2020 Minnesota Senate election

The 2020 Minnesota Senate election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 3, 2020, to elect members to the Senate of the 92nd Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held in several districts on August 11, 2020. The election coincided with the election of the other house of the Legislature, the House of Representatives, and other elections.

Background The last election in 2016 resulted in the Republican Party of Minnesota winning a majority of seats, after losing a majority to the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) only four years earlier in the previous election in 2012. In conjunction with the result of the House election, it also resulted in the return of all-Republican control of the Legislature for the first time since 2012, and only the second time Republicans had had majorities in both houses since the return of partisan elections to the Senate in 1976. Control of the Senate had alternated between the Republicans and the DFL every election since 2010. All-Republican control of the Legislature ended when the DFL won a majority in the House in 2018.

A special election was held for District 11 on February 5, 2019, as a result of the resignation of incumbent DFL Senator Tony Lourey after he was selected to be the next commissioner of human services by Governor-elect Tim Walz in early January 2019. Republican state representative Jason Rarick won the special election, increasing the Republican majority to 35 seats.

In October 2020, The Washington Post identified this state election as one of eight whose outcomes could affect partisan balance during post-census redistricting.

Electoral system The 67 members of the Senate were elected from single-member districts via first-past-the-post voting for two-year terms. Contested nominations of recognized major parties (DFL, Grassroots–Legalize Cannabis, Legal Marijuana Now, and Republican) for each district were determined by an open primary election. Minor party candidates were nominated by petition. Write-in candidates must have filed a request with the secretary of state's office for votes for them to be counted. The filing period was from May 19 to June 2, 2020.

Retiring members

Republican Paul Anderson, 44th Scott Jensen, 47th

DFL Carolyn Laine, 41st Dick Cohen, 64th

Primary elections results A primary election was held on August 11 in 16 districts to nominate Republican and DFL candidates. Four Republican nominations and 13 DFL nominations were contested. Nine incumbents were opposed for their party's nomination. DFL incumbents Erik Simonson in District 7 and Jeff Hayden in District 62 were not renominated.

+DistrictPartyCandidatesVotes%6DFLDavid Tomassoni (inc)6,51986.41Christopher Horoshak1,02513.597DFLJen McEwen8,60373.54Erik Simonson (inc)3,09526.469RepublicanPaul Gazelka (inc)5,82283.49Richard Dahl1,15116.5110RepublicanCarrie Ruud (inc)5,55882.50Shaun Christian Hansen1,17917.5022DFLShawna Marshall1,89776.06Roger Elgersma59723.9434DFLBonnie Westlin5,81071.81Aarica Coleman2,28128.1939DFLJosiah Hill7,18886.94Brian Hile1,08013.0643DFLChuck Wiger6,05169.67Natasha Lapcinski2,63430.3344DFLAnn Johnson Stewart9,67276.59Zina Alston Fizer2,95623.4147RepublicanJulia Coleman4,58663.52Tom Funk2,63436.48DFLAddie Miller5,10586.97Bala Chintaginjala76513.0349RepublicanJulie Dupré2,58162.78Jenny Rhoades1,53037.2253DFLSusan Kent6,41866.63Marquita Stephens3,21433.3756DFLLindsey Port4,66966.70Kevin Shea1,92527.50Richard Tucker4065.8059DFLBobby Joe Champion11,63977.07Suleiman Isse3,46322.9362DFLOmar Fateh11,10954.86Jeff Hayden (inc)9,14045.1465DFLSandy Pappas7,48463.67Laverne McCartney Knighton4,27036.33Source: Minnesota Secretary of State

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportOctober 21, 2020

Results

PartyCandidatesVotesSeats%+/−+/−%Republican Party of Minnesota671,532,44648.39−0.5734−150.75Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party651,577,52349.82−0.3033 +149.25Legal Marijuana Now Party729,8410.94 +0.62000.00Grassroots–Legalize Cannabis Party617,2910.55 +0.55000.00Independence–Alliance Party of Minnesota15,6540.18 +0.07000.00Write-inN/A3,8350.12−0.09000.00Total3,166,590100.00±0.0067±0100.00Invalid/blank votes127,1903.86−1.38Total3,293,780100.00 ±0Registered voters/Turnout4,118,46279.98 +5.26Source: Minnesota Secretary of State, Star Tribune

Close races Districts where the margin of victory was under 10%: District 14, 0.8% (gain) District 34, 1.56% District 26, 1.76% District 25, 2.53% District 27, 4.5% (gain) District 38, 4.15% District 37, 4.25% District 54, 5.83% District 39, 6.02% District 56, 6.12% (gain) District 33, 8% District 53, 8.26% District 58, 9.08% (gain) District 4, 9.16% District 3, 9.51%

