Minnesota gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022
← 2018
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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota |
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Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: May 31, 2022 |
Primary: August 9, 2022 General: November 8, 2022 Pre-election incumbent(s): Gov. Tim Walz (Democratic) Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (Democratic) |
How to vote |
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Minnesota |
Race ratings |
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic Inside Elections: Lean Democratic |
Ballotpedia analysis |
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2022 Impact of term limits in 2022 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022 |
Minnesota executive elections |
Governor Lieutenant Governor |
Incumbent Gov. Tim Walz (D) defeated Scott Jensen (R) and eight other candidates in the general election for governor of Minnesota on November 8, 2022.
Walz’s win contributed to Minnesota becoming a Democratic trifecta, as Democrats maintained their majority in the Minnesota House of Representatives and gained a majority in the Minnesota State Senate.
Walz served in the Army National Guard and was a teacher in Mankato, Minnesota.[1] He was first elected to Minnesota's 1st congressional district in 2006 and served in the U.S. House until 2019. Walz was elected governor in 2018, defeating Jeff Johnson (R), 54% to 42%. Walz said that his administration had built a strong economy in his first term. He said that he "balanced every budget while cutting taxes, adding money to the state’s rainy-day fund, and making critical investments to expand access to training opportunities and community college programs."[2]
Jensen, a physician, was owner of Catalyst Medical Clinic in Watertown, Minnesota. He was a member of the Waconia School Board and served in the Minnesota State Senate from 2017 to 2021. He listed his top campaign priorities as stopping crime, fighting inflation, lowering energy costs, protecting and supporting women, and increasing rural prosperity.[3] Jensen explained why he was running, saying, "Our great State has suffered under unilateral control, partisan bickering, and political brinksmanship by the parties and politicians...We need a new vision, a new prescription... It’s time for a new direction in Minnesota."[4]
From 1990 to 2022, Minnesota had two Democratic governors, two Republican governors, and one governor who was elected as a member of the Reform Party. Walz succeeded Mark Dayton (D), who served as governor from 2011 to 2019.
Heading into the 2022 elections, Minnesota was one of 13 states with divided government and one of two states—along with Virginia—where partisan control of the state legislature was split between Democrats and Republicans. From 1992 to 2022, Minnesota had divided government for 28 out of 30 years.
The 2020 and 2016 presidential elections in Minnesota were both decided by seven percentage points or less. In the 2020 election, President Joe Biden (D) won the state over then-incumbent President Donald Trump (R), 52% to 45%. In 2016, Hillary Clinton carried Minnesota with 46.4% of the vote to Trump's (D) 44.9%. At the start of the 2022 election cycle, Inside Elections rated this race Solid Democratic.[5]
Thirty-six states held gubernatorial elections in 2022. Heading into the 2022 elections, there were 28 Republican governors and 22 Democratic governors. Of those states holding gubernatorial elections, 20 had a Republican governor, and 16 states had a Democratic one. In 2022, eight governors—five Republicans and three Democrats—did not run for re-election, with seven of those not running due to term limits.
Minor party and write-in candidates included Steve Patterson (Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota), Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance Party of Minnesota), James McCaskel (Legal Marijuana Now Party), Gabrielle Prosser (Socialist Workers Party), and independent write-in candidates Loner Blue, Joshua Olgbolahan Jubril, Joyce Lacey, and Mohamed Mourssi-Alfash.
As of 2022, Minnesota was one of nine states where the lieutenant governor is chosen by each gubernatorial candidate before the primaries and runs on a single ticket in both the primary and general elections. The table below displays the governor and lieutenant governor candidates for each ticket.
Minnesota governor and lieutenant governor tickets, 2022 | |||||||||
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Party | Gubernatorial candidate | Lieutenant governor running mate | |||||||
Democrat | Tim Walz | Peggy Flanagan | |||||||
Republican | Scott Jensen | Matt Birk | |||||||
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota | Steve Patterson | Matt Huff | |||||||
Independence Party of Minnesota | Hugh McTavish | Mike Winter | |||||||
Legal Marijuana Now Party | James McCaskel | David Sandbeck | |||||||
Socialist Workers Party | Gabrielle Prosser | Kevin A. Dwire |
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance Party of Minnesota) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.
