![]() | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Ellison: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Schultz: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Elections in Minnesota |
---|
![]() |
The 2022 Minnesota Attorney General election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the attorney general of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Incumbent DFLer Keith Ellison narrowly won reelection to a second term against Republican challenger Jim Schultz.
This attorney general election marked the fourteenth in a row won by the DFL. Schultz improved over 2018 Republican nominee Doug Wardlow in rural counties, but Ellison's increased margins in the Twin Cities metropolitan area were too much to overcome. [1] It was the closest attorney general race in the state since 1956, and the second-closest ever. [2]
Minnesota's attorney general is the chief legal officer of the state, tasked with representing over 100 state agencies in legal proceedings. [3] The attorney general also enforces some consumer protection regulations, such as anti-trust laws. While most cases the office undertakes are civil in nature, the attorney general may assist counties with complex criminal cases. [4]
Prior to the 2022 election, Minnesota Republicans had not won the attorney general's office thirteen times in row since 1966 when Douglas Head won the office, and Republicans had only held the office for four years since 1954. [5] The office has also been a launching pad for candidates to run for the governorship; every Minnesota attorney general since Head has gone on to run for governor.
In 2018, then-U.S. Representative Keith Ellison was elected to replace retiring fellow DFLer Lori Swanson, who ran unsuccessfully for governor. Ellison was the first Black person elected to statewide office in Minnesota, and the first Muslim elected to any statewide office in the United States.
As Attorney General, Ellison played a key role in the state's prosecution of Derek Chauvin [6] and pushed for policing reforms in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. [7] Ellison's role greatly increased his influence and notoriety nationally and internationally. [8] [9]
Ellison also led his office's legal actions against businesses which violated COVID-19-related restrictions. This included both businesses which opened for in-person service in violation of public health orders, [10] and some which engaged in illegal price gouging. [11]
Ellison announced that he would run for reelection on November 15, 2021. [12] Bill Dahn, a perennial candidate, also ran.
Only Ellison sought the DFL endorsement at the party's May 2022 convention. He won endorsement unanimously [13] and went on to win the primary convincingly.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Keith Ellison (incumbent) | 378,367 | 89.35 | |
Democratic (DFL) | Bill Dahn | 45,110 | 10.65 | |
Total votes | 423,477 | 100.00 |
The first Republican to enter the race was MyPillow General Counsel and 2018 Republican nominee Doug Wardlow on February 16, 2021. [16] Wardlow announced his run in a video on Twitter, blaming Ellison for unrest in the Twin Cities following the murder of George Floyd.
Former State Representative Dennis Smith of Maple Grove announced his run for attorney general on June 7, 2021. [17] In a campaign video, he emphasized his desire to promote trust in the attorney general's office and depoliticize the office.
A month later on July 6, 2021, Lynne Torgerson, a lawyer from Minneapolis, announced her run. [18] She called COVID-19 restrictions "destructive" and accused Ellison of "threatening Minnesotans’ freedoms and rights."
Private lawyer Jim Schultz of Minnetonka announced his run for the office on December 9, 2021. It was Schultz's first run for office, and his campaign was chaired by former Minnesota Republican Party Chair Ron Eibensteiner. [19]
The final major candidate to enter the race was former state legislator, and Hennepin County commissioner, and Washington County judge Tad Jude. [20] He announced his run for attorney general on January 31, 2022.
