Minnesota elections: One year out — here are key races to watch in 2024
Minnesota elections: One year out — here are key races to watch in 2024
Hundreds of races will take place next year across the state, from county commissioner to President of the United States, each affecting communities in different ways.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is up for re-election, but after 16 years in Washington, she has established herself as a tough candidate to beat. So far, she has no major announced challenger.
Three Republicans have dropped their hats in the ring, all of which have less than $400 on hand according to Federal Election Commission filings: Patrick Munro, John Berman and Mike Ruoho. So, we won't put that one on our watch list just yet.
Meanwhile, here are four other races to keep an eye on:
The presidential race and a (possible) Minnesotan on the ballot
Fun fact: Minnesota hasn’t had a candidate on the presidential ballot since Vice President Walter Mondale in the 1980 election.
Despite popular sentiment that next year’s ballot will be a repeat of 2020, the first primaries are still more than a month away. The two incumbent frontrunners aren’t stopping challengers from stepping up to the plate.
Seven candidates are vying for the Republican nomination — Former President Donald Trump holds a significant lead over challengers former South Carolina Governor Niki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Despite near unanimous support from the Democratic party, Biden is facing two long-shot contenders: self-help author Marianne Williamson and Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips.
Phillips' seat in Minnesota's third congressional district is considered safe for Democrats and it represents mostly suburban and affluent cities, located west of Minneapolis. The three term-congressman has expressed concern over Biden's ability to beat Trump should they be the two nominees. Phillips has cited Biden's age and lack of support from fellow Democrats and independent voters.
Recent data from the New York Times and Sienna College found Trump leading Biden in five of the six swing states polled. However, when asked who they would vote before in a race between Trump and another Democrat, 48 percent voted for the unnamed Democrat, signaling a desire from the electorate for a Biden replacement on the ballot.
Biden won the Minnesota vote in 2020 by over seven percent.
Up for grabs: A safely Democratic seat in the Third Congressional District
Phillips, who represents Minnesota’s third congressional district, announced last week he will not seek re-election for the seat, even if he loses the democratic nomination. Two Democrats have already entered the race to fill the western suburban seat. “After three terms it is time to pass the torch,” Phillips said in a statement.
Ron Harris announced his campaign weeks before Phillips announced his bid for the presidency, though speculation had been growing for months about a possible presidential run by Phillips. The Democratic National Committee Chairman previously worked on campaigns of former President Barack Obama and former Senator Al Franken. This is his first time running for public office.
State Senator Kelly Morrison has received numerous high-profile endorsements in the month that she has been in the race. Morrison is a practicing OB-GYN serving District 45. She previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022. Her State Senate seat is not up for re-election until next year.
The district spans from Anoka to Bloomington, going as far east as St. Bonifacius. In 2018, Phillips flipped the seat and in 2022 won re-election with 60% of the vote. So far, no Republicans have entered the race.
A nationalized blue on blue race in the Fifth Congressional District
Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar won her third term serving the Fifth Congressional District in 2022 by less than two percentage points to challenger Don Samuels. The former Minneapolis City Council member announced his second campaign challenging the congresswoman last month. Samuels out-raised Omar in the second half of the 2022 campaign, ending his race having spent over one million dollars.
David Schultz, an election law expert and law and political science professor at Hamline University, predicts the fight for Omar's seat will be one of the most expensive primaries in the nation, despite it being a "safe Democratic district." Omar has condemned Israel in its war against Hamas and has faced criticism over the years for comments regarded as offensive and isolating to the Jewish community.
"I expect that race to attract a phenomenal amount of national money," Schultz said. "You're going to see National Jewish groups, national constituency, Palestinian groups, etc. They're going to want to weigh in on this."
"This could be the most expensive, one of the most expensive primaries in the United States."
So far, no Republican challengers have emerged.
A possible flip in a light blue Second Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, D-2, is seeking her fourth term serving the district, but the race won’t be without a fight. The last four elections in the district have all gone to Democrats – but only by a few digits. In 2022, Craig defeated her GOP opponent by just a five-point margin. In 2020, she won by just two.
Craig is already facing three Republican challengers: Former Lexington Mayor Mike Murphy, former federal prosecutor and Marine corps veteran Joe Teirab, and criminal defense lawyer Tayler Rahm.
The Second District covers the Southwest metro of the Twin Cities, including urban, suburban and rural areas, creating a swing district both parties will vie for in 2024.
— Sam Woodwardis the Minnesota election reporting fellow for USA Today. Contact her at swoodward@gannett.com and follow her on X @woodyreports.
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Minnesota elections: Watch these important 2024 election races
