On Tuesday, November 8, Americans voted in an incredibly competitive midterm election. The Democratic Party narrowly controlled both chambers of Congress and this election would determine the balance of power for the remainder of Biden’s term.
As polls close and votes are counted, the results of important elections are beginning to be announced. In Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, Democratic incumbent Representative Angie Craig beat Republican challenger Tyler Kistner. With 96% of the votes counted, as of the time of writing, Craig received 51% and Kistner 45.7% of the vote, functionally securing the election for Craig.
In the Minnesota state elections, despite Clarice Grabau’s loss, the DFL flipped control of the Senate. The House yielded similar results, with the success of Kristi Pursell and other DFL candidates. Democrats Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan also won the election for governor, receiving 52.27% of the vote, with their Republican challengers Scott Jensen and Matt Birk at 44.60%. The DFL candidates also won races for secretary of state (Steve Simon) and state auditor (Julie Blaha). The attorney general race has been called by the press but has not been officially ended, with the DFL incumbent Keith Ellison winning another term by a very narrow margin.
Although several key races have still not been called (at the time of writing), the U.S. Senate remains deadlocked, with each party winning 48 seats. Democrats, thus far, have flipped Pennsylvania with John Fetterman’s success, although close races in Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin and Georgia are still processing results.
In the House of Representatives, Democrats have 178 seats with 3 reported pickups (of the 218 needed). Democrats flipped seats in Illinois’ 13th district, Ohio’s 1st and North Carolina’s 13th. Republicans have 199 seats with 9 pickups. Republicans have successfully flipped Texas’ 15th district, Wisconsin’s 3rd, Tennessee’s 5th, Georgia’s 6th, Florida’s 4th, 7th and 13th, Virginia’s 2nd and New Jersey’s 7th. However, 12 of the 24 toss-up races that will determine control of the House have not been called.
Locally, in Rice County, incumbent Jesse Thomas beat Ross Spicer for the title of county sheriff. Thomas obtained 17,910 votes, while Spicer secured 7,056 votes. For the position of Rice County Attorney, incumbent John Fossum lost to challenger Brian Mortenson. The margin of victory for Mortenson was only 118 votes. Mortenson received 12,366 votes over the incumbent’s 12,248.
Also up for election in Northfield were three school board positions. Six candidates were on the ballot: Ben Miller, incumbent Tom Baraniak, Robert Coleman, Ricky Livingston, Jenny Nelson and Jeff Quinnell. Miller, Nelson and Quinnell claimed victory with 5,708, 5,870 and 5,634 votes, respectively. This past Tuesday’s ballot also included two referendums both referring to capital project levy authorizations. Both questions passed with over 50% of the vote each.
Three Northfield City Council positions were up for election as well. Davin Sokup claimed victory on the at-large seat, defeating Thelma Estrada. Sokup campaigned on focusing on housing and equity, garnering him 5,100 votes, more than 2000 over his opponent. Running unopposed in Ward 1, Kathleen Holmes earned herself a position on the Northfield City Council. The last seat, Ward 4, was claimed by incumbent Jessica Peterson White with 1,030 votes over her challenger, Aaron Schindler.
