Minnesota Federal Elections, 2006
From dKosopedia
This article discusses elections for the U.S. House and Senate from Minnesota in 2006.
Contents |
MN-Sen
- Incumbent: Mark Dayton (D) Open Seat
- Challengers:
- Mark Kennedy (R) - U.S. Rep. for MN-06
- Amy Klobuchar (D) - Hennepin County Attorney
MN-01
- Incumbent: Gil Gutknecht (R)
- Challenger: Tim Walz (D)
- Outlook: Background of recent DFL'ers In '04 Joe Mayer was the endorsed candidate who dropped out due to serious health issues, and Leigh Pomeroy picked up the ball for the DFL. Having less than a year to put something together, Mr. Pomeroy outperformed the previous candidate Steve Andreasen.
Tim Walz began running by the end of '04. Tim's experience in the military as a Command Sargeant Major comes through. The energy and fervency of support among those who meet Tim is not parallelled by any of the previous three candidates. In short, Tim as a commander inspires loyalty. Tim Walz is a threat to Gutknecht.
Gutknecht's Weakness in GOP The GOP doesn't think too highly of Gil Gutknecht. As a six term incumbent who made very clear that he wanted to run for US Senate he should have been a shoo-in. Yet Mark Kennedy, a two term incumbent congressman, was annointed by the GOP. How to explain Gutknecht's lack of influence? In a word - competence.
Tim is paying attention to the constituents of the district. The biggest constituency Gutknecht serves is the Big Ag, Oil Companies, and the ultra-rich. That is the way to explain his votes.
The issues of honesty, integrity, and competence are on the front burner, nationally. Honesty: Gil is prone to say one thing, then vote the other way. Integrity: Gil is tainted by Delay money, and Rep. Gutknecht votes 94% of the time with Tom Delay and the House Republican Caucus. Competence: Obviously, his party thinks he is incompetent by 1) annointing a rival junior congressman in the run for US Senate, 2) affording him NO powerful chairmanships.
MN-02
- Incumbent: John Kline (R)
- Challenger: Coleen Rowley (D) - Fmr. FBI Agent
- Outlook: Kline won this seat when he defeated Democratic incumbent Bill Luther in 2002. The district contains the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities plus rural areas to the south. Rowley started out with lots of buzz, but she is a political newcomer, whose campaign has been uneven. Sharon Marko had contemplated a race but dropped out.
MN-03
- Incumbent: Jim Ramstad (R)
- Challennger: Wendy Wilde (DFL)
MN-04
- Incumbent: Betty McCollum (DFL)
- Challenger: Obi Sium (R)
MN-05
- Incumbent: Martin Olav Sabo (DFL) - retiring, Open Seat
- Challengers:
- Keith Ellison (DFL)
- Alan Fine (R)
MN-06
- Incumbent: Mark Kennedy (R) Open Seat
- Democratic Candidates:
**Patty Wetterling - 2004 nominee.
- Republican Candidates:
**Michele Bachmann - State Senator
- Outlook: Kennedy is resigning to run for U.S. Senate. Most pollster's argue this is one of the hot races nationally this year with polls showing clos margins. Kennedy won the seat by a few points in 2004.
Patty Wetterling won the democratic nomination after seven rounds of voting and a concession by Elwyn Tinklenberg (Former State Transportation Commissioner and Blaine Mayor). Bachmann won the Republican nomination setting off what many call a left vs. right social values debate. Other Republican candidates were Jim Knoblach, Phil Krinkie, Jay Esmay.
MN-07
- Incumbent: Collin C. Peterson (DFL)
- Challenger: Mike Barrett (R)
MN-08
- Incumbent: James L. Oberstar (DFL)
- Challeger: Rod Grams (R) - former U.S. Senator