2012 Minnesota Senate election
2012 Minnesota Senate election
Majority party
Minority party
Leader
Tom Bakk
Dave Senjem
Party
Democratic (DFL)
Republican
Leader since
November 4, 2010
December 27, 2011
Leader's seat
3rd–Cook
25th–Rochester
Last election
30 seats, 48.91%
37 seats, 49.72%
Seats won
39
28
Seat change
9
9
Popular vote
1,532,065
1,193,356
Percentage
55.83%
43.49%
Swing
6.92 pp
6.23 pp
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 .[ 1] 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
Jual Carlson
589
27.23
DFL
LeRoy Stumpf
3,218
100.00
5
Republican
John Carlson
2,654
100.00
DFL
Tom Saxhaug
3,981
72.39
Laverne Pederson
1,518
27.61
10
Republican
Carrie Ruud
2,350
100.00
DFL
Taylor Stevenson
2,873
57.38
Anne Marcotte
2,134
42.62
13
Republican
Michelle Fischbach
1,484
90.27
Fadumo Yusuf
160
9.73
DFL
Peggy Boeck
765
100.00
15
Republican
Dave Brown
1,725
100.00
DFL
Sally Knox
1,183
62.56
Ron Thiessen
708
37.44
17
Republican
Joe Gimse
1,490
100.00
DFL
Lyle Koenen
3,019
57.20
Larry Rice
2,259
42.80
20
Republican
Mike Dudley
2,590
86.62
Gene Thomas Kornder
400
13.38
DFL
Kevin Dahle
2,323
100.00
30
Republican
Mary Kiffmeyer
1,620
73.44
Paul Bolin
586
26.56
DFL
Paul Perovich
806
100.00
33
Republican
David Osmek
2,885
50.94
Connie Doepke
2,778
49.06
DFL
Judy Rogosheske
1,187
100.00
39
Republican
Karin Housley
1,941
67.26
Eric Michael Langness
945
32.74
DFL
Julie Bunn
2,235
100.00
40
DFL
Chris Eaton
2,005
81.01
Timothy Davis
470
18.99
45
Republican
Blair Tremere
978
54.36
Timothy Hall
821
45.64
DFL
Ann Rest
3,851
100.00
46
Republican
Paul Scofield
544
56.43
Roger Champagne
420
43.57
DFL
Ron Latz
3,205
100.00
47
Republican
Julianne Ortman
2,114
58.43
Bruce Schwichtenberg
1,504
41.57
DFL
James Weygand
824
100.00
55
Republican
Eric Pratt
1,666
100.00
DFL
Kathy Busch
1,059
87.52
Josh Ondich
151
12.48
57
Republican
Pat Hall
1,937
100.00
DFL
Greg Clausen
1,456
78.66
Mike Germain
395
21.34
64
Republican
Sharon Anderson
632
100.00
DFL
Dick Cohen
5,797
89.43
Alexander Jeffries
685
10.57
67
Republican
Mike Capistrant
425
100.00
DFL
Foung Hawj
2,142
44.21
Robert Humphrey
1,897
39.15
Tom Dimond
806
16.64
Source: Minnesota Secretary of State [ 2]
General election
Opinion polling
Polling firm/client
Polling period
Sample size
Margin of error (pp )
Republican
DFL
Independence
Other
Undecided
SurveyUSA /KSTP-TV [ 3]
November 1–3, 2012
556 LV
±4.2
40%
48%
6%
6%
1%
SurveyUSA /KSTP-TV [ 4]
October 26–28, 2012
574 LV
±4.2
40%
45%
8%
6%
1%
SurveyUSA /KSTP-TV [ 5]
October 12–14, 2012
550 LV
±4.3
36%
45%
8%
3%
9%
Public Policy Polling [ 6]
October 5–8, 2012
937 LV
±3.2
40%
52%
—
—
8%
Public Policy Polling [ 7]
September 10–11, 2012
824 LV
±3.4
44%
47%
—
—
9%
SurveyUSA /KSTP-TV [ 8]
September 6–9, 2012
551 LV
±4.3
38%
45%
6%
3%
9%
SurveyUSA /KSTP-TV [ 9]
July 17–19, 2012
552 LV
±4.3
40%
45%
8%
2%
6%
Public Policy Polling [ 10]
May 31 – June 3, 2012
973
±3.1
36%
48%
—
—