For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
For more information about the Republican primary, click here.
Election news
Click below to view a timeline leading up to the election, including polling, debates, and other noteworthy events.
- November 9, 2022: Gov. Tim Walz (D) was projected as the winner over Scott Jensen (R) and eight other candidates in the November 8, 2022, general election for governor of Minnesota.
- October 31, 2022: Pre-General election campaign finance filings were due. Walz reported raising $5.7 million and spending $8.6 million and Jensen reported raising $4.4 million and spending $4.9 million during 2022.[6][7]
- September 18, 2022: The Trafalgar Group released a poll of 1,079 likely voters sponsored by Alpha News showing Gov. Tim Walz (D) with 48%, Scott Jensen with 45%, and 7% selecting another candidate or undecided. The margin of error was ± 2.9 percentage points.[8]
- September 17, 2022: Mason Dixon Polling and Strategy released a poll of 800 likely voters sponsored by MPR News, the Star Tribune, and KARE 11 showing Gov. Tim Walz (D) with 48%, Scott Jensen with 41%, and 11% selecting another candidate or undecided. The margin of error was ± 3.5 percentage points.[9]
- September 6, 2022: Survey USA released a poll of 562 likely voters sponsored by KSTP showing Gov. Tim Walz (D) with 51%, Scott Jensen with 33%, and 16% selecting another candidate or undecided. The margin of error was ± 4.9 percentage points.[10]
- August 9, 2022: Gov. Tim Walz won the Democratic primary and Scott Jensen won the Republican primary.
- August 3, 2022: Jensen and Walz participated in a debate at Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Minnesota.[11]
- March 8, 2022: Scott Jensen selected Matt Birk as his lieutenant gubernatorial running mate.[12]
Candidates and election results
Governor
General election
General election for Governor of Minnesota
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Minnesota on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Tim Walz (D) | 52.3 | 1,312,349 | |
Scott Jensen (R) | 44.6 | 1,119,941 | ||
James McCaskel (Legal Marijuana Now Party) | 1.2 | 29,346 | ||
Steve Patterson (Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota) | 0.9 | 22,599 | ||
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance Party of Minnesota) | 0.7 | 18,156 | ||
Gabrielle Prosser (Socialist Workers Party) | 0.3 | 7,241 | ||
Joyce Lacey (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 11 | ||
Mohamed Mourssi-Alfash (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 5 | ||
Loner Blue (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 4 | ||
Joshua Olgbolahan Jubril (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 1,009 |
Total votes: 2,510,661 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Cory Hepola (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota
Incumbent Tim Walz defeated Ole Savior in the Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Tim Walz | 96.5 | 416,973 | |
Ole Savior | 3.5 | 14,950 |
Total votes: 431,923 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota
Scott Jensen defeated Joyce Lacey and Bob Carney Jr. in the Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Scott Jensen | 89.3 | 288,499 | |
Joyce Lacey | 6.6 | 21,308 | ||
Bob Carney Jr. | 4.1 | 13,213 |
Total votes: 323,020 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Mike Murphy (R)
- Neil Shah (R)
- Michelle Benson (R)
- Paul Gazelka (R)
- Mike Marti (R)
- Kendall Qualls (R)
- Richard Stanek (R)
- Scott Magie (R)
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary election
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary for Governor of Minnesota
Steve Patterson defeated Darrell Paulsen in the Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Steve Patterson | 59.1 | 1,003 | |
Darrell Paulsen | 40.9 | 693 |
Total votes: 1,696 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Legal Marijuana Now Party primary election
Legal Marijuana Now Party primary for Governor of Minnesota
James McCaskel defeated Chris Wright in the Legal Marijuana Now Party primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | James McCaskel | 51.9 | 1,461 | |
Chris Wright | 48.1 | 1,356 |
Total votes: 2,817 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Lieutenant Governor
General election
General election for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
The following candidates ran in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Peggy Flanagan (D) | 52.3 | 1,312,349 | |
Matt Birk (R) | 44.6 | 1,119,941 | ||
David Sandbeck (Legal Marijuana Now Party) | 1.2 | 29,346 | ||
Matt Huff (Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota) | 0.9 | 22,599 | ||
Mike Winter (Independence-Alliance Party of Minnesota) | 0.7 | 18,156 | ||
Kevin A. Dwire (Socialist Workers Party) | 0.3 | 7,241 | ||
Kent Edwards (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 11 | ||
Lance Hegland (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 5 | ||
Al Smith (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 4 | ||
Olamide Jubril (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 1,009 |
