# 2012 Minnesota Senate election

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vte :
The 2012 Minnesota Senate election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 6, 2012, to elect members to the Senate of the 88th and 89th Minnesota Legislatures. A primary election was held in several districts on August 14, 2012.
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) won a majority of seats, defeating the majority of the Republican Party of Minnesota. This was the first election for the Republicans since it won a majority of seats in the 2010 election, its first since the return of partisan elections to the Senate in 1976. The new Legislature convened on January 8, 2013.

## Primary election results

| District | Party | Candidates | Votes | % |
| 1 | Republican | Steve Nordhagen | 1,574 | 72.77 |
| 1 | Republican | Jual Carlson | 589 | 27.23 |
| 1 | DFL | LeRoy Stumpf | 3,218 | 100.00 |
| 5 | Republican | John Carlson | 2,654 | 100.00 |
| 5 | DFL | Tom Saxhaug | 3,981 | 72.39 |
| 5 | DFL | Laverne Pederson | 1,518 | 27.61 |
| 10 | Republican | Carrie Ruud | 2,350 | 100.00 |
| 10 | DFL | Taylor Stevenson | 2,873 | 57.38 |
| 10 | DFL | Anne Marcotte | 2,134 | 42.62 |
| 13 | Republican | Michelle Fischbach | 1,484 | 90.27 |
| 13 | Republican | Fadumo Yusuf | 160 | 9.73 |
| 13 | DFL | Peggy Boeck | 765 | 100.00 |
| 15 | Republican | Dave Brown | 1,725 | 100.00 |
| 15 | DFL | Sally Knox | 1,183 | 62.56 |
| 15 | DFL | Ron Thiessen | 708 | 37.44 |
| 17 | Republican | Joe Gimse | 1,490 | 100.00 |
| 17 | DFL | Lyle Koenen | 3,019 | 57.20 |
| 17 | DFL | Larry Rice | 2,259 | 42.80 |
| 20 | Republican | Mike Dudley | 2,590 | 86.62 |
| 20 | Republican | Gene Thomas Kornder | 400 | 13.38 |
| 20 | DFL | Kevin Dahle | 2,323 | 100.00 |
| 30 | Republican | Mary Kiffmeyer | 1,620 | 73.44 |
| 30 | Republican | Paul Bolin | 586 | 26.56 |
| 30 | DFL | Paul Perovich | 806 | 100.00 |
| 33 | Republican | David Osmek | 2,885 | 50.94 |
| 33 | Republican | Connie Doepke | 2,778 | 49.06 |
| 33 | DFL | Judy Rogosheske | 1,187 | 100.00 |
| 39 | Republican | Karin Housley | 1,941 | 67.26 |
| 39 | Republican | Eric Michael Langness | 945 | 32.74 |
| 39 | DFL | Julie Bunn | 2,235 | 100.00 |
| 40 | DFL | Chris Eaton | 2,005 | 81.01 |
| 40 | DFL | Timothy Davis | 470 | 18.99 |
| 45 | Republican | Blair Tremere | 978 | 54.36 |
| 45 | Republican | Timothy Hall | 821 | 45.64 |
| 45 | DFL | Ann Rest | 3,851 | 100.00 |
| 46 | Republican | Paul Scofield | 544 | 56.43 |
| 46 | Republican | Roger Champagne | 420 | 43.57 |
| 46 | DFL | Ron Latz | 3,205 | 100.00 |
| 47 | Republican | Julianne Ortman | 2,114 | 58.43 |
| 47 | Republican | Bruce Schwichtenberg | 1,504 | 41.57 |
| 47 | DFL | James Weygand | 824 | 100.00 |
| 55 | Republican | Eric Pratt | 1,666 | 100.00 |
| 55 | DFL | Kathy Busch | 1,059 | 87.52 |
| 55 | DFL | Josh Ondich | 151 | 12.48 |
| 57 | Republican | Pat Hall | 1,937 | 100.00 |
| 57 | DFL | Greg Clausen | 1,456 | 78.66 |
| 57 | DFL | Mike Germain | 395 | 21.34 |
| 64 | Republican | Sharon Anderson | 632 | 100.00 |
| 64 | DFL | Dick Cohen | 5,797 | 89.43 |
| 64 | DFL | Alexander Jeffries | 685 | 10.57 |
| 67 | Republican | Mike Capistrant | 425 | 100.00 |
| 67 | DFL | Foung Hawj | 2,142 | 44.21 |
| 67 | DFL | Robert Humphrey | 1,897 | 39.15 |
| 67 | DFL | Tom Dimond | 806 | 16.64 |
Source: Minnesota Secretary of State

