NRCC MEMO: MINNESOTA PRIMARY RESULTS

August 12, 2020

TO: INTERESTED PARTIES 
FROM: NRCC COMMUNICATIONS 
DATE: AUGUST 12, 2020 
SUBJECT: MINNESOTA PRIMARY RESULTS
MN-01: Jim Hagedorn (R) vs. Dan Feehan (D)  

Minnesota’s First Congressional District remains solidly Republican. Dan Feehan is a far-left candidate who supported his party’s partisan impeachment sham, despite running in a district President Trump carried by over 20 points in 2016. Feehan would be nothing but a rubber stamp for Democrats’ dangerous agenda – from defunding the police to inching closer and closer to socialized medicine, which would devastate this rural district that is also home to the renowned Mayo Clinic.  

Jim Hagedorn continues his steadfast support for President Trump and the pro-growth agenda. In this pro-ag district, Hagedorn has delivered results for Minnesota farmers, from supporting Trump’s USMCA trade deal to advocating for the elimination of small refinery exemption abuses and the extension of biofuels tax credits with the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency.   Voters in this R+5 district want nothing to do with a candidate who will go to Washington to vote in lockstep with Nancy Pelosi, which is why they will reject Feehan once again. Republicans will keep this seat in November.  

PVI: R+5
2016 Presidential Results: Trump 52.8% – Clinton 38.1%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Lean Republican; Inside Elections – Tilt Republican
Geography: Minnesota’s First Congressional District extends across southern Minnesota from the border with South Dakota to the border with Wisconsin. It includes Blue Earth, Brown, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Jackson, Le Sueur, Martin, Mower, Nicollet, Nobles, Olmsted, Rock, Steele, Waseca, Watonwan, and Winona counties. Areas of Cottonwood and Rice counties also lie within the district. The DMA is split: Rochester (40%); Minneapolis (28%); Mankato (18%); La Crosse – Eau Claire (10%); and Sioux Falls (3%).  

MN-02: Angie Craig (D) vs. Tyler Kistner (R)  

Angie Craig told voters in MN-02 last cycle that “if you vote with your party 95 percent of the time, you are the wrong member of Congress for the Second Congressional District.” Given Craig votes with her party 97 percent of the time, by her own admission, she is the wrong representative for this district.   At every turn, Craig has chosen to support her radical party’s socialist agenda than do what’s best for Minnesota, from helping stall President Trump’s USMCA trade deal, to holding up PPP loans to small businesses, and even politicizing COVID-19. Craig supports radical left policies in Congress like a job-killing energy tax that raises the price of gasoline and electricity and even co-sponsoring a bill that gives free health care to illegal immigrants.

Tyler Kistner served nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including four overseas tours, before deciding to continue his service by running for Congress. Kistner, a strong candidate who outraised Angie Craig in Q2, offers voters in this traditionally Republican district a representative who would put them first, not partisan politics like Angie Craig.  

PVI: R+2
2016 Presidential Results: Trump 46.5% – Clinton 45.3%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Lean Democrat; Inside Elections – Safe Democrat
Geography: Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District covers the south Twin Cities metro area and includes Dakota, Goodhue, Scott, and Wabasha counties and portions of Rice and Washington counties. The DMA is 100% Minneapolis.  

MN-03: Dean Phillips (D) vs. Kendall Qualls (R)  

Dean Phillips sold Minnesotans a bill of good when he promised he would be an independent voice in Congress. Phillips votes with Nancy Pelosi an astounding 100 percent of the time – becoming the exact opposite of what he said he would on the campaign trail. While his party moves further and further left, from pushing for socialized medicine to defunding the police, Phillips does nothing but stand by and watch.  

When Minneapolis was burning to the ground, Dean Phillips refused to condemn the violence and stand up for the safety and security of families and businesses. Kendall Qualls is a U.S. Army veteran and businessman who firmly stands with law enforcement and wants to do what’s right for Minnesotans – not what’s best for his party. Voters will reject Phillips for his phony campaign promises in November.  

PVI: D+1
2016 Presidential Results: Trump 41.4% – Clinton 50.5%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Solid Democrat; Inside Elections – Safe Democrat
Geography: Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District encompasses portions of Anoka, Hennepin, and Carver counties. The DMA is 100% Minneapolis.  
MN-07: Collin Peterson (D) vs. Michelle Fishbach (R)  

This ruby red, Trump +30 district is desperate for conservative leadership now more than ever. As the Democrat Party moves further and further left, there is simply no room in Congress for Collin Peterson who even admitted he’s been “neutered” and can no longer deliver results for Western Minnesota like he used to. Year after year, Peterson’s winning margin has gotten slimmer and this cycle he continues to be outraised and outworked by Republican challenger Michelle Fischbach.  

Critically, Fischbach has earned President Trump’s endorsement as well as multiple pro-life organizations – two key factors in this R+12 district. That stands in stark contrast to Peterson who works against President Trump and key agenda items like his vote against building the wall. Peterson is another vote for Nancy Pelosi’s extreme liberal agenda and will be kicked out in November.  

PVI: R+12
2016 Presidential Results: Trump 61.4% – Clinton 30.8%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Toss Up; Inside Elections – Tilt Democrat
Geography: The 7th District covers almost all of the western side of Minnesota. It includes Becker, Big Stone, Chippewa, Clay, Clearwater, Douglas, Grant, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lac qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Roseau, Sibley, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wilkin, and Yellow Medicine counties. Portions of Beltrami, Cottonwood, and Stearns counties also lie within the district. The DMA is split: Minneapolis (57%); Fargo (39%); and Sioux Falls (3%).