Total votes: 2,510,661 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Tamara Uselman (Independent)
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Minnesota
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office:
- Governor of Minnesota (Assumed office: 2019)
- U.S. House of Representatives - Minnesota District 1 (2007-2019)
Biography: Walz received a bachelor's degree in social science from Chadron State College. His professional experience includes serving in the Army National Guard and as a high school teacher at Mankato West High School. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019 and was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Minnesota in 2022.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Minnesota State Senate, District 47 (2017-2021)
- Waconia (MN) School Board (1993-2002)
Biography: Jensen received a bachelor's degree in physiology from the University of Minnesota, attended Luther Theological Seminary, and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota. His professional experience includes serving as a physician in private practice. He served on the Waconia School Board from 1993 to 2002 and in the Minnesota State Senate from 2017 to 2021.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Minnesota in 2022.
Party: Independence-Alliance Party of Minnesota
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am a Ph.D. biochemist, patent attorney, inventor, entrepreneur, and author. I have started two pharmaceutical companies off my own inventions. I have 21 U.S. patents, 18 scientific journal articles, have authored three books, and have started two pharmaceutical companies off of my own inventions. Like all of us, I have had adversity in my life, and I try to turn those events for good. When I got cancer, I invented a better cancer drug and started a company around it. When Gov. Walz locked us in our homes for 6 weeks and thereby drove me and 1 in 5 of us into depression, I took that adversity as fuel and started a nonprofit COVID Sanity and wrote a book COVID Lockdown Insanity to document the harms of the lockdown response to COVID, especially the huge increases in depression, drug abuse, and deaths of despair, and how vastly those harms exceeded the benefits. Easily my greatest invention is what I call “Jury Democracy,” and that is the reason I am running for office. It can transform the way we do government, entirely for the better. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Minnesota in 2022.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Collapse all
|Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance of Minnesota)
Govern with the goal of happiness, instead of GDP growth. We will measure and track happiness, depression, and loneliness as carefully as we now measure economic statistics. Toward that end I propose (1) Replace the mask mandate with a Name Tag Request. Ask that all of us wear name tag that says “Minnesota Nice” and your first name on it. It will promote connection and be a reminder to be nice. (2) The “Minnesota Siesta.” I will ask all of us to take a 15 minute walk outside once a week at 2 pm on Thursdays. This also will promote connection and happiness and exercise and being outside.
Rewild Minnesota and share the planet with wild species. Sharing is a value we should have learned in kindergarten. I propose that over a 50-year period we rewild 50% of the land. We return it to nature and to the primary use of wild species. I want buffalo roaming wild, abundant native prairie, and wolves, cougars, and bears restored to their native range over 50% of the land. This is economically feasible, but it is only possible with Jury Democracy for reasons explained at McTavish4MN.org.
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance of Minnesota)
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance of Minnesota)
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance of Minnesota)
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance of Minnesota)
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance of Minnesota)
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance of Minnesota)
Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance of Minnesota)
Campaign advertisements
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
Tim Walz
August 9, 2022 |
August 5, 2022 |
August 3, 2022 |
View more ads here:
Scott Jensen
August 12, 2022 |
August 8, 2022 |
View more ads here:
Debates and forums
This section includes links to debates, forums, and other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated. If you are aware of any debates or forums that should be included, please email us.
August 3 debate
On August 3, 2022, Jensen and Walz participated in a debate at Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Minnesota.[13]
Click on the link below for a summary of the event:
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[14] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[15] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.
Below we provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. Click here to read about FiveThirtyEight's criteria for including polls in its aggregation. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval.