16%
Public Policy Polling [ 11]
January 21–22, 2012
1,236
±2.8
39%
48%
—
—
14%
Public Policy Polling [ 12]
May 27–30, 2011
1,179
±2.9
40%
49%
—
—
11%
Results
Districts won
Summary of the November 6, 2012 Minnesota Senate election results
Party
Candidates
Votes
Seats
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
2,743,970
100.00
±0.00
67
±0
100.00
Invalid/blank votes
206,810
7.01
3.78
Turnout (out of 3,861,043 eligible voters)[ 13]
2,950,780
76.42
20.59
Source: Minnesota Secretary of State ,[ 14] Minnesota Legislative Reference Library[ 15]
District results
District
Candidates
Party
Votes
%
Winner Party
1
LeRoy Stumpf
DFL
22,298
60.59
DFL
Steve Nordhagen
Republican
14,475
39.33
2
Rod Skoe
DFL
21,269
54.92
DFL
Dennis Moser
Republican
17,423
44.99
3
Tom Bakk
DFL
28,427
64.59
DFL
Jennifer Havlick
Republican
15,509
35.24
4
Kent Eken
DFL
19,833
52.17
DFL
Phil Hansen
Republican
18,132
47.70
5
Tom Saxhaug
DFL
21,301
52.33
DFL
John Carlson
Republican
19,362
47.56
6
David Tomassoni
DFL
30,882
71.58
DFL
Brandon Anderson
Republican
12,220
28.32
7
Roger Reinert
DFL
32,684
76.90
DFL
Tyler Verry
Republican
9,621
22.64
8
Bill Ingebrigtsen
Republican
22,693
52.86
Republican
Dan Skogen
DFL
20,197
47.04
9
Paul Gazelka
Republican
20,527
53.65
Republican
Al Doty
DFL
17,687
46.22
10
Carrie Ruud
Republican
22,848
53.88
Republican
Taylor Stevenson
DFL
19,490
45.96
11
Tony Lourey
DFL
24,342
64.22
DFL
Bill Saumer
Republican
13,505
35.63
12
Torrey Westrom
Republican
25,279
61.49
Republican
John Schultz
DFL
15,801
38.44
13
Michelle Fischbach
Republican
26,015
63.53
Republican
Peggy Boeck
DFL
14,871
36.32
14
John Pederson
Republican
19,351
52.47
Republican
Jerry McCarter
DFL
17,434
47.27
15
Dave Brown
Republican
21,917
56.55
Republican
Sally Knox
DFL
16,787
43.31
16
Gary Dahms
Republican
20,922
53.01
Republican
Ted Suss
DFL
18,496
46.87
17
Lyle Koenen
DFL
21,621
55.40
DFL
Joe Gimse
Republican
17,350
44.46
18
Scott Newman
Republican
22,556
58.15
Republican
Steven Schiroo
DFL
16,180
41.71
19
Kathy Sheran
DFL
33,291
97.52
DFL
20
Kevin Dahle
DFL
20,627
50.02
DFL
Mike Dudley
Republican
20,556
49.85
21
Matt Schmit
DFL
21,937
52.43
DFL
John Howe
Republican
19,846
47.44
22
Bill Weber
Republican
19,548
52.76
Republican
Alan Oberloh
DFL
17,457
47.11
23
Julie Rosen
Republican
25,838
63.97
Republican
Paul Marquardt
DFL
14,516
35.94
24
Vicki Jensen
DFL
19,248
52.60
DFL
Vern Swedin
Republican
17,286
47.23
25
Dave Senjem
Republican
22,299
53.72
Republican
Judy Ohly
DFL
19,149
46.13
26
Carla Nelson
Republican
22,263
55.62
Republican
Kenneth Moen
DFL
17,692
44.20
27
Dan Sparks
DFL
26,552
68.22
DFL
Linden Anderson
Republican
12,334
31.69
28
Jeremy Miller
Republican
23,122
57.12
Republican
Jack Krage
DFL
17,303
42.74
29
Bruce Anderson
Republican
24,486
60.56
Republican
Brian Doran
DFL
15,867
39.25
30
Mary Kiffmeyer
Republican
25,205
62.41
Republican
Paul Perovich
DFL
15,125
37.45
31
Michelle Benson
