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2nd District


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Though the U.S. Senate race seemed to hold the most promise for a close race, it was the governor's race in Minnesota that grabbed the election-night headlines. Incumbent Tim Pawlenty held onto his office by just 22,000 votes over DFLer Mike Hatch. But Pawlenty saw his GOP colleagues swept out of office. In the Senate race, DFLer Amy Klobuchar easily beat Rep. Mark Kennedy.

The retirement of Sen. Mark Dayton sparked early interest in the campaign, with Rep. Mark Kennedy jumping in early. But a year later, Kennedy emerged as the lone Republican for the job, and Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar's strength was forcing several Democrats, including Patty Wetterling, out of the race.

The Senate race immediately attracted national attention, but as Klobuchar surged ahead of Kennedy in the polls, much national attention turned to the 6th District, where Patty Wetterling and state Sen. Michele Bachmann were the major contenders. Bachmann beat Wettlerling. It was Wetterling's second straight loss in the district. In the 5th, Rep. Keith Ellison became the first Muslim congressman. And in the 1st, incumbent Gil Gutknecht was defeated by DFLer Tim Walz.
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Rep. John Kline
Democrat Keith Ellison was elected as the nation's first Muslim member of Congress on Tuesday, easily winning a Minneapolis-area district Republicans had not carried since 1962. He is also Minnesota's first nonwhite representative in Washington. (11/07/2006)
The candidates for Congress in Minnesota's 2nd District -- incumbent Republican John Kline and his DFL challenger Colleen Rowley -- discuss the issues as part of Midday's "Meet the Candidates" series. (Midday, 11/01/2006)
Coleen Rowley accused John Kline of "blind loyalty" to the Bush administration. Kline accused Rowley of violating her own call for integrity. (10/04/2006)
Polls suggest the war in Iraq will be a major issue for voters in the November election. The two leading candidates in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District are on opposite sides of the war. (07/26/2006)
Democratic state Sen. Sharon Marko withdrew Wednesday from Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District race, making a fall matchup between FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley and Republican Rep. John Kline a near certainty. (03/29/2006)
State Sen. Sharon Marko said Wednesday she is jumping into the DFL race for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District, pitting her against former FBI agent Coleen Rowley. (02/01/2006)
The Pentagon is tentatively considering reducing the number of troops in Iraq by as many as three brigades over the next year, according to news reports. There are currently 18 brigades on the ground. Is U.S. military strategy in Iraq proving effective? ( 11/25/2005)
As hundreds of Minnesota National Guard troops left this weekend for eventual deployment to Iraq, U.S. Rep. John Kline saw his son go overseas as well. Kline, R-Minn., said his son, Army Major J. Daniel Kline, is on his way to Iraq as part of the 101st Airborne Division. Kline spoke with MPR's Cathy Wurzer. (09/19/2005)
FBI 9/11 whistle blower Coleen Rowley formally launched her campaign for congress today. Rowley is challenging Republican John Kline in the 2nd District. She's running as a Democrat even though she says until recently she voted pretty much straight-line Republican, including a vote for the congressman she's now trying to unseat. (07/06/2005)
Coleen Rowley is considering a race for Congress in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District, the former FBI whistle-blower told The Associated Press Monday. (05/23/2005)