MINNESOTA
     Nov. 6, 2018 U.S. Senate (Special Election)

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Sen.1
Sen.2
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+Tina Smith (DFL) i
1,370,540
52.97%
Karin Housley (R)
1,095,777
42.35%
Sarah Wellington (LMN)
95,614
3.70%
Jerry Trooien (I)
24,324
0.94%
write-ins
1,101
0.04%

2,587,356

Pre-Registered Voters: 3,315,627.  Election Day Registration: 213,999.
Plurality: 274,763 (10.62 percentage points)

 MN Secretary of State




Notes: 
On Dec. 7, 2017 Sen. Al Franken (DFL), facing harassment charges, announced he would resign from the Senate.  On Dec. 13 Gov. Mark Dayton (DFL) announced his appointment of Lt. Gov. Tina Smith (DFL) to the position.  Franken's resignation took effect on Jan. 2, 2018 and Smith was sworn in on Jan. 3.  She will face election again in 2020.

In the Aug. 14 primaries Smith handily defeated Richard Painter, who served as chief ethics lawyer for two years during the George W. Bush administration, and several other candidates (76.1% to 13.7%), while on the Republican side state Sen. Karin Housley defeated Bob Anderson ("a true outsider") by 62.0% to 35.6%.  Additionally, Sarah Wellington (LMN) and businessman Jerry Trooien, running as an independent, were  on the November ballot.

Smith and Housley participated in two radio debates: on Nov. 1 at Hamline University, hosted by WCCO Radio (>), and on Nov. 4 at Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, hosted by MPR News (>).


Smith enjoyed an almost two-to-one financial advantage over Housley.  Open Secrets shows the Smith campaign raised $9.1 million and spent $8.5 million compared to $4.5 million raised and $4.4 million spent for the Housley campaign; Trooien invested $1.6 million of his own money in his unsuccessful effort
(+).


Campaign Managers
:
Tina Smith:  Alana Peterson

(announced Jan. 24, 2018)  Senior advisor to Sen. Smith.  Minnesota senior advisor to Hillary for America.  State director to Sen. Al Franken from 2009; senior advisor (political, field and training) on Franken's 2014 re-election campaign and worked on his 2008 campaign and the recount.  Worked for U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar (MN-8)  as deputy district director for about five years.  Project manager at Grassroots Solutions, Jan. 2002-Sept. 2004.  Executive director of Target Market, 2001-03.  Worked on a U.S. Senate campaign in 2000.  Worked for U.S. Rep. David Minge (MN-2), 1993-2000, including managing his 1998 campaign.  Bachelor's degree in political science and speech communications from University of Minnesota-Morris, 1991.  Originally from White Bear Lake outside of St. Paul.

Karin Housley:  Amy Koch
(Jan. 2018)  Political advisor at Hylden Advocacy & Law from Feb. 2016.  Owner of Maple Lake Bowl, June 2012-May 2016.  State Senator, elected in Nov. 2005 special election and served Jan. 2006-Jan. 2013, including as Majority Leader in 2011.  Owner of Hance Utillity Services, Inc., June 1996-June 2012. Russian linguist in the U.S. Air Force, 1992-96.  M.B.A. from Capella University, 2012; BES from St. Cloud State University, 2000.









no lit. from Jerry Trooien (I)

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