Minnesota gubernatorial election, 2022: general election polls | |||||||||
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Poll | Date | Walz | Jensen | Undecided/ Other |
Margin of error | Sample size[16] | Sponsor[17] | ||
The Trafalgar Group | September 16-18, 2022 | 48 % | 45 % | 7 %[18] | +/- 2.9 | 1,079 LV | Alpha News | ||
Mason Dixon Polling and Strategy | September 12-14, 2022 | 48 % | 41 % | 11 %[19] | +/- 3.5 | 800 LV | MPR News/Star Tribune/KARE 11 | ||
Survey USA | Aug. 30 - Sept. 4, 2022 | 51 % | 33 % | 16 %[20] | +/- 4.9 | 562 LV | KSTP |
General election race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[21]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[22][23][24]
Race ratings: Minnesota gubernatorial election, 2022 | |||||||||
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Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
November 8, 2022 | November 1, 2022 | October 25, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | ||||||
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Lean Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. |
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
Noteworthy endorsements | ||
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Endorser | Tim Walz | Scott Jensen |
Government officials | ||
Vice President Kamala D. Harris (D) source | ✔ | |
U.S. President Barack Obama (D) source | ✔ | |
Frmr. Gov. Jesse Ventura source | ✔ | |
Individuals | ||
Frmr. President Donald Trump source | ✔ |
Election spending
Campaign finance
General election
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[25][26][27]
If available, links to satellite spending reports by the Federal Election Commission and OpenSecrets.org are linked below. Any satellite spending reported in other resources is displayed in a table. This table may not represent the actual total amount spent by satellite groups in the election. Satellite spending for which specific amounts, dates, or purposes are not reported are marked "N/A." To help us complete this information, or to notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.
By candidate |
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Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Presidential elections
Cook PVI by congressional district
Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Minnesota, 2022 | |||
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District | Incumbent | Party | PVI |
Minnesota's 1st | Vacant | Republican | R+7 |
Minnesota's 2nd | Angie Craig | Democratic | D+1 |
Minnesota's 3rd | Dean Phillips | Democratic | D+8 |
Minnesota's 4th | Betty McCollum | Democratic | D+17 |
Minnesota's 5th | Ilhan Omar | Democratic | D+30 |
Minnesota's 6th | Tom Emmer | Republican | R+12 |
Minnesota's 7th | Michelle Fischbach | Republican | R+19 |
Minnesota's 8th | Pete Stauber | Republican | R+8 |
2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines
2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2022 district lines, Minnesota[28] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
District | Joe Biden | Donald Trump | ||
Minnesota's 1st | 44.3% | 53.5% | ||
Minnesota's 2nd | 52.5% | 45.4% | ||
Minnesota's 3rd | 59.5% | 38.5% | ||
Minnesota's 4th | 67.8% | 30.2% | ||
Minnesota's 5th | 80.6% | 17.4% | ||
Minnesota's 6th | 40.1% | 57.7% | ||
Minnesota's 7th | 32.5% | 65.7% | ||
Minnesota's 8th | 43.4% | 54.7% |
2012-2020
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | |||||||
Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
Republican | |||||||
Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
New Republican | D | D | R |
Following the 2020 presidential election, 51.8% of Minnesotans lived in one of the state's nine Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 38.6% lived in one of 59 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Minnesota was Solid Democratic, having voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2012, Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016, and Joe Biden (D) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Minnesota following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
Minnesota county-level statistics, 2020 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solid Democratic | 9 | 51.8% | |||||
Solid Republican | 59 | 38.6% | |||||
Trending Republican | 15 | 5.8% | |||||
Battleground Democratic | 4 | 3.8% | |||||
Total voted Democratic | 13 | 55.7% | |||||
Total voted Republican | 74 | 44.3% |
Historical voting trends
Minnesota presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 20 Democratic wins
- 10 Republican wins
- 1 other win
Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winning Party | R | R | R | P[29] | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Statewide elections
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Minnesota.
U.S. Senate election results in Minnesota | ||
---|---|---|
Race | Winner | Runner up |
2020 | 48.8% | 43.5% |
2018 | 53.0% | 42.4% |
2018 | 60.3% | 36.2% |
2014 | 53.2% | 42.9% |
2012 | 65.2% | 30.6% |
Average | 56.1 | 39.1 |
Gubernatorial elections
- See also: Governor of Minnesota
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Minnesota.
