Notes: Election results are tabulated by The Associated Press. Candidates receiving less than 5% support are not shown individually. Demographic, income and education data comes from 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates. Demographic trends are not shown for special elections or states with fewer than 10 counties reporting above 50%. County-level unemployment data shown are preliminary August 2026 rates, via the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Township-level unemployment data comes from state governments. 2024 presidential margins are based on states’ final certified results, as provided by The Associated Press.
Minnesota election results
Minnesota’s contest for governor faced some upheaval early in the cycle when incumbent Tim Walz, who initially announced he’d run for a third term, opted against it after facing a major scandal about fraud in state-run social services. That led to Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar jumping into the race. The Republican nominee, Lisa Demuth, is the state House speaker. This contest favors Democrats.
In the open Senate contest for retiring Sen. Tina Smith, current Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has faced questions about the fraud scandal. The Republican candidate is former NFL broadcaster Michele Tafoya.
Local resources from the NPR Network