Map of Minnesota showing all eight districts, as apportioned for Representatives elected in the elections of 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010Map of Minnesota showing all eight districts, as apportioned for Representatives elected in the elections of 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000
Incumbent RepublicanGil Gutknecht, who had represented Minnesota's 1st congressional district since 1994, ran against Steve Andreasen of the DFL and Greg Mikkelson of the Green Party. Gutknecht easily won a fifth term, defeating second-place Pomeroy by a landslide 26.85 percent margin, as Mikkelson finished at a very distant third.
DFL primary
Candidates
Steve Andreasen, former Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council (1993-2001).
Luther, who was first elected to Congress in 1994, was unchallenged in the DFL primary. However, in the general election race against Republican challenger John Kline, the more conservative composition of the new district worked against Luther. Luther's campaign was further harmed by political fallout that was created when Samuel Garst, a Luther campaign staffer, entered the race on the "No New Taxes" line in an attempt to use a false flag to split the conservative vote. In the end, Garst was only able to secure 4.33 percent of the vote, and the political damage to Luther contributed to Kline winning the election by a margin of more than 11 percent.
DFL primary
Candidates
Bill Luther, incumbent U.S. Representative since 1995
Incumbent RepublicanJim Ramstad, who was first elected in 1990, defeated DFL challenger Darryl Stanton, and won election to his seventh term in Congress, by a landslide 44.14 percent margin.
Incumbent DFLerBetty McCollum, who was first elected in 2000, faced off against Clyde Billington of the Republican Party of Minnesota and Scott J. Raskiewicz of the Green Party of Minnesota. Defeating Billington by a comfortable 28 percent margin, McCollum easily won her second term in Congress, as Raskiewicz finished a very distant third.
DFL primary
Candidates
Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative since 2001
Incumbent DFLerMartin Sabo, who was first elected in 1978, had no difficulty winning his 13th term in Congress, defeating Republican challenger Daniel Nielsen Mathias by a margin of just over 41 percent, while Green candidate Tim Davis finished a distant third.
Kennedy, who was first elected in 2000, encountered little difficulty in winning his second term in Congress, defeating DFL challenger Janet Robert by a landslide margin of 22.28 percent, while Independence Party candidate Dan Becker finished a distant third.
Incumbent DFLerCollin Peterson, who was first elected in 1990, faced no difficulty winning his eighth term in Congress, defeating Republican challenger Dan Stevens by a landslide 30.63 percent margin.
Incumbent DFLerJim Oberstar, who was first elected in 1974, had no difficulty winning his 15th term in Congress, defeating Republican challenger Bob Lemen by a margin of more than 37 percent.
DFL primary
Candidates
Jim Oberstar, incumbent U.S. Representative since 1975
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