2012 Minnesota Senate election explained

Election Name:	2012 Minnesota Senate election
Country:	Minnesota
Flag Year:	1983
Type:	legislative
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2010 Minnesota Senate election
Previous Year:	2010
Next Election:	2016 Minnesota Senate election
Next Year:	2016
Seats For Election:	All 67 seats in the Minnesota Senate
Majority Seats:	34
Image1:	File:TomBakk cropped.JPG
Leader1:	Tom Bakk
Party1:	Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
Leader Since1:	November 4, 2010
Leaders Seat1:	3rd–Cook
Last Election1:	30 seats, 48.91%
Seats1:	39
Seat Change1:	9
Popular Vote1:	1,532,065
Percentage1:	55.83%
Swing1:	6.92
Leader2:	Dave Senjem
Party2:	Republican Party of Minnesota
Leader Since2:	December 27, 2011
Leaders Seat2:	25th–Rochester
Last Election2:	37 seats, 49.72%
Seats2:	28
Seat Change2:	9
Popular Vote2:	1,193,356
Percentage2:	43.49%
Swing2:	6.23
Majority Leader
Before Election:	Dave Senjem
Before Party:	Republican Party of Minnesota
After Election:	Tom Bakk
After Party:	Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

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

General election

Results

Summary of the November 6, 2012 Minnesota Senate election results

Party		Candidates	Votes			Seats
				%	∆		∆	%
	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)^[2]			2,950,780	76.42	20.59