State legislators
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [a] | Margin of error | Sharon Anderson | Jim Schultz | Doug Wardlow | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Change Research [34] | Jun. 3 – 8, 2022 | – (LV) | – | 4.0% | 19.6% | 19.4% | 57.0% [b] |
A debate was held on March 31 at the Providence Academy Performing Arts Center. Jude, Schultz and Wardlow were in attendance.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jim Schultz | 163,944 | 52.51 | |
Republican | Doug Wardlow | 108,537 | 34.76 | |
Republican | Sharon Anderson | 39,723 | 12.72 | |
Total votes | 312,204 | 100.00 |
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
Sabato's Crystal Ball [37] | Tossup | November 3, 2022 |
Elections Daily [38] | Leans R (flip) | November 7, 2022 |
Presidents
Vice Presidents
U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
Governors
Lieutenant Governors
State Attorneys General
State Senators
State Representatives
County Attorneys
County Commissioners
Mayors
Other politicians
Organizations
Labor unions
Others
Organizations
Labor unions
Local officials
Newspapers
Newspapers
Graphical summary
![]() | Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [a] | Margin of error | Keith Ellison (DFL) | Jim Schultz (R) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SurveyUSA [108] [A] | Oct. 26 – 30, 2022 | 836 (LV) | ± 3.9% | 42% | 49% | 9% |
St. Cloud State [109] | Oct. 10 – 30, 2022 | 235 (A) | ± 8% | 52% | 40% | 8% |
Trafalgar Group (R) [110] [B] | Oct. 17 – 19, 2022 | 1,091 (LV) | ± 2.9% | 45.3% | 50.2% | 4.5% |
Embold Research [111] [C] | Oct. 10 – 14, 2022 | 1,585 (LV) | ± 2.6% | 46.6% | 47.1% | 6.3% [c] |
SurveyUSA [112] [A] | Sep. 30 – Oct. 3, 2022 | 604 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 45% | 43% | 13% |
Trafalgar Group (R) [113] [D] | Sep. 14, 2022 | 1,079 (LV) | ± 2.9% | 45.7% | 49.3% | 4.9% |
Mason-Dixon [114] [E] | Sep. 12 – 14, 2022 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 46.4% | 44.9% | 8.8% |
SurveyUSA [115] [A] | Aug. 30 – Sep. 4, 2022 | 562 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 46% | 40% | 14% |
Change Research [34] [C] | Jun. 3 – 8, 2022 | 1,551 (LV) | ± 2.6% | 44.2% | 44.9% | 10.9% [d] |
Keith Ellison vs. Doug Wardlow
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [a] | Margin of error | Keith Ellison (DFL) | Doug Wardlow (R) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Change Research [34] [C] | Jun. 3 – 8, 2022 | 1,551 (LV) | ± 2.6% | 44.3% | 43.9% | 11.8% [e] |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Keith Ellison (incumbent) | 1,254,371 | 50.37% | +1.41% | |
Republican | Jim Schultz | 1,233,556 | 49.53% | +4.45% | |