Gubernatorial election results in Minnesota | ||
---|---|---|
Race | Winner | Runner up |
2018 | 53.8% | 42.4% |
2014 | 50.1% | 44.5% |
2010 | 43.6% | 43.2% |
2006 | 46.7% | 45.7% |
2002 | 44.4% | 36.5% |
Average | 47.7 | 42.5 |
State partisanship
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Minnesota's congressional delegation as of November 2022.
Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Minnesota, November 2022 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
Democratic | 2 | 4 | 6 |
Republican | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 2 | 8 | 10 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Minnesota's top four state executive offices as of November 2022.
State executive officials in Minnesota, November 2022 | |
---|---|
Office | Officeholder |
Governor | Tim Walz |
Lieutenant Governor | Peggy Flanagan |
Secretary of State | Steve Simon |
Attorney General | Keith Ellison |
State legislature
The tables below highlight the partisan composition of the Minnesota State Legislature as of November 2022.
Minnesota State Senate
Party | As of November 2022 | |
---|---|---|
Democratic Party | 31 | |
Republican Party | 34 | |
Independent | 1 | |
Vacancies | 1 | |
Total | 67 |
Minnesota House of Representatives
Party | As of November 2022 | |
---|---|---|
Democratic Party | 69 | |
Republican Party | 63 | |
Independent | 1 | |
Vacancies | 1 | |
Total | 134 |
Trifecta control
As of November 2022, Minnesota was a divided government, with Democrats controlling the governorship and a majority in the house and Republicans controlling a majority in the state senate. The table below displays the historical trifecta status of the state.
Minnesota Party Control: 1992-2022
Two years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
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Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | I | I | I | I | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R |
House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D |
Demographics
The table below details demographic data in Minnesota and compares it to the broader United States as of 2019.
Demographic Data for Minnesota | ||
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Minnesota | United States | |
Population | 5,706,494 | 331,449,281 |
Land area (sq mi) | 79,631 | 3,531,905 |
Race and ethnicity** | ||
White | 81.6% | 70.4% |
Black/African American | 6.4% | 12.6% |
Asian | 4.9% | 5.6% |
Native American | 1% | 0.8% |
Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.2% |
Two or more | 3.9% | 5.2% |
Hispanic/Latino | 5.5% | 18.2% |
Education | ||
High school graduation rate | 93.4% | 88.5% |
College graduation rate | 36.8% | 32.9% |
Income | ||
Median household income | $73,382 | $64,994 |
Persons below poverty level | 9.3% | 12.8% |
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020). | ||
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. |
Election context
Ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Minnesota in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Minnesota, click here.
Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2022 | |||||||
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State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source | Notes |
Minnesota | Governor | Democratic or Republican | 2,000 | $300.00 | 5/31/2022 | Source | Petition signatures only required in lieu of filing fee. |
Minnesota | Governor | Unaffiliated | 2,000 | N/A | 5/31/2022 | Source |
Election history
2018
Governor
General election
General election for Governor of Minnesota
Tim Walz defeated Jeff Johnson, Chris Wright, and Josh Welter in the general election for Governor of Minnesota on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Tim Walz (D) | 53.8 | 1,393,096 | |
Jeff Johnson (R) | 42.4 | 1,097,705 | ||
Chris Wright (Grassroots Party) | 2.7 | 68,667 | ||
Josh Welter (L) | 1.0 | 26,735 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 1,084 |
Total votes: 2,587,287 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Christopher Seymore (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota
Tim Walz defeated Erin Murphy, Lori Swanson, Tim Holden, and Ole Savior in the Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Tim Walz | 41.6 | 242,832 | |
Erin Murphy | 32.0 | 186,969 | ||
Lori Swanson | 24.6 | 143,517 | ||
Tim Holden | 1.1 | 6,398 | ||
Ole Savior | 0.7 | 4,019 |
Total votes: 583,735 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Tina Liebling (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota
