Minnesota, U.S. Senate
Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
2008:
Vote for winner in 2002: 50 percent
An unusual number of twists and turns and a competitive three-way contest leave the Minnesota Senate race too close to call. Democrats - with comedian Al Franken as their well-funded candidate - attack Coleman for his support of President Bush and the Iraq War, and have been aided by Coleman ’ s support of the unpopular Wall Street “ bailout ” bill earlier this month. Franken, meanwhile, saw his candidacy nearly implode this summer after writings during his career as a satirist came back to haunt him. And in a state where third parties matter, the presence of Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley is drawing support from both major party candidates.
Race Information
- Incumbent: ,
- First Elected: ()
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Challengers:
- Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
State Information
- U.S. Senate Delegation: 1 Democrat, 1 Republican
- U.S. House Delegation: 5 Democrats, 3 Republicans
- Minnesota's Other Senator
- -
- First Elected: ()
- State Offices
- Governor: Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R
- First Elected: 2002 (2nd term)
- State House Control: Democratic
- State Senate Control: Democratic
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population (2005):5,132,799
- Under 18:26.2%
- Over 65:12.1%
- Non-Hispanic White:88.2%
- Black:3.4%
- Hispanic:2.9%
- Asian:2.9%
- American Indian:1.1%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander:0.0%
- Median Household Income: 47,111
- Median Household Income Rank: 11
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Norm Coleman (R) | 1,211,540 | 42% |
| Al Franken (D) | 1,211,301 | 42% | ||
| Dean Barkley (INDC) | 437,377 | 15.2% | ||
| Charles Aldrich (LIBERT) | 13,916 | 0.5% | ||
| James Niemackl (CNSTP) | 8,906 | 0.3% | ||
| 2002 | general | Norm Coleman (R) | 1,116,697 | 49.5% |
| Walter Mondale (D) | 1,067,246 | 47.3% | ||
| Jim Moore (INDC) | 45,139 | 2% | ||
| Paul Wellstone (D) | 11,381 | 0.5% | ||
| Ray Tricomo (GREEN) | 10,119 | 0.4% | ||
| Miro Kovatchevich (CNSTP) | 2,254 | 0.1% | ||
| 1996 | general | Paul Wellstone (D) | 1,098,493 | 50.3% |
| Rudy Boschwitz (R) | 901,282 | 41.3% | ||
| Dean Barkley (REF) | 152,333 | 7% | ||
| Tim Davis (GR) | 14,139 | 0.6% | ||
| Roy Ezra Carlton (LIBERT) | 5,428 | 0.2% | ||
| Howard B. Hanson (RES) | 4,382 | 0.2% | ||
| Steve Johnson (NL) | 4,321 | 0.2% | ||
| Thomas A. Fiske (SW) | 1,554 | 0.1% | ||
| 1990 | general | Paul Wellstone (DFL) | 911,999 | 50% |
| Rudy Boschwitz (IR) | 864,375 | 48% | ||
| Russell B. Bentley (GR) | 29,820 | 2% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 51% | George W. Bush: 48% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 48% | George W. Bush: 46% | |
| 1996 | Bill Clinton: 51% | Robert Dole: 35% | |
| 1992 | Bill Clinton: 43% | George H. W. Bush: 32% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OLSON, ROBERT A (D) | June 30, 2008 | $78,476.00 | $77,889.00 | $0 | $14,525.00 | $584.00 | $48,500.00 |
| FRANKEN, AL (D) | November 24, 2008 | $20,488,165.00 | $19,339,298.00 | $191,000.00 | $17,822,723.00 | $1,148,867.00 | $0 |
| BELL, FORD W DR (D) | September 30, 2007 | $53,875.00 | $56,176.00 | $0 | $0 | $2,729.00 | $0 |
| PRAUGHT, ANGUS LOUIS (D) | December 31, 2006 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $30.00 | $0 |
| KENNEDY, MARK RAYMOND (R) | September 30, 2008 | $77,596.00 | $121,488.00 | $0 | $2,588.00 | $4,453.00 | $0 |
| GRAMS, RODNEY DWIGHT (R) | March 31, 2007 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $24,349.00 |
| CIRESI, MICHAEL V (D) | September 22, 2008 | $3,962,273.00 | $3,962,272.00 | $0 | $1,398,078.00 | $0 | $0 |
| MILLER, JEFFREY M (UNKNOWN) | December 31, 2006 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $110.00 | $0 |
| KLOBUCHAR, AMY J (D) | September 30, 2008 | $1,446,134.00 | $1,091,934.00 | $0 | $620,607.00 | $467,445.00 | $0 |
| COLEMAN, NORM (R) | November 24, 2008 | $18,049,720.00 | $17,646,278.00 | $379,350.00 | $12,138,172.00 | $2,140,726.00 | $0 |
| FRANSON, DICK (D) | September 30, 2008 | $38,360.00 | $38,111.00 | $0 | $300.00 | $97.00 | $0 |
| FITZGERALD, ROBERT MAXWELL (D) | February 5, 2007 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| ULDRICH, JOHN T (R) | September 30, 2008 | $22,609.00 | $22,048.00 | $0 | $19,784.00 | $560.00 | $0 |
| FARIS, PRISCILLA LORD (D) | September 30, 2008 | $399,576.00 | $397,124.00 | $0 | $54,973.00 | $2,452.00 | $340,000.00 |
| COHEN, JIM H (D) | September 30, 2008 | $53,366.00 | $44,726.00 | $0 | $24,857.00 | $8,640.00 | $25,802.00 |
| NELSON-PALLMEYER, JACK (D) | September 30, 2008 | $613,883.00 | $578,013.00 | $0 | $613,883.00 | $35,869.00 | $0 |
| BARKLEY, DEAN MALCOLM (I) | November 24, 2008 | $162,833.00 | $158,803.00 | $0 | $153,186.00 | $4,030.00 | $22,300.00 |
| SAVIOR, OLE (D) | July 31, 2008 | $2,000.00 | $2,000.00 | $0 | $0 | $1,000.00 | $0 |
| SHEPARD, JACK (R) | November 24, 2008 | $22,501.00 | $23,423.00 | $0 | $0 | $16,184.00 | $22,000.00 |
| DILLON, DAVID G (I) | November 24, 2008 | $161,185.00 | $161,181.00 | $0 | $37,105.00 | $94,285.00 | $5,714.00 |
