The 2002 congressional elections in Minnesota, were held on November 5, 2002, to determine who would represent the state, in the United States House of Representative.
Minnesota had eight seats in the House, and the 2002 congressional election was the first held pursuant to the apportionment made according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 108th Congress from January 3, 2003, until January 3, 2005. The election coincided with a U.S. Senate election and a gubernatorial election. DFLer Bill Luther, formerly of the 6th congressional district, who was redistricted into the 2nd congressional district, was the only incumbent in Minnesota's House delegation who failed to win reelection.
Overview Statewide PartyCandidatesVotesSeats %+/– %Democratic-Farmer-Labor81,097,91149.874 150.00Republican81,029,61246.764 150.00Green337,7081.7100.0Independence121,4840.9800.0Other112,4300.5600.0Write-in82,4930.1100.0Total292,201,638100.08100.0
By district Results of the 2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota by district:
DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 92,165 34.65% 163,570 61.50% 10,247 3.85% 265,982 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 2 121,121 42.22% 152,970 53.33% 12,769 4.45% 286,860 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 3 82,575 27.88% 213,334 72.02% 309 0.10% 296,218 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 4 164,597 62.22% 89,705 33.91% 10,238 3.87% 264,540 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 5 171,572 67.03% 66,271 25.89% 18,139 7.09% 255,982 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 6 100,738 35.06% 164,747 57.34% 21,827 7.60% 287,312 100.0% Republican gainDistrict 7 170,234 65.27% 90,342 34.64% 237 0.09% 260,813 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 8 194,909 68.65% 88,673 31.23% 349 0.12% 283,931 100.0% Democratic holdTotal 1,097,911 49.87% 1,029,612 46.76% 74,115 3.37% 2,201,638 100.0%
District 1
After redistricting the new 1st district was made of approximately 75% from the old 1st with 25% from the old 2nd. Incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht, who had represented the district since 1995, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 56.4% of the vote in 2000.
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Gil Gutknecht, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
DFL primary Candidates Nominee Steve Andreasen, former Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the U.S. National Security Council (1993–2001).
Withdrawn Todd Rasmussen, banker and Winona school board member
Results
Green primary Candidates Nominee Gregory Mikkelson, small business owner and farmer
Results
General election Campaign The major issues of the campaign included the Iraq War, agriculture, and medical care.
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002 New York Times October 14, 2002
Results 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.
Finances Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Gil Gutknecht (R) $894,474 $770,207 $187,252 Steve Andreasen (DFL) $123,540 $123,064 $477Gregory Mikkelson (G) $17,285 $16,761 $521
District 2
During the reapportionment that occurred in consequence of the 2000 United States census, the old 2nd district was broken up with the largest portion being transferred to the redrawn 7th. The new 2nd was based in the southern metro area and comprised approximately 41% from the old 6th, 22% from the old 2nd, 22% from the old 1st, 14% from the old 3rd and 1% from the old 4th.
Incumbent Republican Mark Kennedy, whose residence in Watertown remained in the 2nd decided to transfer to the new 6th.
Bill Luther, the incumbent Democrat from the old 6th district opted to transfer to the new 2nd, despite his home in Stillwater remaining in the 6th, in order to avoid a match up with Kennedy.
Republican primary Candidates Nominee John Kline, retired United States Marine Corps Colonel and nominee for the 6th district in 1998 & 2000
Declined Mark Kennedy, incumbent U.S. Representative (running in the 6th district) Steve Sviggum, Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Results
DFL primary Candidates Nominee Bill Luther, incumbent U.S. Representative from the 6th district
Declined Steve Murphy, state senator Bob Vanasek, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Results
Other Candidates Samuel Garst (No New Taxes), marketing consultant, DFL nominee for State House, District 33B in 1998 and for State Senate, District 33 in 2000
General election Campaign Luther, who was first elected to Congress in 1994, was unchallenged in the DFL primary. However, in the general election against Republican challenger John Kline, the more conservative composition of the new district worked against him. 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.
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002 New York Times October 14, 2002
Results In the end, Garst was only able to secure 4.3 percent of the vote, and the political damage to Luther contributed to Kline winning the election by a margin of more than 11 percent.
Finances Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand John Kline (R) $1,553,133 $1,535,405 $50,091 Bill Luther (DFL) $2,485,486 $3,538,110 $41,588 Samuel Garst (NNT) Unreported
District 3
After redistricting the new 3rd district was made of approximately 87% from the old 3rd with 10% from the old 6th and 3% from the 5th. Incumbent Republican Jim Ramstad, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 67.6% of the vote in 2000
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jim Ramstad, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
DFL primary Candidates Nominee Darryl Stanton, entrepreneur, inventor and candidate for this seat in 2000
Results
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002 New York Times October 14, 2002
Results Ramstad won election to his seventh term in Congress, by a landslide 44.14 percent margin.