Republican
24,774
58.64
Republican
Mike Starr
DFL
17,423
41.24
32
Sean Nienow
Republican
21,955
54.25
Republican
Jeske Noordergraaf
DFL
18,450
45.59
33
David Osmek
Republican
28,195
58.92
Republican
Judy Rogosheske
DFL
19,547
40.85
34
Warren Limmer
Republican
25,847
57.04
Republican
Sharon Bahensky
DFL
19,406
42.83
35
Branden Petersen
Republican
22,874
54.21
Republican
Peter Perovich
DFL
19,253
45.63
36
John Hoffman
DFL
22,194
53.10
DFL
Benjamin Kruse
Republican
19,522
46.71
37
Alice Johnson
DFL
22,814
53.23
DFL
Pam Wolf
Republican
19,962
46.57
38
Roger Chamberlain
Republican
23,817
53.22
Republican
Timothy Henderson
DFL
20,849
46.59
39
Karin Housley
Republican
23,385
50.62
Republican
Julie Bunn
DFL
22,754
49.25
40
Chris Eaton
DFL
25,165
96.93
DFL
41
Barb Goodwin
DFL
25,842
62.82
DFL
Gina Bauman
Republican
15,200
36.95
42
Bev Scalze
DFL
25,607
55.57
DFL
April King
Republican
20,400
44.27
43
Chuck Wiger
DFL
26,767
62.25
DFL
Duane Johnson
Republican
16,137
37.53
44
Terri Bonoff
DFL
27,203
55.81
DFL
David Gaither
Republican
21,464
44.04
45
Ann Rest
DFL
28,608
65.45
DFL
Blair Tremere
Republican
15,036
34.40
46
Ron Latz
DFL
29,755
66.82
DFL
Paul Scofield
Republican
14,680
32.97
47
Julianne Ortman
Republican
27,128
63.76
Republican
James Weygand
DFL
15,297
35.96
48
David Hann
Republican
23,730
51.32
Republican
Laurie McKendry
DFL
22,459
48.58
49
Melisa Franzen
DFL
26,893
52.74
DFL
Keith Downey
Republican
24,045
47.15
50
Melissa Halvorson Wiklund
DFL
25,300
60.85
DFL
Vern Wilcox
Republican
16,193
38.95
51
Jim Carlson
DFL
23,969
53.09
DFL
Ted Daley
Republican
21,096
46.73
52
James Metzen
DFL
27,149
62.00
DFL
Dwight Rabuse
Republican
16,542
37.78
53
Susan Kent
DFL
22,781
52.13
DFL
Ted Lillie
Republican
20,857
47.73
54
Katie Sieben
DFL
26,998
63.80
DFL
Janis Quinlan
Republican
15,256
36.05
55
Eric Pratt
Republican
22,254
55.11
Republican
Kathy Busch
DFL
18,070
44.75
56
Dan Hall
Republican
22,226
53.92
Republican
Leon Thurman
DFL
18,922
45.90
57
Greg Clausen
DFL
23,890
54.09
DFL
Pat Hall
Republican
20,199
45.73
58
Dave Thompson
Republican
24,097
57.60
Republican
Andrew Brobston
DFL
17,686
42.28
59
Bobby Joe Champion
DFL
28,441
82.02
DFL
Jim Lilly
Republican
6,082
17.54
60
Kari Dziedzic
DFL
29,014
77.06
DFL
Mark Lazarchic
Republican
6,400
17.00
Rahn Workcuff
Independence
2,077
5.52
61
Scott Dibble
DFL
41,075
98.08
DFL
62
Jeff Hayden
DFL
27,516
86.84
DFL
Eric Blair
Independence
4,025
12.70
63
Patricia Torres Ray
DFL
36,866
80.81
DFL
Patrick Marron
Republican
8,636
18.93
64
Dick Cohen
DFL
33,008
69.67
DFL
Sharon Anderson
Republican
9,069
19.14
Scott Larson
Independent
5,196
10.97
65
Sandy Pappas
DFL
27,365
81.72
DFL
Rick Karschnia
Republican
5,998
17.91
66
John Marty
DFL
27,735
73.82
DFL
Wayde Brooks
Republican
9,718
25.87
67
Foung Hawj
DFL
21,630
72.46
DFL
Mike Capistrant
Republican
8,094
27.11
See also
References
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