Election Name: | 2012 United States Senate election in Minnesota |
Country: | Minnesota |
Flag Year: | 1983 |
Type: | presidential |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Election: | 2006 United States Senate election in Minnesota |
Previous Year: | 2006 |
Next Election: | 2018 United States Senate election in Minnesota |
Next Year: | 2018 |
Election Date: | November 6, 2012 |
Image1: | File:Amy Klobuchar, official portrait, 113th Congress (cropped 2).jpg |
Nominee1: | Amy Klobuchar |
Party1: | Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |
Popular Vote1: | 1,854,595 |
Percentage1: | 65.23% |
Nominee2: | Kurt Bills |
Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
Popular Vote2: | 867,874 |
Percentage2: | 30.53% |
Map Size: | 270px |
U.S. Senator | |
Before Election: | Amy Klobuchar |
Before Party: | Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |
After Election: | Amy Klobuchar |
After Party: | Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |
The 2012 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives as well as various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic–Farmer–Labor U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar faced Republican State Representative Kurt Bills. Klobuchar was reelected in a landslide, defeating Bills by almost one million votes and carrying all but two of the state's 87 counties by double digits.[1] This election marked the first time since 1996 that an incumbent Democratic senator was re-elected and the first time since 1976 that an incumbent Democratic senator was re-elected to this seat.
Incumbent Amy Klobuchar was first elected in 2006 to succeed the retiring DFL incumbent Mark Dayton. She beat Republican nominee Mark Kennedy, 58% to 38%. Klobuchar served as Minnesota's only senator between January 3 and July 7, 2009, due to the contested results of Minnesota's senatorial election held the previous year, finally decided in favor of DFLer Al Franken.
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party held its Senate primary on August 14, 2012.[2]
The Republican Party of Minnesota held its nominating convention in May 2012 and held its Senate primary on August 14, 2012.[2]
The Independence Party of Minnesota did not plan to run a candidate in the general election. Party chairman Mark Jenkins said in November 2011 that he saw the Senate election as "a distraction from having our best and brightest engaged in state legislative races".[8] At the party's convention in June 2012, neither candidate was endorsed. Williams won a majority of the votes and came within two votes of the required 60% needed for the party's endorsement. He proceeded with his run for the Senate but the party focused its attention on state legislative races.[9]
On August 29 Klobuchar and Bills held their second debate at the State Fair, sponsored by MPR News. Their third debate, on September 16 in Duluth, was about the nation's struggle with deficit spending and unemployment. The audience was assembled by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and Duluth News Tribune.[11] External links
Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt | Current Through | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amy Klobuchar (D) | $6,301,413 | $2,530,567 | $5,393,798 | $0 | July 25, 2012 | |
Kurt Bills (R) | $394,547 | $388,720 | $5,841 | $0 | July 25, 2012 | |
Source: Federal Election Commission[12] |
This section lists the top contributors by employer. These organizations themselves didn't donate, but these numbers include donations from their PACs, members, employees, owners, and their immediate families.
Amy Klobuchar | Contribution | Kurt Bills | Contribution | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dorsey & Whitney | $61,100 | Liberty PAC | $10,000 | |
Target Corp | $56,050 | Craw | $10,000 | |
General Mills | $51,750 | Primera Technology | $10,000 | |
U.S. Bancorp | $51,139 | Minnesota Limited Pipeline | $7,500 | |
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi | $49,150 | Ameriprise Financial | $5,000 | |
Medtronic Inc. | $41,025 | Bachmann for Congress | $5,000 | |
Toys R Us | $36,500 | Exactdrive | $5,000 | |
Leonard, Street & Deinard | $34,350 | New Spark Holdings | $5,000 | |
Comcast Corp | $33,623 | TACPAC | $5,000 | |
Wells Fargo | $32,400 | Twin City Fan Companies | $5,000 | |
Source: OpenSecrets,[13] Current through: March 9, 2012 |
Amy Klobuchar | Contribution | Kurt Bills | Contribution | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lawyers/Law Firms | $989,929 | Leadership PACs | $17,850 | |
Retired | $447,082 | Republican/Conservative | $13,750 | |
Leadership PACs | $302,150 | Financial Institutions | $13,250 | |
Lobbyists | $282,430 | Real Estate | $12,550 | |
Financial Institutions | $269,033 | Retired | $10,350 | |
Entertainment industry | $256,711 | Energy Industry | $10,250 | |
Women's Issues | $196,866 | Electronics Manufacturing | $10,000 | |