Finances Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Jim Ramstad (R) $1,040,631 $794,180 $891,541 Darryl Stanton (D) Unreported
District 4
The district was largely unaffected by the redistricting with the new 4th district was made of approximately 92% from the old 4th with 8% from the old 6th. Incumbent Democrat Betty McCollum, who had represented the district since 2001, ran for re-election. She was elected with 48.0% of the vote in 2000.
DFL primary Candidates Nominee Betty McCollum, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Clyde Billington, history professor at University of Northwestern – St. Paul and chair of the 4th District Republican Party.
Results
Independence primary Candidates Withdrawn Peter Vento, Antique store owner and son of former U.S. Representative Bruce Vento
Green primary Candidates Nominee Scott Raskiewicz, substitute public school teacher
Results
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002 New York Times October 14, 2002
Results Defeating Billington by a comfortable 28 percent margin, McCollum easily won her second term in Congress, as Raskiewicz finished a very distant third.
Finances Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Betty McCollum (DFL) $736,337 $699,558 $143,546 Clyde Billington (R) $87,613 $87,612 $0 Scott Raskiewicz (G) Unreported
District 5
Incumbent Democrat Martin Olav Sabo, who had represented the district since 1979, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 69.2% of the vote in 2000.
DFL primary Candidates Nominee Martin Olav Sabo, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Daniel Mathias, courier driver and part time college professor
Results
Green primary Candidates Nominee Tim Davis, environmental activist and nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1994 and for U.S. Senate in 1996
Results
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002 New York Times October 14, 2002
Results Sabo 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.
Finances Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Martin Olav Sabo (DFL) $463,831 $507,209 $162,110 Dan Mathias (R) $9,699 $13,409 $21 Tim Davis (G) Unreported
District 6
In the reapportionment that occurred in consequence of the 2000 United States census, the old 6th was effectively split into two main parts, with approximately 50% forming the core of the redrawn seat and the next largest portion (around 41%) becoming part of the new 2nd. The new 6th also contained 24% from the old 7th, 14% from the 2nd, 10% from the 8th and 3% from the 3rd.
Incumbent Democrat Bill Luther, who had represented the district since 1995, opted to move to the new 2nd and run for re-election there, after Mark Kennedy, the incumbent Republican from the old 2nd, decided to contest the redrawn 6th.
DFL primary Candidates Nominee Janet Robert, attorney and former Oak Park Heights City Council member
Declined Bill Luther, incumbent U.S. Representative (running in the 2nd district)
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Mark Kennedy, incumbent U.S. Representative from the 2nd district
Withdrawn David Reichow, consultant
Declined Rod Grams, former U.S. Senator Dave Kleis, state senator Dan Stevens, state senator (running in the 7th district)
Results
Independence primary Candidates Nominee Dan Becker, state-licensed drug and alcohol counselor
Results
General election Campaign Corporate ethics became a major theme of the campaign with both Kennedy and Robert running attack ads linking the other to lawsuits involving companies they had worked for.
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002 New York Times October 14, 2002
Results 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.
Finances Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Janet Robert (D) $2,180,560 $2,178,467 $2,092 Mark Kennedy (R) $1,901,227 $1,844,908 $24,932 Daniel Becker (I) $8,493 $8,489 $0
District 7
Following redistricting approximately 62% from the old 7th remained with 38% from the old 2nd transferring in. Incumbent Democrat Collin Peterson, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 68.7% of the vote in 2000.
DFL primary Candidates Nominee Collin Peterson, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Dan Stevens, state senator
Withdrawn Brad Monson Leroy Schlangen, dairy farmer
Results
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002 New York Times October 14, 2002
Results Peterson faced no difficulty winning his 8th term in Congress, defeating Republican challenger Dan Stevens by a landslide 30.63 percent margin.
Finances Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Collin Peterson (DFL) $417,253 $535,219 $123,864 Dan Stevens (R) $209,629 $201,199 $8,431
District 8
The 8th district remained mostly untouched by the redistricting with approximately 91% of the new seat remaining, with 9% added from the old 7th. Incumbent Democrat Jim Oberstar, who had represented the district since 1975, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 67.8% of the vote in 2000.
DFL primary Candidates Nominee Jim Oberstar, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee