# 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota took place in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 4, 2014, to elect Minnesota's eight representatives in the United States House of Representatives for two-year terms, one from each of Minnesota's eight congressional districts. Primary elections were held on August 12, 2014.
In these elections, Minnesotans elected their oldest U.S. House delegation across the 80 cycles since statehood, at an average age of 58.8 years: Rick Nolan (age 70), Collin Peterson (70), John Kline (67), Betty McCollum (60), Keith Ellison (51), Tom Emmer (53), Tim Walz (50) and Erik Paulsen (49).
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## Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats Before | Seats After | +/– |
| | Democratic–Farmer–Labor | 985,760 | 50.20% | 5 | 5 | - |
| | Republican | 913,539 | 46.53% | 3 | 3 | - |
| | Independence | 50,836 | 2.59% | 0 | 0 | - |
| | Green | 11,450 | 0.58% | 0 | 0 | - |
| | Others | 1,954 | 0.10% | 0 | 0 | - |
| Totals | Totals | 1,963,539 | 100.00% | 8 | 8 | — |

### By district

Results of the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:
| District | Democratic (DFL) | Democratic (DFL) | Republican | Republican | Others | Others | Total | Total | Result |
| District | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Result |
| District 1 | 122,851 | 54.19% | 103,536 | 45.67% | 308 | 0.14% | 226,695 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 2 | 95,565 | 38.87% | 137,778 | 56.04% | 12,505 | 5.09% | 245,848 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 3 | 101,846 | 37.78% | 167,515 | 62.14% | 224 | 0.08% | 269,585 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 4 | 147,857 | 61.19% | 79,492 | 32.90% | 14,288 | 5.91% | 241,637 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 5 | 167,079 | 70.79% | 56,577 | 23.97% | 12,354 | 5.24% | 236,010 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 6 | 90,926 | 38.39% | 133,328 | 56.29% | 12,592 | 5.32% | 236,846 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 7 | 130,546 | 54.21% | 109,955 | 45.66% | 334 | 0.14% | 240,835 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 8 | 129,090 | 48.52% | 125,358 | 47.11% | 11,635 | 4.37% | 266,083 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| Total | 985,760 | 50.20% | 913,539 | 46.53% | 64,240 | 3.27% | 1,963,539 | 100.0% | |

## District 1

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.

### Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Tim Walz, incumbent U.S. Representative

#### Results

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Tim Walz (incumbent) | 19,983 | 100.0 |

### Republican primary

Republican State Representative Mike Benson, 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. On April 5, 2014, Aaron Miller won the GOP endorsement. 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.

#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Jim Hagedorn, former congressional affairs officer for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and candidate for this seat in 2010

##### Eliminated in primary

* Aaron Miller, U.S. Army veteran

##### Withdrawn

* Mike Benson, state representative

##### Declined

* Jeremy Miller, state senator

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Hagedorn | 12,748 | 54.0 |
| | Republican | Aaron Miller | 10,870 | 46.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 23,618 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Tim Walz (DFL) | Jim Hagedorn (R) | Undecided |
| New York Times/CBS News Battleground Tracker | October 16–23, 2014 | 329 | ± 8.0% | 47% | 36% | 17% |
| Harper Polling (R-Hagedorn) | September 9–10, 2014 | 437 | ± 4.7% | 38% | 32% | 31% |
Tim Walz vs. generic opponent
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Tim Walz (D) | Generic Opponent | Undecided |
| Harper Polling (R-Hagedorn) | September 9–10, 2014 | 437 | ± 4.7% | 34% | 39% | 27% |
Generic Democrat vs. generic Republican
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Generic Democrat | Generic Republican | Undecided |
| Harper Polling (R-Hagedorn) | September 9–10, 2014 | 437 | ± 4.7% | 34% | 40% | 26% |

#### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Likely D | November 3, 2014 |
| Rothenberg | Safe D | October 24, 2014 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | October 30, 2014 |
| RCP | Safe D | November 2, 2014 |
| Daily Kos Elections | Safe D | November 4, 2014 |

#### Results

Minnesota's 1st congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Tim Walz (incumbent) | 122,851 | 54.2 |
| | Republican | Jim Hagedorn | 103,536 | 45.7 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 308 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 226,695 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold |

## District 2

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.

### Republican primary

David Gerson challenged Kline for the Republican nomination but conceded after Kline won the Republican endorsement.