District results

District	Candidates	Party	Votes	%	Winner Party
1	data-sort-value="Stumpf, LeRoy"	LeRoy Stumpf		DFL	22,298	60.59	DFL
	data-sort-value="Nordhagen, Steve"	Steve Nordhagen		Republican	14,475	39.33
2	data-sort-value="Skoe, Rod"	Rod Skoe		DFL	21,269	54.92	DFL
	data-sort-value="Moser, Dennis"	Dennis Moser		Republican	17,423	44.99
3	data-sort-value="Bakk, Tom"	Tom Bakk		DFL	28,427	64.59	DFL
	data-sort-value="Havlick, Jennifer"	Jennifer Havlick		Republican	15,509	35.24
4	data-sort-value="Eken, Kent"	Kent Eken		DFL	19,833	52.17	DFL
	data-sort-value="Hansen, Phil"	Phil Hansen		Republican	18,132	47.70
5	data-sort-value="Saxhaug, Tom"	Tom Saxhaug		DFL	21,301	52.33	DFL
	data-sort-value="Carlson, John"	John Carlson		Republican	19,362	47.56
6	data-sort-value="Tomassoni, David"	David Tomassoni		DFL	30,882	71.58	DFL
	data-sort-value="Anderson, Brandon"	Brandon Anderson		Republican	12,220	28.32
7	data-sort-value="Reinert, Roger"	Roger Reinert		DFL	32,684	76.90	DFL
	data-sort-value="Verry, Tyler"	Tyler Verry		Republican	9,621	22.64
8	data-sort-value="Ingebrigtsen, Bill"	Bill Ingebrigtsen		Republican	22,693	52.86	Republican
	data-sort-value="Skogen, Dan"	Dan Skogen		DFL	20,197	47.04
9	data-sort-value="Gazelka, Paul"	Paul Gazelka		Republican	20,527	53.65	Republican
	data-sort-value="Doty, Al"	Al Doty		DFL	17,687	46.22
10	data-sort-value="Ruud, Carrie"	Carrie Ruud		Republican	22,848	53.88	Republican
	data-sort-value="Stevenson, Taylor"	Taylor Stevenson		DFL	19,490	45.96
11	data-sort-value="Lourey, Tony"	Tony Lourey		DFL	24,342	64.22	DFL
	data-sort-value="Saumer, Bill"	Bill Saumer		Republican	13,505	35.63
12	data-sort-value="Westrom, Torrey"	Torrey Westrom		Republican	25,279	61.49	Republican
	data-sort-value="Schultz, John"	John Schultz		DFL	15,801	38.44
13	data-sort-value="Fischbach, Michelle"	Michelle Fischbach		Republican	26,015	63.53	Republican
	data-sort-value="Boeck, Peggy"	Peggy Boeck		DFL	14,871	36.32
14	data-sort-value="Pederson, John"	John Pederson		Republican	19,351	52.47	Republican
	data-sort-value="McCarter, Jerry"	Jerry McCarter		DFL	17,434	47.27
15	data-sort-value="Brown, Dave"	Dave Brown		Republican	21,917	56.55	Republican
	data-sort-value="Knox, Sally"	Sally Knox		DFL	16,787	43.31
16	data-sort-value="Dahms, Gary"	Gary Dahms		Republican	20,922	53.01	Republican
	data-sort-value="Suss, Ted"	Ted Suss		DFL	18,496	46.87
17	data-sort-value="Koenen, Lyle"	Lyle Koenen		DFL	21,621	55.40	DFL
	data-sort-value="Gimse, Joe"	Joe Gimse		Republican	17,350	44.46
18	data-sort-value="Newman, Scott"	Scott Newman		Republican	22,556	58.15	Republican
	data-sort-value="Schiroo, Steven"	Steven Schiroo		DFL	16,180	41.71
19	data-sort-value="Sheran, Kathy"	Kathy Sheran		DFL	33,291	97.52	DFL
20	data-sort-value="Dahle, Kevin"	Kevin Dahle		DFL	20,627	50.02	DFL
	data-sort-value="Dudley, Mike"	Mike Dudley		Republican	20,556	49.85
21	data-sort-value="Schmit, Matt"	Matt Schmit		DFL	21,937	52.43	DFL
	data-sort-value="Howe, John"	John Howe		Republican	19,846	47.44
22	data-sort-value="Weber, Bill"	Bill Weber		Republican	19,548	52.76	Republican
	data-sort-value="Oberloh, Alan"	Alan Oberloh		DFL	17,457	47.11
23	data-sort-value="Rosen, Julie"	Julie Rosen		Republican	25,838	63.97	Republican
	data-sort-value="Marquardt, Paul"	Paul Marquardt		DFL	14,516	35.94
24	data-sort-value="Jensen, Vicki"	Vicki Jensen		DFL	19,248	52.60	DFL