District results DistrictIncumbentCandidates Name Party FirstelectedNamePartyVotes%WinnerParty1Mark Johnson Republican2016Mark JohnsonRepublican27,97269.63RepublicanReed PerkinsDFL12,16230.282Paul Utke Republican2016Paul UtkeRepublican28,95165.11RepublicanAlan RoyDFL15,45834.763 Tom Bakk DFL 2002Tom BakkDFL26,70055.19DFLChristopher HoganRepublican21,61344.684 Kent Eken DFL 2012Kent EkenDFL23,33354.53DFLMark LarsonRepublican19,41545.375Justin Eichorn Republican2016Justin EichornRepublican25,16955.59RepublicanRita AlbrechtDFL16,70636.89Robyn Smith2,4005.30Dennis BarsnessGrassroots9672.146 David Tomassoni DFL 2000David TomassoniDFL25,55757.04DFLJohn MorenRepublican19,19142.837Erik Simonson DFL2016Jen McEwenDFL30,52668.32DFLDonna BergstromRepublican14,08131.518 Bill Ingebrigtsen Republican 2006Bill IngebrigtsenRepublican33,62567.69RepublicanMichele AndersonDFL15,99732.209Paul Gazelka Republican2010Paul GazelkaRepublican33,47275.60RepublicanA. John PetersDFL10,76524.3110 Carrie Ruud Republican 2002Carrie RuudRepublican33,02767.55RepublicanSteve SamuelsonDFL15,82832.37 11 Jason Rarick Republican 2019Jason RarickRepublican24,49856.58RepublicanMichelle LeeDFL18,76143.33 12 Torrey Westrom Republican 2012Torrey WestromRepublican33,44274.42RepublicanJill AbahsainDFL11,46725.52 13Jeff Howe Republican2018Jeff HoweRepublican32,62369.43RepublicanMichael WillemsenDFL14,30630.45 14Jerry Relph Republican2016Aric PutnamDFL18,31846.39DFLJerry RelphRepublican18,00245.59Jaden Partlow3,1277.92 15Andrew Mathews Republican2016Andrew MathewsRepublican33,88672.25RepublicanBrent KristDFL12,95727.63 16Gary Dahms Republican 2010Gary DahmsRepublican29,69673.64RepublicanJoshua Prine5,65414.02Steve Preslicka4,88012.10 17Andrew Lang Republican2016Andrew LangRepublican28,33767.86RepublicanFernando AlvaradoDFL13,38332.05 18Scott Newman Republican 2010Scott NewmanRepublican31,35771.35RepublicanChad TschimperleDFL12,53828.53 19Nick Frentz DFL2016Nick FrentzDFL26,16559.82DFLElizabeth BangertRepublican17,50440.02 20Rich Draheim Republican2016Rich DraheimRepublican26,52354.24RepublicanJon OlsonDFL19,43139.73Jason HoschetteGrassroots2,9015.93 21Mike Goggin Republican2016Mike GogginRepublican27,98159.67RepublicanRalph KaehlerDFL18,87140.25 22 Bill Weber Republican 2012Bill WeberRepublican26,69769.17RepublicanShawna MarshallDFL9,93625.74Brian AbrahamsonGrassroots1,9475.04 23 Julie Rosen Republican 2002Julie RosenRepublican32,53378.66RepublicanDavid Pulkrabek8,73021.11 24John Jasinski Republican2016John JasinskiRepublican25,94363.66RepublicanRoger SteinkampDFL14,75636.21 25 Dave Senjem Republican 2002Dave SenjemRepublican25,02151.21RepublicanSara FlickDFL23,78348.68 26Carla Nelson Republican 2010Carla NelsonRepublican24,74050.86RepublicanAleta BorrudDFL23,83148.99 27Dan Sparks DFL2002Gene DorninkRepublican19,75948.87RepublicanDan SparksDFL17,94144.37Tyler Becvar2,6996.68 28Jeremy Miller Republican2010Jeremy MillerRepublican24,81157.66RepublicanSarah KrugerDFL18,17142.23 29Bruce Anderson Republican2012Bruce AndersonRepublican30,40563.23RepublicanChris BrazeltonDFL13,57228.23Mary MurphyGrassroots4,0668.46 30 Mary Kiffmeyer Republican 2012Mary KiffmeyerRepublican34,71467.25RepublicanDiane NguyenDFL16,86132.66 31 Michelle Benson Republican 2010Michelle BensonRepublican35,98070.57RepublicanKate LuthnerDFL14,96229.34 32Mark Koran Republican2016Mark KoranRepublican32,49366.35RepublicanJoshua FikeDFL16,41233.51 33 David Osmek Republican 2012David OsmekRepublican31,61453.97RepublicanGretchen