The 2022 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 8, 2022, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 93rd Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held in several districts on August 9, 2022. The election coincided with the election of the other chamber of the Legislature, the Senate.
Democrats (DFL), retained all of their seats, keeping their majority of 70 out of 134 seats.[1] Simultaneously with gains in the state senate, giving the DFL control of that chamber for the first time since 2012, and Governor Tim Walz winning re-election. The DFL won a trifecta in the state for the first time since 2012. [2]
Background
As a result of the 2020 election, the DFL maintained control of the House, albeit with a reduced seat majority. Republicans maintained control of the senate, making Minnesota and Alaska the only US states with split control of the legislature.
Over the past several election cycles, the DFL has lost ground in Iron Range districts to the Republicans. The first sign was in the surprise defeat of long-time DFLer Jim Oberstar to Tea Party Republican Chip Cravaack in the 2010 midterm election, but it was the 2016 and 2020 Presidential elections that saw the largest swings. Iron Range DFL House candidates have narrowly won their seats, but typically by only small margins in districts that used to be safe DFL. For example, DFL Rep. Julie Sandstede of Hibbing was elected by just 30 votes after winning by more than 4,300 votes in 2018. The 5 tossup districts a part of the Iron Range–3A, 3B, 7A, 7B, and 11A–may determine which party controls the chamber in future elections.[3]
Incumbent Republican John Burkel was first elected in 2020. District 1A is located in northwestern Minnesota covering the northernmost portions of the Red River Valley. Large cities in the district are Roseau, Thief River Falls, and Warren.
2022 Minnesota House of Representatives District 1A election
Incumbent Republican Matt Grossell was first elected in 2016. District 2A is located in northwestern Minnesota, stretching as far south as Bemidji and as far north as the Northwest Angle.
2022 Minnesota House of Representatives District 2A election
Incumbent Republican Matt Bliss was elected in the 2020 election. Bliss previously represented District 5A from 2017-2019, but lost to John Persell by 11 votes in the 2018 election. District 2B is located in north-central Minnesota.
2022 Minnesota House of Representatives District 2B election
Incumbent DFLer Paul Marquart, who was first elected in 2000, chose not run for re-election. The district, located in northwestern Minnesota, surrounds the city of Moorhead and includes Glyndon and Detroit Lakes.
2022 Minnesota House of Representatives District 4B election
District 5B is the only district in which the Independence Party of Minnesota is fielding a candidate. The district is located in central Minnesota and covers all of Todd County plus portions of Morrison County, Cass County, and Wadena County.
2022 Minnesota House of Representatives District 5B Republican primary
District 66A includes parts of north eastern Saint Paul as well as Roseville, Falcon Heights, and Lauderdale. Incumbent DFLer Alice Hausman is retiring. Leigh Finke, the DFL endorsed candidate, became the first transgender member of the Minnesota Legislature.
2022 Minnesota House of Representatives District 66A DFL primary
District 67A includes the northeast corner of Saint Paul. The incumbent John Thompson failed to secure the DFL endorsement after a string of scandals. He received only 11% of the vote in the primary election, losing to Liz Lee.
2022 Minnesota House of Representatives District 67A DFL primary