## General election
### Opinion polling

| Polling firm/client | Polling period | Sample size | Margin of error (pp) | Republican | DFL | Independence | Other | Undecided |
| SurveyUSA/KSTP-TV | November 1–3, 2012 | 556 LV | ±4.2 | 40% | 48% | 6% | 6% | 1% |
| SurveyUSA/KSTP-TV | October 26–28, 2012 | 574 LV | ±4.2 | 40% | 45% | 8% | 6% | 1% |
| SurveyUSA/KSTP-TV | October 12–14, 2012 | 550 LV | ±4.3 | 36% | 45% | 8% | 3% | 9% |
| Public Policy Polling | October 5–8, 2012 | 937 LV | ±3.2 | 40% | 52% | — | — | 8% |
| Public Policy Polling | September 10–11, 2012 | 824 LV | ±3.4 | 44% | 47% | — | — | 9% |
| SurveyUSA/KSTP-TV | September 6–9, 2012 | 551 LV | ±4.3 | 38% | 45% | 6% | 3% | 9% |
| SurveyUSA/KSTP-TV | July 17–19, 2012 | 552 LV | ±4.3 | 40% | 45% | 8% | 2% | 6% |
| Public Policy Polling | May 31 – June 3, 2012 | 973 | ±3.1 | 36% | 48% | — | — | 16% |
| Public Policy Polling | January 21–22, 2012 | 1,236 | ±2.8 | 39% | 48% | — | — | 14% |
| Public Policy Polling | May 27–30, 2011 | 1,179 | ±2.9 | 40% | 49% | — | — | 11% |

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| Governing | Tossup | October 24, 2012 |

## Results

Summary of the November 6, 2012 Minnesota Senate election results :
| Party | Party | Candidates | Votes | Votes | Votes | Seats | Seats | Seats |
| Party | Party | Candidates | No. | % | ∆pp | No. | ∆No. | % |
| | Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | 67 | 1,532,065 | 55.83 | 6.92 | 39 | 9 | 58.21 |
| | Republican Party of Minnesota | 63 | 1,193,356 | 43.49 | 6.23 | 28 | 9 | 41.79 |
| | Independence Party of Minnesota | 2 | 6,102 | 0.22 | 0.47 | 0 | | 0.00 |
| | Independent | 1 | 5,196 | 0.19 | 0.12 | 0 | | 0.00 |
| | Write-in | N/A | 7,251 | 0.26 | 0.07 | 0 | | 0.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,743,970 | 100.00 | ±0.00 | 67 | ±0 | 100.00 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 206,810 | 7.01 | 3.78 | | | |
| Turnout (out of 3,861,043 eligible voters) | Turnout (out of 3,861,043 eligible voters) | Turnout (out of 3,861,043 eligible voters) | 2,950,780 | 76.42 | 20.59 | | | |
| Source: Minnesota Secretary of State, Minnesota Legislative Reference Library |||||||||

