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U.S. Senate: Michael Cavlan


SNAPSHOT
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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The candidates for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat sparred over agriculture policy today at Farmfest near Redwood Falls. Republican Mark Kennedy and Democrat Amy Klobuchar both said it may be a good idea to extend current federal agriculture programs instead of writing a new farm bill next year. They disagreed over which one is the true friend of the farmer. (08/01/2006)
Two of the candidates running for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat are on the air with television ads. Republican Mark Kennedy hit the airwaves Tuesday with an ad touting his background. His DFL opponent, Amy Klobuchar, focuses her ads more on her experience as a prosecutor. (07/25/2006)
President Bush vetoed a bill Wednesday that would expand federal research on stem cells obtained from embryos. The issue could also play a role in the November election, since two of the U.S. Senate candidates in Minnesota differ on the issue. (07/19/2006)
Ford Bell has dropped out of the race for U.S. Senate. Bell, a DFLer, intended to challenge Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar in the September primary. But he says difficulty raising money led to his withdrawal. (07/11/2006)
The DFL-endorsed candidates for U.S. Senate and governor say they're focusing on the November general election, and the Republicans running in the race. But Amy Klobuchar and Mike Hatch must first get through the September primary, and both face primary challengers who claim to have stronger positions on the issues. (07/05/2006)
Seizing on a seemingly endless string of Washington scandals in recent months, both of Minnesota's leading U.S. Senate candidates are trying to make congressional ethics an issue in their hotly contested race. (06/29/2006)
Winning the Independence Party endorsement for governor was no problem for public policy consultant Peter Hutchinson Saturday. (06/24/2006)
Amy Klobuchar, who won the DFL Party's endorsement for the U.S. Senate race, will face Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy in November. Klobuchar is currently the Hennepin County attorney. She discusses the upcoming campaign on Midday. (Midday, 06/12/2006)
Klobuchar easily won the backing of the vast majoirity of delegates to the state DFL convention underway this weekend in Rochester, winning on the first ballot with 78 percent of the vote. (06/09/2006)
Delegates to the state DFL convention in Rochester will endorse Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar for U.S. Senate. But not all Democrats will leave Rochester united behind Klobuchar. (06/08/2006)
Just three days before Democrats are expected to endorse a candidate for the U.S. Senate, first lady Laura Bush held a fundraiser for Republican candidate Mark Kennedy on Tuesday night. (06/06/2006)
Promising to bring Minnesota values to Washington, U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy on Thursday night secured the Republican endorsement as its 2006 candidate for the U.S. Senate. Kennedy's endorsement capped the first night of the state Republican convention at the Minneapolis Convention center. (06/01/2006)
Minnesota Republicans begin their state convention Thursday night in Minneapolis. The main order of business on the first night is to endorse a candidate for U.S. Senate. There's no surprise who that will be -- U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy, who has had the endorsement locked up for months. (06/01/2006)
The Iraq war has lost lots of support among Americans. What do the members of the Minnesota delegation think we should do now? (04/05/2006)
Taxes, health care and national security were among the key issues addressed by three candidates running for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat. (03/03/2006)