PiperDFL26,92845.97 34Warren Limmer Republican 1995Warren LimmerRepublican29,34750.74RepublicanBonnie WestlinDFL28,44349.18 35Jim Abeler Republican 2016Jim AbelerRepublican31,29162.63RepublicanDavid NelsonDFL18,62237.27 36John Hoffman DFL 2012John HoffmanDFL27,58056.33DFLKaren AttiaRepublican21,31943.55 37Jerry Newton DFL2016Jerry NewtonDFL26,10052.38DFLBrad SanfordRepublican23,65947.48 38Roger Chamberlain Republican 2010Roger ChamberlainRepublican28,04152.08RepublicanJustin StofferahnDFL25,75547.83 39 Karin Housley Republican 2012Karin HousleyRepublican29,24652.97RepublicanJosiah HillDFL25,92146.95 40Chris Eaton DFL 2011Chris EatonDFL24,29171.46DFLRobert MarvinRepublican9,64728.38 41Carolyn Laine DFL2016Mary Kunesh-PodeinDFL29,96766.85DFLLucia VogelRepublican14,79132.99 42Jason Isaacson DFL2016Jason IsaacsonDFL29,64558.71DFLBen SchwankeRepublican20,77141.14 43 Chuck Wiger DFL 1996Chuck WigerDFL26,34556.20DFLBob ZickRepublican16,52035.24Doug DaubenspeckGrassroots3,9508.43 44Paul Anderson Republican2016Ann Johnson StewartDFL33,85558.74DFLGreg PullesRepublican23,75641.22 45 Ann Rest DFL 2000Ann RestDFL29,05460.70DFLRoxana BruinsRepublican14,04029.33Andy Schuler4,7299.88 46Ron Latz DFL 2006Ron LatzDFL37,97272.72DFLBryan BjörnsonRepublican14,18927.17 47Scott Jensen Republican2016Julia ColemanRepublican32,36657.63RepublicanAddie MillerDFL23,72842.25 48Steve Cwodzinski DFL2016Steve CwodzinskiDFL29,98558.15DFLJeff JiangRepublican21,55841.81 49 Melisa Franzen DFL 2012Melisa FranzenDFL36,14962.77DFLJulie DupréRepublican21,40337.16 50Melissa Wiklund DFL 2012Melissa WiklundDFL30,51666.62DFLDean MumbleauRepublican15,24333.28 51Jim Carlson DFL 2006Jim CarlsonDFL30,71961.23DFLDoug WillettsRepublican19,38938.65 52 Matt Klein DFL2016Matt KleinDFL29,73060.58DFLTomas SettellRepublican19,29139.31 53 Susan Kent DFL 2012Susan KentDFL29,53854.08DFLMary Giuliani StephensRepublican25,02445.82 54 Karla Bigham DFL 2018Karla BighamDFL25,53052.85DFLLeilani HolmstadtRepublican22,71247.02 55 Eric Pratt Republican 2012Eric PrattRepublican31,08261.61RepublicanSahra OdowaDFL19,32238.30 56Dan Hall Republican2010Lindsey PortDFL26,07153.01DFLDan HallRepublican23,06146.89 57 Greg Clausen DFL2012Greg ClausenDFL30,89756.41DFLJose JimenezRepublican23,82543.50 58Matt Little DFL2016Zach DuckworthRepublican29,02055.01RepublicanMatt LittleDFL23,70144.93 59 Bobby Joe Champion DFL2012Bobby Joe ChampionDFL33,81082.06DFLPaul AndersonRepublican7,30017.72 60 Kari Dziedzic DFL 2012Kari DziedzicDFL37,48885.73DFLMary HolmbergRepublican6,17114.11 61Scott Dibble DFL 2002Scott DibbleDFL49,05084.78DFLJennifer ZielinskiRepublican8,72715.08 62 Jeff Hayden DFL 2011Omar FatehDFL33,10388.99DFLBruce LundeenRepublican3,94710.61 63Patricia Torres Ray DFL2006Patricia Torres RayDFL40,74277.64DFLDiane NapperRepublican8,23115.69Chris WrightGrassroots3,4606.59 64 Dick Cohen DFL 1986Erin MurphyDFL40,17478.68DFLSharon AndersonRepublican7,47114.63Patti McArdell3,2766.42 65Sandy Pappas DFL1990Sandy PappasDFL31,46381.47DFLPaul HolmgrenRepublican7,04418.24 66John Marty DFL1986John MartyDFL31,86776.90DFLGreg CopelandRepublican9,48222.88 67Foung Hawj DFL2012Foung HawjDFL24,00873.86DFLAlexander DeputieRepublican8,40725.86

Seats changing parties +PartyIncumbentDistrictFirstelectedWinnerPartyRepublicanJerry Relph142016Aric PutnamDFLPaul Anderson442016Ann Johnson StewartDFLDan Hall562010Lindsey PortDFLDFLDan Sparks272002Gene DorninkRepublicanMatt Little582016Zach DuckworthRepublican

Post-election changes