) in the 2004 presidential election, and awarded Republicans Mark Kennedy and Tim Pawlenty their highest percentages in the 2006 U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races, respectively. The young, high-income families that fuel the region’s growth tend to favor fiscal conservatism, but are not conservative on social issues such as public safety and education. Blue-collar communities in the suburbs of Anoka and Washington counties are faithful Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party supporters.
Major Industry
Corporate administration, manufacturing
Cities
St. Cloud, 59,107; Blaine, 44,942; Woodbury (pt.), 44,767; Andover, 26,588; Ramsey, 18,510
Notable
Writer and radio show host Garrison Keillor was born in Anoka.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 614,935
- Under 18: 29%
- Over 65: 8%
- Married: 61.1%
- Non-Hispanic White: 95%
- Black: 1%
- Hispanic: 1%
- Asian: 1%
- Foreign Born: 2.4%
- Language other than English: 4.9%
- Median Household Income: 56,862
- Owner Occupied Housing: 83%
- Income above $200k: 2.3
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 60.3%
- Blue Collar: 27.4%
- Services: 12.3%
- Bachelor's Degree: 24%
- Graduate Education: 7.1%
- Civilian Veterans: 53,977
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Michele Bachmann (R) | 187,817 | 46.4% |
| El Tinklenberg (D) | 175,787 | 43.4% | ||
| Bob Anderson (INDC) | 40,644 | 10% | ||
| 2006 | general | Michele Bachmann (R) | 151,248 | 50% |
| Patty Wetterling (D) | 127,144 | 42.1% | ||
| John Binkowski (INDC) | 23,557 | 7.8% | ||
| 2004 | general | Mark Kennedy (R) | 203,669 | 54% |
| Patty Wetterling (D) | 173,309 | 45.9% | ||
| 2002 | general | Mark Kennedy (R) | 164,747 | 57.3% |
| Janet Robert (D) | 100,738 | 35.1% | ||
| Dan Becker (INDC) | 21,484 | 7.5% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 42% | George W. Bush: 57% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 42% | George W. Bush: 53% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WETTERLING, PATTY (D) | February 24, 2007 | $273.00 | $11,400.00 | ||||
| KRINKIE, PHILIP B (R) | December 31, 2006 | ||||||
| TINKLENBERG, ELWYN GLENN (D) | November 24, 2008 | $2,965,184.00 | $2,481,553.00 | $42,000.00 | $2,539,339.00 | $483,630.00 | |
| BACHMANN, MICHELE (R) | November 24, 2008 | $3,458,895.00 | $3,501,514.00 | $107,297.00 | $2,429,062.00 | $30,502.00 | |
| BINKOWSKI, JOHN P MR. (I) | March 23, 2007 | $812.00 | $222.00 | ||||
| IMMELMAN, ABRAHAM P (AUBREY) (R) | November 24, 2008 | $3,317.00 | $3,010.00 | $1,117.00 | $387.00 | ||
| OLSON, ROBERT A (D) | September 30, 2008 | $271,618.00 | $271,421.00 | $8,000.00 | $89,081.00 | $197.00 | $103,500.00 |
| HILL, ROBERT ANTHONY (D) | September 30, 2008 | $224,558.00 | $97,840.00 | $94,773.00 | $58,494.00 | ||