Write-in | 2,374 | 0.10% | -0.14% | ||
Total votes | 2,490,301 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
Democratic (DFL) hold |
County | Keith Ellison DFL | Jim Schultz GOP | Write-in | Margin | Total votes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | ||
Aitkin | 33.48% | 2,808 | 66.51% | 5,579 | 0.01% | 1 | -33.04% | -2,771 | 8,388 |
Anoka | 44.98% | 69,825 | 54.93% | 85,278 | 0.09% | 146 | -9.95% | -15,453 | 155,249 |
Becker | 32.31% | 4,738 | 67.64% | 9,917 | 0.05% | 7 | -35.32% | -5,179 | 14,662 |
Beltrami | 44.72% | 8,048 | 55.15% | 9,924 | 0.13% | 24 | -10.42% | -1,876 | 17,996 |
Benton | 31.01% | 5,045 | 68.88% | 11,205 | 0.11% | 18 | -37.87% | -6,160 | 16,268 |
Big Stone | 34.25% | 825 | 65.67% | 1,582 | 0.08% | 2 | -31.42% | -757 | 2,409 |
Blue Earth | 50.37% | 13,203 | 49.55% | 12,988 | 0.08% | 20 | 0.82% | 215 | 26,211 |
Brown | 31.58% | 3,641 | 68.34% | 7,878 | 0.08% | 9 | -36.75% | -4,237 | 11,528 |
Carlton | 48.53% | 7,670 | 51.35% | 8,116 | 0.13% | 20 | -2.82% | -446 | 15,806 |
Carver | 42.35% | 22,774 | 57.58% | 30,962 | 0.06% | 34 | -15.23% | -8,188 | 53,770 |
Cass | 32.12% | 4,871 | 67.82% | 10,285 | 0.06% | 9 | -35.70% | -5,414 | 15,165 |
Chippewa | 32.97% | 1,620 | 67.01% | 3,292 | 0.02% | 1 | -34.03% | -1,672 | 4,913 |
Chisago | 33.64% | 8,642 | 66.31% | 17,034 | 0.05% | 13 | -32.67% | -8,392 | 25,689 |
Clay | 50.08% | 11,025 | 49.83% | 10,971 | 0.09% | 20 | 0.25% | 54 | 22,016 |
Clearwater | 24.45% | 863 | 75.50% | 2,665 | 0.06% | 2 | -51.05% | -1,802 | 3,530 |
Cook | 65.95% | 2,109 | 34.05% | 1,089 | 0.00% | 0 | 31.89% | 1,020 | 3,198 |
Cottonwood | 29.12% | 1,336 | 70.84% | 3,250 | 0.04% | 2 | -41.72% | -1,914 | 4,588 |
Crow Wing | 33.13% | 10,742 | 66.81% | 21,663 | 0.06% | 21 | -33.68% | -10,921 | 32,426 |
Dakota | 52.80% | 105,095 | 47.10% | 93,750 | 0.10% | 206 | 5.70% | 11,345 | 199,051 |
Dodge | 33.34% | 3,104 | 66.63% | 6,203 | 0.02% | 2 | -33.29% | -3,099 | 9,309 |
Douglas | 31.19% | 6,103 | 68.75% | 13,453 | 0.06% | 12 | -37.56% | -7,350 | 19,568 |
Faribault | 32.02% | 1,919 | 67.90% | 4,069 | 0.08% | 5 | -35.88% | -2,150 | 5,993 |
Fillmore | 38.84% | 3,649 | 61.08% | 5,738 | 0.09% | 8 | -22.24% | -2,089 | 9,395 |
Freeborn | 39.90% | 5,164 | 60.07% | 7,774 | 0.03% | 4 | -20.17% | -2,610 | 12,942 |
Goodhue | 40.92% | 9,384 | 58.98% | 13,525 | 0.10% | 22 | -18.06% | -4,141 | 22,931 |
Grant | 35.63% | 1,044 | 64.23% | 1,882 | 0.14% | 4 | -28.60% | -838 | 2,930 |
Hennepin | 68.09% | 388,811 | 31.79% | 181,512 | 0.12% | 683 | 36.30% | 207,299 | 571,006 |
Houston | 41.21% | 3,568 | 58.78% | 5,089 | 0.01% | 1 | -17.57% | -1,521 | 8,658 |
Hubbard | 33.51% | 3,556 | 66.40% | 7,046 | 0.09% | 10 | -32.89% | -3,490 | 10,612 |