#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* John Kline, incumbent U.S. Representative

##### Withdrawn

* David Gerson, candidate for this seat in 2012

##### Declined

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

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Kline (incumbent) | 18,236 | 100.0 |

### Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

Mike Obermueller, who lost to Kline in 2012, had decided to run again. He won the DFL endorsement on April 26, 2014.
Sona Mehring, the founder of CaringBridge, declared her candidacy, but dropped out of the race three weeks later. 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. Craft ceased his campaign after Obermueller won the DFL endorsement. Eagan quality assurance analyst Paula Overby initially sought the DFL endorsement but withdrew after Obermueller won it and instead became the Independence Party nominee.

#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Mike Obermueller, former state representative and nominee for this seat in 2012

##### Eliminated in primary

* Michael Roberts

##### Withdrawn

* Thomas Craft, IT consultant
* Sona Mehring, founder of CaringBridge
* Paula Overby, quality assurance analyst (ran for the Independence nomination)

#### Results

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Mike Obermueller | 12,361 | 82.5 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Michael J. Roberts | 2,622 | 17.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 14,983 | 100.0 |

### Independence primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Paula Overby, quality assurance analyst

#### Results

Independence primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independence | Paula Overby | 461 | 100.0 |

### General election

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.

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kline (R) | Mike Obermueller (DFL) | Paula Overby (I) | Undecided |
| New York Times/CBS News Battleground Tracker | October 16–23, 2014 | 450 | ± 7.0% | 48% | 34% | 0% | 18% |
| Remington Research Group | September 18–21, 2014 | 568 | ± 4.1% | 54% | 32% | 4% | 10% |
| Public Policy Polling | October 21–22, 2013 | 825 | ± 3.4% | 38% | 42% | — | 20% |

#### Results

Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Kline (incumbent) | 137,778 | 56.0 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Mike Obermueller | 95,565 | 38.9 |
| | Independence | Paula Overby | 12,319 | 5.0 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 186 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 245,848 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## District 3

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.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Erik Paulsen, incumbent U.S. Representative

### Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Sharon Sund, businesswoman

##### Declined

* James Lawrence, businessman
* Don Shelby, former WCCO-TV anchor

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Erik Paulsen (R) | Sharon Sund (D) | Undecided |
| New York Times/CBS News Battleground Tracker | October 16–23, 2014 | 271 | ± 8.0% | 51% | 40% | 8% |

#### Results

Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Erik Paulsen (incumbent) | 167,515 | 62.1 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Sharon Sund | 101,846 | 37.8 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 224 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 269,585 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## District 4

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.

### Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Sharna Wahlgren, attorney

### Independence primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Dave Thomas, educator, firefighter, and Iraq War veteran

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Betty McCollum (D) | Sharna Wahlgren (R) | Dave Thomas (I) | Undecided |
| New York Times/CBS News Battleground Tracker | October 16–23, 2014 | 251 | ± 9.0% | 56% | 32% | 1% | 11% |

#### Results

Minnesota's 4th congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Betty McCollum (incumbent) | 147,857 | 61.2 |
| | Republican | Sharna Wahlgren | 79,492 | 32.9 |
| | Independence | Dave Thomas | 14,059 | 5.8 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 229 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 241,637 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold |

## District 5

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.

### Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Keith Ellison, incumbent U.S. Representative

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Doug Daggett, sales rep

### Independence primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Lee Bauer, machinist

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Keith Ellison (D) | Doug Daggett (R) | Lee Bauer (I) | Undecided |
| New York Times/CBS News Battleground Tracker | October 16–23, 2014 | 266 | ± 9.0% | 74% | 23% | 1% | 3% |

#### Results

Minnesota's 5th congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Keith Ellison (incumbent) | 167,079 | 70.8 |
| | Republican | Doug Daggett | 56,577 | 24.0 |
| | Independence | Lee Bauer | 12,001 | 5.1 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 353 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 236,010 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold |

## District 6

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.

### Republican primary

Former state representative and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer and Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah sought the Republican nomination. 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.