	data-sort-value="Swedin, Vern"	Vern Swedin		Republican	17,286	47.23
25	data-sort-value="Senjem, Dave"	Dave Senjem		Republican	22,299	53.72	Republican
	data-sort-value="Ohly, Judy"	Judy Ohly		DFL	19,149	46.13
26	data-sort-value="Nelson, Carla"	Carla Nelson		Republican	22,263	55.62	Republican
	data-sort-value="Moen, Kenneth"	Kenneth Moen		DFL	17,692	44.20
27	data-sort-value="Sparks, Dan"	Dan Sparks		DFL	26,552	68.22	DFL
	data-sort-value="Anderson, Linden"	Linden Anderson		Republican	12,334	31.69
28	data-sort-value="Miller, Jeremy"	Jeremy Miller		Republican	23,122	57.12	Republican
	data-sort-value="Krage, Jack"	Jack Krage		DFL	17,303	42.74
29	data-sort-value="Anderson, Bruce"	Bruce Anderson		Republican	24,486	60.56	Republican
	data-sort-value="Doran, Brian"	Brian Doran		DFL	15,867	39.25
30	data-sort-value="Kiffmeyer, Mary"	Mary Kiffmeyer		Republican	25,205	62.41	Republican
	data-sort-value="Perovich, Paul"	Paul Perovich		DFL	15,125	37.45
31	data-sort-value="Benson, Michelle"	Michelle Benson		Republican	24,774	58.64	Republican
	data-sort-value="Starr, Mike"	Mike Starr		DFL	17,423	41.24
32	data-sort-value="Nienow, Sean"	Sean Nienow		Republican	21,955	54.25	Republican
	data-sort-value="Noordergraaf, Jeske"	Jeske Noordergraaf		DFL	18,450	45.59
33	data-sort-value="Osmek, David"	David Osmek		Republican	28,195	58.92	Republican
	data-sort-value="Rogosheske, Judy"	Judy Rogosheske		DFL	19,547	40.85
34	data-sort-value="Limmer, Warren"	Warren Limmer		Republican	25,847	57.04	Republican
	data-sort-value="Bahensky, Sharon"	Sharon Bahensky		DFL	19,406	42.83
35	data-sort-value="Petersen, Branden"	Branden Petersen		Republican	22,874	54.21	Republican
	data-sort-value="Perovich, Peter"	Peter Perovich		DFL	19,253	45.63
36	data-sort-value="Hoffman, John"	John Hoffman		DFL	22,194	53.10	DFL
	data-sort-value="Kruse, Benjamin"	Benjamin Kruse		Republican	19,522	46.71
37	data-sort-value="Johnson, Alice"	Alice Johnson		DFL	22,814	53.23	DFL
	data-sort-value="Wolf, Pam"	Pam Wolf		Republican	19,962	46.57
38	data-sort-value="Chamberlain, Roger"	Roger Chamberlain		Republican	23,817	53.22	Republican
	data-sort-value="Henderson, Timothy"	Timothy Henderson		DFL	20,849	46.59
39	data-sort-value="Housley, Karin"	Karin Housley		Republican	23,385	50.62	Republican
	data-sort-value="Bunn, Julie"	Julie Bunn		DFL	22,754	49.25
40	data-sort-value="Eaton, Chris"	Chris Eaton		DFL	25,165	96.93	DFL
41	data-sort-value="Goodwin, Barb"	Barb Goodwin		DFL	25,842	62.82	DFL
	data-sort-value="Bauman, Gina"	Gina Bauman		Republican	15,200	36.95
42	data-sort-value="Scalze, Bev"	Bev Scalze		DFL	25,607	55.57	DFL
	data-sort-value="King, April"	April King		Republican	20,400	44.27
43	data-sort-value="Wiger, Chuck"	Chuck Wiger		DFL	26,767	62.25	DFL
	data-sort-value="Johnson, Duane"	Duane Johnson		Republican	16,137	37.53
44	data-sort-value="Bonoff, Terri"	Terri Bonoff		DFL	27,203	55.81	DFL
	data-sort-value="Gaither, David"	David Gaither		Republican	21,464	44.04
45	data-sort-value="Rest, Ann"	Ann Rest		DFL	28,608	65.45	DFL
	data-sort-value="Tremere, Blair"	Blair Tremere		Republican	15,036	34.40
46	data-sort-value="Latz, Ron"	Ron Latz		DFL	29,755	66.82	DFL
	data-sort-value="Scofield, Paul"	Paul Scofield		Republican	14,680	32.97
47	data-sort-value="Ortman, Julianne"	Julianne Ortman		Republican	27,128	63.76	Republican
	data-sort-value="Weygand, James"	James Weygand		DFL	15,297	35.96
48	data-sort-value="Hann, David"	David Hann		Republican	23,730	51.32	Republican
