U.S. Senate Federal Office

Elections: 1857-present. The state legislature held 22 general and special elections for U.S. Senator from 1857 through 1911. In September 1912, the first state run primary for U.S. Senate was held and a popular preference vote was on the ballot at the November general election. The Keefe Law, which most candidates signed, required state legislative candidates to sign a pledge that they would observe the popular vote. The 17th Amendment requiring the direct election of U.S. Senators was ratified in 1913 with the state's first such election taking place in 1916.

Most recent elections

Date Office Stage Winners Details
11/03/2020 U.S. Senate General Tina Smith (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 1,566,511 votes (48.74%) and a winning margin of +5.24
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Tina Smith Incumbent Woman Democratic-Farmer-Labor 1,566,511 48.74
Jason Lewis Man Republican 1,398,130 43.50
Kevin O'Connor Man Legal Marijuana Now 190,141 5.92
Oliver Steinberg Man Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis 57,173 1.78
Rob Barrett Man Write-In 22 0.00
George A. Dennis Man Write-In 5 0.00
Steve Carlson Man Write-In 3 0.00
John L. Berman Man Write-In 2 0.00

Senator Smith was elected to a second term.

Lewis was a resident of Woodbury and former U.S. Representative (CD 02, 2017-2019).

Steinberg was a resident of St. Paul and founder of the Grassroots Party in 1986.

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08/11/2020 U.S. Senate Primary Oliver Steinberg (Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis) won with 3,275 votes (100.00%) and a winning margin of +100.00
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Oliver Steinberg Man Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis 3,275 100.00

Steinberg was a resident of St. Paul and founder of the Grassroots Party in 1986.

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08/11/2020 U.S. Senate Primary Tina Smith (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 497,498 votes (87.14%) and a winning margin of +81.79
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Tina Smith Incumbent Woman Democratic-Farmer-Labor 497,498 87.14
Paula M. Overby Transgender / Non-binary Democratic-Farmer-Labor 30,497 5.34
Ahmad R. Hassan Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 20,037 3.51
Steve Carlson Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 16,429 2.88
Christopher Lovell Seymore Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 6,480 1.13

Senator Smith was renominated.

Overby was a resident of Eagan, Independence nominee for the 2nd CD in 2014 and 2016, and Minnesota Green Party nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018.

Hassan was a real estate broker from Katy, Texas.

Carlson was a development consultant and attorney from St. Paul, Republican nominee for HD 55B in 1996, Independence nominee for the 4th CD in 2010 and 2012, Independence nominee for U.S. Senate in 2014, DFL candidate for the 4th CD in 2016, and DFL for U.S. Senate in 2018.

Seymore was a teacher from Bloomington, DFL candidate for HD 50B in 2016, and DFL candidate for the U.S. Senate special election in 2018.

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08/11/2020 U.S. Senate Primary Jason Lewis (Republican) won with 191,290 votes (78.11%) and a winning margin of +70.89
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Jason Lewis Man Republican 191,290 78.11
Cynthia Gail Woman Republican 17,675 7.22
John L. Berman Man Republican 16,213 6.62
Bob Carney Man Republican 10,503 4.29
James Reibestein Man Republican 9,210 3.76

Lewis was a resident of Woodbury and former U.S. Representative (CD 02, 2017-2019).

Gail was an art teacher from Albert Lea and Republican candidate for SD 27 in 2016.

Carney was a perennial candidate from Minneapolis.

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08/11/2020 U.S. Senate Primary Kevin O'Connor (Legal Marijuana Now) won with 6,996 votes (100.00%) and a winning margin of +100.00
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Kevin O'Connor Man Legal Marijuana Now 6,996 100.00
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