Jeff Johnson defeated Tim Pawlenty and Matt Kruse in the Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jeff Johnson | 52.6 | 168,841 | |
Tim Pawlenty | 43.9 | 140,743 | ||
Matt Kruse | 3.5 | 11,330 |
Total votes: 320,914 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Lieutenant governor
General election
General election for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Peggy Flanagan defeated Donna Bergstrom, Judith Schwartzbacker, and Mary O'Connor in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Peggy Flanagan (D) | 53.8 | 1,393,096 | |
Donna Bergstrom (R) | 42.4 | 1,097,705 | ||
Judith Schwartzbacker (Grassroots Party) | 2.7 | 68,667 | ||
Mary O'Connor (L) | 1.0 | 26,735 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 1,084 |
Total votes: 2,587,287 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Peggy Flanagan defeated Erin Maye Quade, Rick Nolan, James Mellin II, and Chris Edman in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Peggy Flanagan | 41.6 | 242,832 | |
Erin Maye Quade | 32.0 | 186,969 | ||
Rick Nolan | 24.6 | 143,517 | ||
James Mellin II | 1.1 | 6,398 | ||
Chris Edman | 0.7 | 4,019 |
Total votes: 583,735 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Zarina Baber (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Donna Bergstrom defeated incumbent Michelle Fischbach and Theresa Loeffler in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Donna Bergstrom | 52.6 | 168,841 | |
Michelle Fischbach | 43.9 | 140,743 | ||
Theresa Loeffler | 3.5 | 11,330 |
Total votes: 320,914 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
2014
Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, 2014 | ||||
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Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Democratic | Mark Dayton/Tina Smith Incumbent | 50.1% | 989,113 | |
Republican | Jeff Johnson/Bill Kuisle | 44.5% | 879,257 | |
Independence | Hannah Nicollet/Tim Gieseke | 2.9% | 56,900 | |
Grassroots Party | Chris Wright/David Daniels | 1.6% | 31,259 | |
Libertarian | Chris Holbrook/Chris Dock | 0.9% | 18,082 | |
Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.1% | 1,134 | |
Total Votes | 1,975,745 | |||
Election results via Minnesota Secretary of State |
2022 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This election was a battleground race. Other 2022 battleground elections included:
- Iowa Treasurer election, 2022
- Nevada's 3rd Congressional District election, 2022 (June 14 Republican primary)
- Oregon's 5th Congressional District election, 2022
- Texas gubernatorial election, 2022 (March 1 Republican primary)
- United States Senate election in Missouri, 2022 (August 2 Republican primary)
See also
Minnesota | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Governor of Minnesota official website
- Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota official website
Footnotes
- ↑ State of Minnesota, Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, "Governor Tim Walz," accessed August 18, 2022
- ↑ Walz-Flanagan, "Accomplishments," accessed August 18, 2022
- ↑ Dr. Scott Jensen for Governor, "Issues," accessed August 18, 2022
- ↑ Dr. Scott Jensen for Governor, "Home," accessed September 23, 2022
- ↑ Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, "Gubernatorial Ratings," February 19, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, "Tim Walz for Governor-2022 Pre-General Report," accessed November 1, 2022
- ↑ Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, "Dr. Scott Jensen for Governor-2022 Pre-General Report," accessed November 1, 2022
- ↑ The Trafalgar Group, "Minnesota Statewide General Election Survey - September 2022," September 18, 2022
- ↑ MPR News, "Poll: Walz up 7 over Jensen in governor’s race," September 17, 2022
- ↑ KSTP, "KSTP/SurveyUSA poll: Walz expands lead over Jensen to double digits," September 6, 2022
- ↑ KSTP.com, "Walz, Jensen tangle on budget surplus, public safety during first debate," August 3, 2022
- ↑ Twin Cities.com, "Scott Jensen picks ex-Viking Matt Birk as running mate in campaign for governor," March 8, 2022
- ↑ KSTP.com, "Walz, Jensen tangle on budget surplus, public safety during first debate," August 3, 2022
- ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
- ↑ RV=Registered Voters
LV=Likely Voters - ↑ The sponsor is the person or group that funded all or part of the poll.
- ↑ 5% Undecided
2% Other candidates - ↑ 10% Undecided
1% Other - ↑ 12% Undecided
4% Other - ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed September 9, 2022
- ↑ Progressive Party
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