	data-sort-value="McKendry, Laurie"	Laurie McKendry		DFL	22,459	48.58
49	data-sort-value="Franzen, Melisa"	Melisa Franzen		DFL	26,893	52.74	DFL
	data-sort-value="Downey, Keith"	Keith Downey		Republican	24,045	47.15
50	data-sort-value="Wiklund, Melissa Halvorson"	Melissa Halvorson Wiklund		DFL	25,300	60.85	DFL
	data-sort-value="Wilcox, Vern"	Vern Wilcox		Republican	16,193	38.95
51	data-sort-value="Carlson, Jim"	Jim Carlson		DFL	23,969	53.09	DFL
	data-sort-value="Daley, Ted"	Ted Daley		Republican	21,096	46.73
52	data-sort-value="Metzen, James"	James Metzen		DFL	27,149	62.00	DFL
	data-sort-value="Rabuse, Dwight"	Dwight Rabuse		Republican	16,542	37.78
53	data-sort-value="Kent, Susan"	Susan Kent		DFL	22,781	52.13	DFL
	data-sort-value="Lillie, Ted"	Ted Lillie		Republican	20,857	47.73
54	data-sort-value="Sieben, Katie"	Katie Sieben		DFL	26,998	63.80	DFL
	data-sort-value="Quinlan, Janis"	Janis Quinlan		Republican	15,256	36.05
55	data-sort-value="Pratt, Eric"	Eric Pratt		Republican	22,254	55.11	Republican
	data-sort-value="Busch, Kathy"	Kathy Busch		DFL	18,070	44.75
56	data-sort-value="Hall, Dan"	Dan Hall		Republican	22,226	53.92	Republican
	data-sort-value="Thurman, Leon"	Leon Thurman		DFL	18,922	45.90
57	data-sort-value="Clausen, Greg"	Greg Clausen		DFL	23,890	54.09	DFL
	data-sort-value="Hall, Pat"	Pat Hall		Republican	20,199	45.73
58	data-sort-value="Thompson, Dave"	Dave Thompson		Republican	24,097	57.60	Republican
	data-sort-value="Brobston, Andrew"	Andrew Brobston		DFL	17,686	42.28
59	data-sort-value="Champion, Bobby Joe"	Bobby Joe Champion		DFL	28,441	82.02	DFL
	data-sort-value="Lilly, Jim"	Jim Lilly		Republican	6,082	17.54
60	data-sort-value="Dziedzic, Kari"	Kari Dziedzic		DFL	29,014	77.06	DFL
	data-sort-value="Lazarchic, Mark"	Mark Lazarchic		Republican	6,400	17.00
	data-sort-value="Workcuff, Rahn"	Rahn Workcuff		Independence	2,077	5.52
61	data-sort-value="Dibble, Scott"	Scott Dibble		DFL	41,075	98.08	DFL
62	data-sort-value="Hayden, Jeff"	Jeff Hayden		DFL	27,516	86.84	DFL
	data-sort-value="Blair, Eric"	Eric Blair		Independence	4,025	12.70
63	data-sort-value="Torres Ray, Patricia"	Patricia Torres Ray		DFL	36,866	80.81	DFL
	data-sort-value="Marron, Patrick"	Patrick Marron		Republican	8,636	18.93
64	data-sort-value="Cohen, Dick"	Dick Cohen		DFL	33,008	69.67	DFL
	data-sort-value="Anderson, Sharon"	Sharon Anderson		Republican	9,069	19.14
	data-sort-value="Larson, Scott"	Scott Larson		Independent	5,196	10.97
65	data-sort-value="Pappas, Sandy"	Sandy Pappas		DFL	27,365	81.72	DFL
	data-sort-value="Karschnia, Rick"	Rick Karschnia		Republican	5,998	17.91
66	data-sort-value="Marty, John"	John Marty		DFL	27,735	73.82	DFL
	data-sort-value="Brooks, Wayde"	Wayde Brooks		Republican	9,718	25.87
67	data-sort-value="Hawj, Foung"	Foung Hawj		DFL	21,630	72.46	DFL
	data-sort-value="Capistrant, Mike"	Mike Capistrant		Republican	8,094	27.11

See also

• Minnesota House of Representatives election, 2012
• Minnesota gubernatorial election, 2010
• Minnesota elections, 2012

External links

• Color shaded map showing winning margin by district (PDF) from 2012 Election Maps, Minnesota Secretary of State

Notes and References

1. Web site: DFLers end GOP control in Legislature after two years . . November 7, 2012 . November 30, 2012 . Brooks, Jennifer.
2. Web site: Minnesota election statistics 1950-2014 . . August 13, 2016 .