In a Challenging Year for House Republicans, Party Sees Hope in Minnesota

[question everything]

Last edited Tue Aug 14, 2018, 04:54 PM - Edit history (1)

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There are two Republican-held Minnesotan districts—together encompassing a large swath of the Twin Cities metro area—deemed at risk of flipping Democratic. Rep. Jason Lewis (R., Minn.) is facing Democrat Angie Craig, who is running unopposed in next week’s primaries. She has already raised more money than the one-term congressman. Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen, who is the top fundraiser in his district, will likely go head-to-head with a well-financed opponent in Democrat Dean Phillips, an entrepreneur. Those potential losses make winning one or both of the Democratic-held tossup districts all the more important for the GOP.

Mr. Trump is popular in the eighth district, which brushes up against the Canadian border and runs south through some of the nation’s richest mining country. Mines in the Mesabi Iron Range region are ramping up capacity to meet growing demand for ore in steel mills as far away as Lake Erie. The Republican running here for Mr. Nolan’s seat, Pete Stauber, has positioned himself as a strong ally of the president, and Mr. Trump has campaigned with him.

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The Democrats’ challenge in the eighth district is complicated by a fractured primary, in which one long shot candidate, North Branch Mayor Kirsten Hagen Kennedy, has called for abolishing ICE. Some other candidates have taken a more moderate approach. “I don’t want to make this a referendum on Trump or not,” said Joe Radinovich, a Democrat who is considered one of the most viable candidates in the primary, in an interview. But he also said he opposes the tax cuts Mr. Trump signed into law, which he views as “designed for the wealthy.”

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In the state’s other competitive Democratic-held district, the only Democrat in the race to succeed Mr. Walz is Iraq War veteran Dan Feehan, who is calling for a universal health system. Meanwhile, two Republicans are vying to replace Mr. Walz. On a recent Saturday in New Ulm, Minn., GOP state lawmaker Carla Nelson canvassed neighborhoods with a clan of young interns. She is competing with Jim Hagedorn, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2016. Her pitch is that she has a proven conservative track record in the state legislature and would support Mr. Trump.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-a-challenging-year-for-house-republicans-party-sees-hope-in-minnesota-1533907092 (paid subscription)

[dflprincess]

1. The last I heard, Phillips is 3 points up over Paulsen.

Not a lot, and probably within the margin of error, but I don't recall a Democrat ever polling better than a Republican in the 3rd District race. Things are looking up!