Retail industry | $181,850 | Misc. Business | $9,450 | |
Commercial Banks | $159,139 | Manufacturing & Distributing | $7,850 | |
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products | $149,725 | Computers/Internet | $7,350 | |
Source: OpenSecrets,[14] Current through: March 9, 2012 |
Source | Ranking | As of | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
align=left | The Cook Political Report[15] | November 1, 2012 | ||
align=left | Sabato's Crystal Ball[16] | November 5, 2012 | ||
align=left | Rothenberg Political Report[17] | November 2, 2012 | ||
align=left | Real Clear Politics[18] | November 5, 2012 |
Poll source | Amy | Kurt Bills (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
align=left | Public Policy Polling[19] | May 31 – June 3, 2012 | 973 | ±3.1% | 55% | 29% | — | 16% | ||
align=left | Survey USA[20] | July 17–19, 2012 | 552 | ±4.3% | 55% | 31% | 5% | 9% | ||
align=left | KSTP/Survey USA[21] | September 6–9, 2012 | 551 | ±4.2% | 55% | 34% | — | 11% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling[22] | September 10–11, 2012 | 824 | ±3.4% | 55% | 36% | — | 10% | ||
align=left | Star Tribune/Mason-Dixon[23] | September 17–19, 2012 | 800 | ±3.5% | 57% | 28% | 7% | 8% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling[24] | October 5–8, 2012 | 937 | ±3.2% | 57% | 31% | — | 12% | ||
align=left | SurveyUSA/KSTP[25] | October 12–14, 2012 | 550 | ±4.2% | 58% | 30% | 5% | 7% | ||
align=left | St. Cloud State U.[26] | October 15–21, 2012 | 600 | ±5% | 63% | 36% | 1% | — | ||
align=left | Rasmussen Reports[27] | October 21, 2012 | 500 | ±4.5% | 56% | 33% | 2% | 9% | ||
align=left | Star Tribune/Mason-Dixon[28] | October 23–25, 2012 | 800 | ±3.5% | 65% | 22% | — | 13% | ||
align=left | SurveyUSA[29] | October 26–28, 2012 | 574 | ±4.1% | 60% | 29% | 4% | 7% | ||
align=left | KSTP/SurveyUSA[30] | November 1–3, 2012 | 556 | ±4.2% | 60% | 30% | 3% | 7% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling[31] | November 2–3, 2012 | 1,164 | ±2.9% | 62% | 32% | — | 6% |
Republican primary
General election
Poll source | Amy Klobuchar (DFL) | Joe Arwood (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
align=left | Survey USA[33] | November 2–6, 2011 | 543 | ±4.3% | 56% | 22% | — | 22% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling[34] | January 21–22, 2012 | 1,236 | ±2.8% | 55% | 30% | — | 15% | ||
align=left | Survey USA[35] | January 31 – February 2, 2012 | 542 | ±4.2% | 59% | 28% | — | 14% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling | May 31 – June 3, 2012 | 973 | ±3.1% | 56% | 29% | — | 15% |
Poll source | Amy Klobuchar (DFL) | Michele Bachmann (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
align=left | Public Policy Polling[36] | December 4–5, 2010 | 949 | ±3.2% | 56% | 39% | — | 4% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling[37] | May 27–30, 2011 | 1,179 | ±2.9% | 57% | 37% | — | 5% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling | January 21–22, 2012 | 1,236 | ±2.8% | 58% | 35% | — | 7% |
Poll source | Amy Klobuchar (DFL) | Norm Coleman (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
align=left | Public Policy Polling | December 4–5, 2010 | 949 | ±3.2% | 54% | 40% | — | 6% | ||
align=left | Survey USA | November 2–6, 2011 | 543 | ±4.3% | 50% | 37% | — | 14% |
Poll source | Amy Klobuchar (DFL) | Tim Pawlenty (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
align=left | Public Policy Polling | December 4–5, 2010 | 949 | ±3.2% | 53% | 43% | — | 4% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling | May 27–30, 2011 | 1,179 | ±2.9% | 54% | 41% | — | 5% | ||
align=left | Survey USA | November 2–6, 2011 | 543 | ±4.3% | 49% | 37% | — | 14% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling | January 21–22, 2012 | 1,236 | ±2.8% | 54% | 39% | — | 7% |
Poll source | Amy Klobuchar (DFL) | Dan Severson (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
align=left | Public Policy Polling | May 27–30, 2011 | 1,179 | ±2.9% | 56% | 28% | — | 16% | ||
align=left | Survey USA | November 2–6, 2011 | 543 | ±4.3% | 55% | 23% | — | 22% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling | January 21–22, 2012 | 1,236 | ±2.8% | 55% | 32% | — | 13% | ||
align=left | Survey USA | January 31 – February 2, 2012 | 542 | ±4.3% | 56% | 29% | — | 15% | ||
align=left | Public Policy Polling | May 31 – June 3, 2012 | 973 | ±3.1% | 55% | 27% | — | 19% |
Klobuchar won all 8 congressional districts, including three held by Republicans.[38]
District | Klobuchar | Bills | Representative | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
62.45% | 32.22% | Tim Walz | ||||
61.73% | 34.4% | John Kline | ||||
62.6% | 34.33% | Erik Paulsen | ||||
71.26% | 24.66% | Betty McCollum | ||||
78.71% | 17.09% | Keith Ellison | ||||
58.59% | 37.15% | Michele Bachmann | ||||
61.23% | 34.15% | Collin Peterson | ||||
65.32% | 30.64% | Rick Nolan |
Official campaign websites (Archived)