2016 Minnesota House of Representatives election
The 2016 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 8, 2016, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 90th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held in several districts on August 9, 2016. The election coincided with the election of the other house of the Legislature, the Senate.
The Republican Party of Minnesota won a majority of seats, remaining the majority party, followed by the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. The new Legislature convened on January 3, 2017.
Background
The [Minnesota Minnesota House of Representatives|House of Representatives election, 2014|last election] resulted in the Republican Party of Minnesota winning a majority of seats, after losing a majority to the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party only two years earlier in the previous election. This resulted in split control of the Legislature for the first time since 2006, ending eight years of unified control by either the DFL or the Republicans as well as ending two years of all-DFL control of the Legislature and governorship.Electoral system
The 134 members of the House of Representatives were elected from single-member districts via first-past-the-post voting for two-year terms. Contested nominations of the DFL and Republican parties for each district were determined by an open primary election. Minor party and independent 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 have been counted.Retiring members
Republican
- Mark Anderson, 9A
- Dave Hancock, 2A
- Tim Kelly, 21A
- Tara Mack, 57A
- Denny McNamara, 54B
- Tim Sanders, 37B
DFL
- Joe Atkins, 52B
- Jason Isaacson, 42B
- Carolyn Laine, 41B
- Carly Melin, 6A
- Jerry Newton, 37A
- Kim Norton, 25B
- Dan Schoen, 54A
- Yvonne Selcer, 48A
- Erik Simonson, 7B
Predictions
Competitive districts
According to MinnPost, the Star Tribune, the Pioneer Press, and MPR News, a total of 25 districts were competitive. MinnPost considered 17 districts to be competitive—12 of which were held by the Republicans and five by the DFL, the Star Tribune 22—16 of which were held by the Republicans and six by the DFL, the Pioneer Press eight—seven of which were held by the Republicans and one by the DFL, and MPR News 14—11 of which were held by the Republicans and three by the DFL.| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | 2014 result | MinnPost | Star Tribune | Pioneer Press | MPR News | Result |
| 2A | Dave Hancock‡ | Republican | 2010, 2014† | 52.36% | Hold | ||||
| 4B | Paul Marquart | DFL | 2000 | 65.84% | Hold | ||||
| 5B | Tom Anzelc | DFL | 2006 | 56.54% | Republican gain | ||||
| 10B | Dale Lueck | Republican | 2014 | 51.86% | Hold | ||||
| 11B | Jason Rarick | Republican | 2014 | 53.67% | Hold | ||||
| 12A | Jeff Backer | Republican | 2014 | 51.85% | Hold | ||||
| 14A | Tama Theis | Republican | 2013* | 54.90% | Hold | ||||
| 14B | Jim Knoblach | Republican | 1994, 2014† | 50.15% | Hold | ||||
| 17A | Tim Miller | Republican | 2014 | 55.37% | Hold | ||||
| 17B | Dave Baker | Republican | 2014 | 50.66% | Hold | ||||
| 21A | Tim Kelly‡ | Republican | 2008 | 62.17% | Hold | ||||
| 24B | Brian Daniels | Republican | 2014 | 50.85% | Hold | ||||
| 25B | Kim Norton‡ | DFL | 2006 | 94.91%§ | Hold | ||||
| 28B | Greg Davids | Republican | 1991*, 2008† | 55.88% | Hold | ||||
| 37B | Tim Sanders‡ | Republican | 2008 | 55.40% | Hold | ||||
| 42A | Barb Yarusso | DFL | 2012 | 50.55% | Republican gain | ||||
| 44A | Sarah Anderson | Republican | 2006 | 55.51% | Hold | ||||
| 48A | Yvonne Selcer‡ | DFL | 2012 | 50.04% | Hold | ||||
| 49A | Ron Erhardt | DFL | 1990, 2012† | 51.38% | Republican gain | ||||
| 50B | Chad Anderson | Republican | 2016* | 65.60% | DFL gain | ||||
| 54B | Denny McNamara‡ | Republican | 2002 | 60.54% | Hold | ||||
| 56A | Drew Christensen | Republican | 2014 | 55.81% | Hold | ||||
| 56B | Roz Peterson | Republican | 2014 | 53.99% | Hold | ||||
| 57A | Tara Mack‡ | Republican | 2008 | 58.44% | DFL gain | ||||
| 57B | Anna Wills | Republican | 2012 | 58.40% | Hold |
Results
[file:MN House 2016 seats won.svg|thumb|Districts won.]District results
| District | Candidates | Party |
| 2A | Roger Erickson | DFL |
| 6A | Mark Larson | DFL |
| 9A | Larry Lundblad | Republican |
| 20B | Jim Flaherty | Republican |
| 25A | Dale Amorosia | DFL |
| 28B | Jon Pieper | DFL |
| 30B | Jeanne Holland | Republican |
| 41A | Valerie Rolstad | DFL |
| 41A | Rich Rosivach | DFL |
| 41A | Ruben Vazquez | DFL |
| 41B | Rachel Nelson | DFL |
| 42B | Kaying Thao | DFL |
| 47B | Libby Fairchild | DFL |
| 49A | Heather Edelson | DFL |
| 49A | Matt Samuel | DFL |
| 52B | Don Lee | Republican |
| 52B | Chris Becker | DFL |
| 53B | Steve Ellenwood | Republican |
| 53B | Kay Hendrikson | DFL |
| 53B | Shelly Schafer | DFL |
| 54A | Warren Claflin | DFL |
| 57A | Ryan Kirkley | Republican |
| 57A | Tasha Wells | Republican |
Seats changing parties
[file:MN_House_2016_gains.svg|thumb|right|Seat gains and holds by party.]| Party | Incumbent | District | First elected | Winner | Party |
| Republican | Chad Anderson | 50B | 2016* | Andrew Carlson | DFL |
| Tara Mack‡ | 57A | 2008 | Erin Maye Quade | DFL | - |
| DFL | John Persell | 5A | 2008 | Matt Bliss | Republican |
| Tom Anzelc | 5B | 2006 | Sandy Layman | Republican | - |
| Barb Yarusso | 42A | 2012 | Randy Jessup | Republican | - |
| Ron Erhardt | 49A | 1990, 2012† | Dario Anselmo | Republican | - |
| Joe Atkins‡ | 52B | 2002 | Regina Barr | Republican | - |
| Dan Schoen‡ | 54A | 2012 | Keith Franke | Republican | - |