Isanti | 29.60% | 5,554 | 70.33% | 13,197 | 0.07% | 14 | -40.73% | -7,643 | 18,765 |
Itasca | 40.48% | 8,586 | 59.45% | 12,610 | 0.07% | 14 | -18.97% | -4,024 | 21,210 |
Jackson | 28.89% | 1,306 | 71.06% | 3,212 | 0.04% | 2 | -42.17% | -1,906 | 4,520 |
Kanabec | 30.77% | 2,190 | 69.19% | 4,924 | 0.04% | 3 | -38.42% | -2,734 | 7,117 |
Kandiyohi | 34.13% | 6,186 | 65.84% | 11,935 | 0.03% | 6 | -31.72% | -5,749 | 18,127 |
Kittson | 36.22% | 681 | 63.67% | 1,197 | 0.11% | 2 | -27.45% | -516 | 1,880 |
Koochiching | 37.24% | 1,937 | 62.72% | 3,262 | 0.04% | 2 | -25.48% | -1,325 | 5,201 |
Lac qui Parle | 34.97% | 1,091 | 65.00% | 2,028 | 0.03% | 1 | -30.03% | -937 | 3,120 |
Lake | 50.97% | 2,870 | 48.93% | 2,755 | 0.11% | 6 | 2.04% | 115 | 5,631 |
Lake of the Woods | 24.35% | 439 | 75.54% | 1,362 | 0.11% | 2 | -51.19% | -923 | 1,803 |
Le Sueur | 32.68% | 4,287 | 67.24% | 8,820 | 0.08% | 10 | -34.56% | -4,533 | 13,117 |
Lincoln | 31.14% | 752 | 68.74% | 1,660 | 0.12% | 3 | -37.60% | -908 | 2,415 |
Lyon | 33.18% | 3,231 | 66.76% | 6,501 | 0.06% | 6 | -33.58% | -3,270 | 9,738 |
Mahnomen | 40.75% | 661 | 59.19% | 960 | 0.06% | 1 | -18.43% | -299 | 1,622 |
Marshall | 25.16% | 1,004 | 74.77% | 2,984 | 0.08% | 3 | -49.61% | -1,980 | 3,991 |
Martin | 29.17% | 2,425 | 70.82% | 5,888 | 0.01% | 1 | -41.65% | -3,463 | 8,314 |
McLeod | 29.78% | 4,871 | 70.15% | 11,475 | 0.07% | 11 | -40.37% | -6,604 | 16,357 |
Meeker | 28.06% | 3,020 | 71.82% | 7,729 | 0.11% | 12 | -43.76% | -4,709 | 10,761 |
Mille Lacs | 29.96% | 3,305 | 69.91% | 7,711 | 0.13% | 14 | -39.95% | -4,406 | 11,030 |
Morrison | 22.00% | 3,377 | 77.96% | 11,968 | 0.04% | 6 | -55.96% | -8,591 | 15,351 |
Mower | 46.37% | 6,490 | 53.58% | 7,499 | 0.04% | 6 | -7.21% | -1,009 | 13,995 |
Murray | 28.35% | 1,097 | 71.55% | 2,769 | 0.10% | 4 | -43.20% | -1,672 | 3,870 |
Nicollet | 50.01% | 7,582 | 49.87% | 7,562 | 0.12% | 18 | 0.13% | 20 | 15,162 |
Nobles | 31.15% | 1,874 | 68.74% | 4,136 | 0.12% | 7 | -37.59% | -2,262 | 6,017 |
Norman | 39.82% | 980 | 60.06% | 1,478 | 0.12% | 3 | -20.24% | -498 | 2,461 |
Olmsted | 53.27% | 35,986 | 46.69% | 31,540 | 0.04% | 29 | 6.58% | 4,446 | 67,555 |
Otter Tail | 30.87% | 8,744 | 69.04% | 19,557 | 0.10% | 28 | -38.17% | -10,813 | 28,329 |
Pennington | 33.51% | 1,807 | 66.44% | 3,583 | 0.06% | 3 | -32.93% | -1,776 | 5,393 |
Pine | 33.26% | 4,103 | 66.64% | 8,220 | 0.10% | 12 | -33.38% | -4,117 | 12,335 |
Pipestone | 24.04% | 900 | 75.88% | 2,841 | 0.08% | 3 | -51.84% | -1,941 | 3,744 |
Polk | 31.09% | 3,357 | 68.86% | 7,436 | 0.05% | 5 | -37.78% | -4,079 | 10,798 |
Pope | 34.39% | 1,940 | 65.54% | 3,697 | 0.07% | 4 | -31.15% | -1,757 | 5,641 |
