Tuesday, November 28, 2023
SNAPSHOT
Although the U.S. Senate race was expected to be competitive, in the end, Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar delivered a crushing defeat to 6th District Rep. Mark Kennedy, winning all but 9 counties in the state.
If Minnesotans became campaign weary in the 2006 election cycle, this is the race that can be blamed. When Mark Dayton announced in January 2005 that he would not seek re-election, it ignited a frantic start to the campaign season as candidates -- many of whom had just finished campaigns for office -- jockeyed for position not only to be his successor, but to be the the successor to the would-be successor.
Sixth District Rep. Mark Kennedy was long predicted to be a candidate, and his was the first announcement. He then campaigned in the 1st District, where Rep. Gil Gutknecht was said to be considering a challenge for the seat. Gutknecht eventually decided to seek re-election.
Similarly, DFLer Amy Klobuchar was early out of the race, and discouraged Patty Wetterling from continuing an early Senate bid, largely on the strength of her superior fundraising skills.
Although the U.S. Senate race was expected to be competitive, in the end, Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar delivered a crushing defeat to 6th District Rep. Mark Kennedy, winning all but 9 counties in the state.
If Minnesotans became campaign weary in the 2006 election cycle, this is the race that can be blamed. When Mark Dayton announced in January 2005 that he would not seek re-election, it ignited a frantic start to the campaign season as candidates -- many of whom had just finished campaigns for office -- jockeyed for position not only to be his successor, but to be the the successor to the would-be successor.
Sixth District Rep. Mark Kennedy was long predicted to be a candidate, and his was the first announcement. He then campaigned in the 1st District, where Rep. Gil Gutknecht was said to be considering a challenge for the seat. Gutknecht eventually decided to seek re-election.
Similarly, DFLer Amy Klobuchar was early out of the race, and discouraged Patty Wetterling from continuing an early Senate bid, largely on the strength of her superior fundraising skills.
Candidates








Ben Powers (Constitution)

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Debates
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KSTP/LWV Senate debate (10/29/06) |
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Senate debate from Moorhead (10/10/06) |
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Major party Senate candidate debate on TPT. (9/19/06) |
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Midday Senate debate at the state fair (9/1/06) |
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Senate debate at Farmfest (8/2/06) |
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Senate debate in Mounds View (3/3/06) |
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DFL Senate candidates on Midday (3/3/06) |
The Money Race
Candidate | Funds |
Mark Kennedy | $9,036,645 |
Amy Klobuchar | $7,922,161 |
Robert Fitzgerald | $7,130 |
Michael Cavlan | $6,140 |
Withdrawn Candidates













Stephen Williams (Independence)
Democrat Amy Klobuchar, Republican Mark Kennedy and Independence Party candidate Robert Fitzgerald have all proposed ways to provide more health insurance coverage by controlling the cost of health care.
(10/06/2006)
DFL candidate for Senate Amy Klobuchar talks about running for the open seat vacated by Mark Dayton. The campaign for Senate has turned negative in recent days.
(Midmorning, 10/02/2006)
The latest ads in the Senate race are about crime in Hennepin County. Mark Kennedy, a Republican, is accusing DFLer Klobuchar of being soft on crime and breaking 1998 campaign promises.
(09/29/2006)
DFLer Amy Klobuchar continues to maintain a double-digit lead over Republican Mark kennedy in the U.S. Senate race.
(09/25/2006)
A blogger directed Amy Klobuchar's Senate campaign staffer to a competitor's ad through a Web link. The blogger says he did nothing wrong. Some legal experts disagree.
(09/21/2006)
Democrat Amy Klobuchar's U.S. Senate campaign
has fired its chief spokeswoman, revealing Wednesday that she
viewed an unreleased TV ad for Republican candidate Mark Kennedy
that may have been illegally obtained.
(09/21/2006)
The two leading U.S. Senate hopefuls used an
AARP debate Tuesday night to draw distinctions, not just in
differences of policy but in honesty and effectiveness.
(09/19/2006)
The DFLer is ahead of Kennedy in virtually every demographic
category that the poll measured and has extended a lead among
moderates and independents over the summer.
(09/18/2006)
Clinton's appearance, and the $1 million he took in for Klobuchar, raises the stakes in the battle. Rep. Mark Kennedy responded with a new TV ad.
(09/16/2006)
The three major party endorsed candidates running for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat held a heated debate on health care, the war in Iraq and tax policy Friday at the Minnesota State Fair.
(09/01/2006)
The three major party-endorsed U.S. Senate candidates participate in a live debate at the Minnesota State Fair.
(Midday, 09/01/2006)
The war in Iraq and homeland security are likely to be the biggest issues in this year's U.S. Senate race. The major party candidates have been airing their differences on those topics this week.
(08/18/2006)
Mark Kennedy's 2006 Senate campaign has thus far kept a distance from President Bush, at least in TV campaign ads. Kennedy has however used the White House to raise more than $1.5 million in the last year.
(08/17/2006)
The war on terror is suddenly getting a lot more attention on the campaign trail. Minnesota's U.S. Senate candidates were among the politicians who responded quickly to news of the foiled terrorist plot in London to bomb commercial airliners, pledging their resolve to fight terrorism.
(08/10/2006)
The Republican-endorsed candidate for Minnesota's U.S. Senate race stepped up his criticism Friday of his chief DFL opponent. Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy said Amy Klobuchar has not taken a clear stance regarding the war in Iraq. Kennedy, who is trailing in the polls, said Minnesota's Senate race could determine which party controls the Senate next year.
(08/04/2006)