### District results

| District | Candidates | Party | Votes | % | Winner Party |
| 1 | LeRoy Stumpf | DFL | 22,298 | 60.59 | DFL |
| 1 | Steve Nordhagen | Republican | 14,475 | 39.33 | DFL |
| 2 | Rod Skoe | DFL | 21,269 | 54.92 | DFL |
| 2 | Dennis Moser | Republican | 17,423 | 44.99 | DFL |
| 3 | Tom Bakk | DFL | 28,427 | 64.59 | DFL |
| 3 | Jennifer Havlick | Republican | 15,509 | 35.24 | DFL |
| 4 | Kent Eken | DFL | 19,833 | 52.17 | DFL |
| 4 | Phil Hansen | Republican | 18,132 | 47.70 | DFL |
| 5 | Tom Saxhaug | DFL | 21,301 | 52.33 | DFL |
| 5 | John Carlson | Republican | 19,362 | 47.56 | DFL |
| 6 | David Tomassoni | DFL | 30,882 | 71.58 | DFL |
| 6 | Brandon Anderson | Republican | 12,220 | 28.32 | DFL |
| 7 | Roger Reinert | DFL | 32,684 | 76.90 | DFL |
| 7 | Tyler Verry | Republican | 9,621 | 22.64 | DFL |
| 8 | Bill Ingebrigtsen | Republican | 22,693 | 52.86 | Republican |
| 8 | Dan Skogen | DFL | 20,197 | 47.04 | Republican |
| 9 | Paul Gazelka | Republican | 20,527 | 53.65 | Republican |
| 9 | Al Doty | DFL | 17,687 | 46.22 | Republican |
| 10 | Carrie Ruud | Republican | 22,848 | 53.88 | Republican |
| 10 | Taylor Stevenson | DFL | 19,490 | 45.96 | Republican |
| 11 | Tony Lourey | DFL | 24,342 | 64.22 | DFL |
| 11 | Bill Saumer | Republican | 13,505 | 35.63 | DFL |
| 12 | Torrey Westrom | Republican | 25,279 | 61.49 | Republican |
| 12 | John Schultz | DFL | 15,801 | 38.44 | Republican |
| 13 | Michelle Fischbach | Republican | 26,015 | 63.53 | Republican |
| 13 | Peggy Boeck | DFL | 14,871 | 36.32 | Republican |
| 14 | John Pederson | Republican | 19,351 | 52.47 | Republican |
| 14 | Jerry McCarter | DFL | 17,434 | 47.27 | Republican |
| 15 | Dave Brown | Republican | 21,917 | 56.55 | Republican |
| 15 | Sally Knox | DFL | 16,787 | 43.31 | Republican |
| 16 | Gary Dahms | Republican | 20,922 | 53.01 | Republican |
| 16 | Ted Suss | DFL | 18,496 | 46.87 | Republican |
| 17 | Lyle Koenen | DFL | 21,621 | 55.40 | DFL |
| 17 | Joe Gimse | Republican | 17,350 | 44.46 | DFL |
| 18 | Scott Newman | Republican | 22,556 | 58.15 | Republican |
| 18 | Steven Schiroo | DFL | 16,180 | 41.71 | Republican |
| 19 | Kathy Sheran | DFL | 33,291 | 97.52 | DFL |
| 20 | Kevin Dahle | DFL | 20,627 | 50.02 | DFL |
| 20 | Mike Dudley | Republican | 20,556 | 49.85 | DFL |
| 21 | Matt Schmit | DFL | 21,937 | 52.43 | DFL |
| 21 | John Howe | Republican | 19,846 | 47.44 | DFL |
| 22 | Bill Weber | Republican | 19,548 | 52.76 | Republican |
| 22 | Alan Oberloh | DFL | 17,457 | 47.11 | Republican |
| 23 | Julie Rosen | Republican | 25,838 | 63.97 | Republican |
| 23 | Paul Marquardt | DFL | 14,516 | 35.94 | Republican |
| 24 | Vicki Jensen | DFL | 19,248 | 52.60 | DFL |
| 24 | Vern Swedin | Republican | 17,286 | 47.23 | DFL |
| 25 | Dave Senjem | Republican | 22,299 | 53.72 | Republican |
| 25 | Judy Ohly | DFL | 19,149 | 46.13 | Republican |
| 26 | Carla Nelson | Republican | 22,263 | 55.62 | Republican |
| 26 | Kenneth Moen | DFL | 17,692 | 44.20 | Republican |
| 27 | Dan Sparks | DFL | 26,552 | 68.22 | DFL |
| 27 | Linden Anderson | Republican | 12,334 | 31.69 | DFL |
| 28 | Jeremy Miller | Republican | 23,122 | 57.12 | Republican |
| 28 | Jack Krage | DFL | 17,303 | 42.74 | Republican |
| 29 | Bruce Anderson | Republican | 24,486 | 60.56 | Republican |
| 29 | Brian Doran | DFL | 15,867 | 39.25 | Republican |
| 30 | Mary Kiffmeyer | Republican | 25,205 | 62.41 | Republican |
| 30 | Paul Perovich | DFL | 15,125 | 37.45 | Republican |
| 31 | Michelle Benson | Republican | 24,774 | 58.64 | Republican |
| 31 | Mike Starr | DFL | 17,423 | 41.24 | Republican |
| 32 | Sean Nienow | Republican | 21,955 | 54.25 | Republican |
| 32 | Jeske Noordergraaf | DFL | 18,450 | 45.59 | Republican |
| 33 | David Osmek | Republican | 28,195 | 58.92 | Republican |
| 33 | Judy Rogosheske | DFL | 19,547 | 40.85 | Republican |