Ramsey | 70.11% | 150,907 | 29.74% | 64,014 | 0.15% | 320 | 40.37% | 86,893 | 215,241 |
Red Lake | 31.33% | 489 | 68.55% | 1,070 | 0.13% | 2 | -37.22% | -581 | 1,561 |
Redwood | 26.14% | 1,673 | 73.79% | 4,722 | 0.06% | 4 | -47.65% | -3,049 | 6,399 |
Renville | 29.55% | 1,847 | 70.42% | 4,402 | 0.03% | 2 | -40.87% | -2,555 | 6,251 |
Rice | 48.97% | 13,817 | 50.96% | 14,377 | 0.07% | 19 | -1.98% | -560 | 28,213 |
Rock | 27.86% | 1,141 | 72.06% | 2,951 | 0.07% | 3 | -44.20% | -1,810 | 4,095 |
Roseau | 23.52% | 1,514 | 76.48% | 4,922 | 0.00% | 0 | -52.95% | -3,408 | 6,436 |
Scott | 42.24% | 28,455 | 57.67% | 38,853 | 0.09% | 62 | -15.43% | -10,398 | 67,370 |
Sherburne | 31.19% | 12,898 | 68.76% | 28,430 | 0.05% | 20 | -37.56% | -15,532 | 41,348 |
Sibley | 27.45% | 1,798 | 72.52% | 4,751 | 0.03% | 2 | -45.08% | -2,953 | 6,551 |
St. Louis | 56.83% | 52,488 | 43.03% | 39,740 | 0.14% | 128 | 13.80% | 12,748 | 92,356 |
Stearns | 35.68% | 23,247 | 64.24% | 41,857 | 0.08% | 53 | -28.56% | -18,610 | 65,157 |
Steele | 37.29% | 6,114 | 62.67% | 10,275 | 0.04% | 6 | -25.38% | -4,161 | 16,395 |
Stevens | 36.52% | 1,460 | 63.41% | 2,535 | 0.08% | 3 | -26.89% | -1,075 | 3,998 |
Swift | 34.61% | 1,342 | 65.28% | 2,531 | 0.10% | 4 | -30.67% | -1,189 | 3,877 |
Todd | 24.22% | 2,617 | 75.70% | 8,178 | 0.07% | 8 | -51.48% | -5,561 | 10,803 |
Traverse | 33.03% | 507 | 66.78% | 1,025 | 0.20% | 3 | -33.75% | -518 | 1,535 |
Wabasha | 35.76% | 3,804 | 64.20% | 6,830 | 0.04% | 4 | -28.45% | -3,026 | 10,638 |
Wadena | 25.12% | 1,492 | 74.83% | 4,444 | 0.05% | 3 | -49.71% | -2,952 | 5,939 |
Waseca | 32.71% | 2,716 | 67.23% | 5,582 | 0.06% | 5 | -34.52% | -2,866 | 8,303 |
Washington | 50.70% | 65,723 | 49.23% | 63,810 | 0.07% | 95 | 1.48% | 1,913 | 129,628 |
Watonwan | 35.93% | 1,382 | 63.99% | 2,461 | 0.08% | 3 | -28.06% | -1,079 | 3,846 |
Wilkin | 28.04% | 714 | 71.84% | 1,829 | 0.12% | 3 | -43.79% | -1,115 | 2,546 |
Winona | 47.89% | 9,704 | 52.03% | 10,543 | 0.08% | 16 | -4.14% | -839 | 20,263 |
Wright | 32.60% | 21,397 | 67.31% | 44,184 | 0.09% | 59 | -34.72% | -22,787 | 65,640 |
Yellow Medicine | 30.22% | 1,310 | 69.78% | 3,025 | 0.00% | 0 | -39.56% | -1,715 | 4,335 |
Totals | 50.37% | 1,254,371 | 49.53% | 1,233,556 | 0.10% | 2,374 | 0.84% | 20,815 | 2,490,301 |
Despite losing the state, Schultz won 5 of 8 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat. [117]
District | Ellison | Schultz | Representative |
---|---|---|---|
1st | 43% | 57% | Brad Finstad |
2nd | 49.7% | 50.2% | Angie Craig |
3rd | 56% | 44% | Dean Phillips |
4th | 66% | 34% | Betty McCollum |
5th | 80% | 20% | Ilhan Omar |
6th | 38% | 62% | Tom Emmer |
7th | 31% | 69% | Michelle Fischbach |
8th | 42% | 57% | Pete Stauber |
Official campaign websites