#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Tom Emmer, former state representative and nominee for Governor in 2010

##### Eliminated in primary

* Rhonda Sivarajah, Anoka County Commissioner

##### Withdrawn

* Phil Krinkie, former state representative
* Allan Levene, resident of Georgia running in three other congressional races
* John Pederson, state senator

##### Declined

* Michele Bachmann, incumbent U.S. Representative

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Tom Emmer | Phil Krinkie | Rhonda Sivarajah | Undecided |
| Public Opinion Strategies (R-Emmer) | April 16–17, 2014 | 300 | ± 5.7% | 73% | 4% | 5% | 18% |

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tom Emmer | 19,557 | 73.3 |
| | Republican | Rhonda Sivarajah | 7,125 | 26.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 26,682 | 100.0 |

### Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

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

#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Joe Perske, Mayor of Sartell

##### Withdrawn

* Judy Adams, environmental activist
* Jim Graves, businessman and nominee for the seat in 2012
* Jim Read, professor at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University

#### Results

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Joe Perske | 10,070 | 100.0 |

### Independence primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* John Denney, law student

#### Results

Independence primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independence | John Denney | 467 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Endorsements

Organizations
* National Republican Congressional Committee "Vanguard" Program

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Tom Emmer (R) | Joe Perske (D) | John Denney (I) | Undecided |
| New York Times/CBS News Battleground Tracker | October 16–23, 2014 | 175 | ± 10.0% | 57% | 37% | 0% | 6% |

#### Results

Minnesota's 6th congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tom Emmer | 133,328 | 56.3 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Joe Perske | 90,926 | 38.4 |
| | Independence | John Denney | 12,457 | 5.2 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 135 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 236,846 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## District 7

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.

### Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

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." 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." On March 17, 2014, Peterson officially announced that he was running for re-election, saying, "I still have a lot of work to do."

#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Collin Peterson, incumbent U.S. Representative

##### Declined

* Paul Marquart, state representative

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Torrey Westrom, state senator

##### Declined

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

### General election
#### Endorsements

Organizations
* National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Collin Peterson (DFL) | Torrey Westrom (R) | Undecided |
| New York Times/CBS News Battleground Tracker | October 16–23, 2014 | 313 | ± 8.0% | 46% | 44% | 10% |
| Tarrance Group (R-NRCC) | October 12–14, 2014 | 300 | ± 5.8% | 43% | 44% | 13% |
| SurveyUSA | October 3–6, 2014 | 545 | ± 4.3% | 50% | 41% | 10% |
| Tarrance Group (R-Westrom) | September 21–23, 2014 | 402 | ± 4.9% | 45% | 40% | 15% |
| Global Strategy Group (D-Peterson) | September 4–7, 2014 | 405 | ± 4.9% | 53% | 29% | 18% |
| Tarrance Group (R-Westrom) | February 3–5, 2014 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 46% | 39% | 15% |

#### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Lean D | November 3, 2014 |
| Rothenberg | Lean D | October 24, 2014 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean D | October 30, 2014 |
| RCP | Lean D | November 2, 2014 |
| Daily Kos Elections | Tossup | November 4, 2014 |

#### Results

Minnesota's 7th congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Collin Peterson (incumbent) | 130,546 | 54.2 |
| | Republican | Torrey Westrom | 109,955 | 45.7 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 334 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 240,835 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold |

## District 8

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.

### Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Rick Nolan, incumbent U.S. Representative

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Stewart Mills III, Mills Fleet Farm executive

### Green Party
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Skip Sandman

### General election
#### Endorsements

Organizations
* Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Frontline" Program
Organizations
* National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Rick Nolan (DFL) | Stewart Mills (R) | Skip Sandman (G) | Undecided |
| New York Times/CBS News Battleground Tracker | October 16–23, 2014 | 375 | ± 7.0% | 47% | 42% | 1% | 9% |
| KSTP/SurveyUSA | October 9–12, 2014 | 555 | ± 4.2% | 39% | 47% | 4% | 11% |
| Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (D-DCCC) | September 25–28, 2014 | 405 | ± 4.9% | 48% | 37% | 7% | 9% |

#### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Tossup | November 3, 2014 |
| Rothenberg | Tossup | October 24, 2014 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean R (flip) | October 30, 2014 |
| RCP | Tossup | November 2, 2014 |
| Daily Kos Elections | Tossup | November 4, 2014 |

#### Results

Minnesota's 8th congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Rick Nolan (incumbent) | 129,090 | 48.5 |
| | Republican | Stewart Mills III | 125,358 | 47.1 |
| | Green | Skip Sandman | 11,450 | 4.3 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 185 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 266,083 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold | Democratic (DFL) hold |