| 34 | Warren Limmer | Republican | 25,847 | 57.04 | Republican |
| 34 | Sharon Bahensky | DFL | 19,406 | 42.83 | Republican |
| 35 | Branden Petersen | Republican | 22,874 | 54.21 | Republican |
| 35 | Peter Perovich | DFL | 19,253 | 45.63 | Republican |
| 36 | John Hoffman | DFL | 22,194 | 53.10 | DFL |
| 36 | Benjamin Kruse | Republican | 19,522 | 46.71 | DFL |
| 37 | Alice Johnson | DFL | 22,814 | 53.23 | DFL |
| 37 | Pam Wolf | Republican | 19,962 | 46.57 | DFL |
| 38 | Roger Chamberlain | Republican | 23,817 | 53.22 | Republican |
| 38 | Timothy Henderson | DFL | 20,849 | 46.59 | Republican |
| 39 | Karin Housley | Republican | 23,385 | 50.62 | Republican |
| 39 | Julie Bunn | DFL | 22,754 | 49.25 | Republican |
| 40 | Chris Eaton | DFL | 25,165 | 96.93 | DFL |
| 41 | Barb Goodwin | DFL | 25,842 | 62.82 | DFL |
| 41 | Gina Bauman | Republican | 15,200 | 36.95 | DFL |
| 42 | Bev Scalze | DFL | 25,607 | 55.57 | DFL |
| 42 | April King | Republican | 20,400 | 44.27 | DFL |
| 43 | Chuck Wiger | DFL | 26,767 | 62.25 | DFL |
| 43 | Duane Johnson | Republican | 16,137 | 37.53 | DFL |
| 44 | Terri Bonoff | DFL | 27,203 | 55.81 | DFL |
| 44 | David Gaither | Republican | 21,464 | 44.04 | DFL |
| 45 | Ann Rest | DFL | 28,608 | 65.45 | DFL |
| 45 | Blair Tremere | Republican | 15,036 | 34.40 | DFL |
| 46 | Ron Latz | DFL | 29,755 | 66.82 | DFL |
| 46 | Paul Scofield | Republican | 14,680 | 32.97 | DFL |
| 47 | Julianne Ortman | Republican | 27,128 | 63.76 | Republican |
| 47 | James Weygand | DFL | 15,297 | 35.96 | Republican |
| 48 | David Hann | Republican | 23,730 | 51.32 | Republican |
| 48 | Laurie McKendry | DFL | 22,459 | 48.58 | Republican |
| 49 | Melisa Franzen | DFL | 26,893 | 52.74 | DFL |
| 49 | Keith Downey | Republican | 24,045 | 47.15 | DFL |
| 50 | Melissa Halvorson Wiklund | DFL | 25,300 | 60.85 | DFL |
| 50 | Vern Wilcox | Republican | 16,193 | 38.95 | DFL |
| 51 | Jim Carlson | DFL | 23,969 | 53.09 | DFL |
| 51 | Ted Daley | Republican | 21,096 | 46.73 | DFL |
| 52 | James Metzen | DFL | 27,149 | 62.00 | DFL |
| 52 | Dwight Rabuse | Republican | 16,542 | 37.78 | DFL |
| 53 | Susan Kent | DFL | 22,781 | 52.13 | DFL |
| 53 | Ted Lillie | Republican | 20,857 | 47.73 | DFL |
| 54 | Katie Sieben | DFL | 26,998 | 63.80 | DFL |
| 54 | Janis Quinlan | Republican | 15,256 | 36.05 | DFL |
| 55 | Eric Pratt | Republican | 22,254 | 55.11 | Republican |
| 55 | Kathy Busch | DFL | 18,070 | 44.75 | Republican |
| 56 | Dan Hall | Republican | 22,226 | 53.92 | Republican |
| 56 | Leon Thurman | DFL | 18,922 | 45.90 | Republican |
| 57 | Greg Clausen | DFL | 23,890 | 54.09 | DFL |
| 57 | Pat Hall | Republican | 20,199 | 45.73 | DFL |
| 58 | Dave Thompson | Republican | 24,097 | 57.60 | Republican |
| 58 | Andrew Brobston | DFL | 17,686 | 42.28 | Republican |
| 59 | Bobby Joe Champion | DFL | 28,441 | 82.02 | DFL |
| 59 | Jim Lilly | Republican | 6,082 | 17.54 | DFL |
| 60 | Kari Dziedzic | DFL | 29,014 | 77.06 | DFL |
| 60 | Mark Lazarchic | Republican | 6,400 | 17.00 | DFL |
| 60 | Rahn Workcuff | Independence | 2,077 | 5.52 | DFL |
| 61 | Scott Dibble | DFL | 41,075 | 98.08 | DFL |
| 62 | Jeff Hayden | DFL | 27,516 | 86.84 | DFL |
| 62 | Eric Blair | Independence | 4,025 | 12.70 | DFL |
| 63 | Patricia Torres Ray | DFL | 36,866 | 80.81 | DFL |
| 63 | Patrick Marron | Republican | 8,636 | 18.93 | DFL |
| 64 | Dick Cohen | DFL | 33,008 | 69.67 | DFL |
| 64 | Sharon Anderson | Republican | 9,069 | 19.14 | DFL |
| 64 | Scott Larson | Independent | 5,196 | 10.97 | DFL |
| 65 | Sandy Pappas | DFL | 27,365 | 81.72 | DFL |
| 65 | Rick Karschnia | Republican | 5,998 | 17.91 | DFL |
| 66 | John Marty | DFL | 27,735 | 73.82 | DFL |
| 66 | Wayde Brooks | Republican | 9,718 | 25.87 | DFL |
| 67 | Foung Hawj | DFL | 21,630 | 72.46 | DFL |
| 67 | Mike Capistrant | Republican | 8,094 | 27.11 | DFL |