WINONA, Minn. – Southern Minnesota’s First Congressional District, with the death of Jim Hagedorn and now without a voice in Congress, has swung between Democrats and Republicans in recent decades. How purple is the district? The answer may come with the August 9 special election to replace Hagedorn and then the general election in November. The largely rural district’s political roots lean red on the graphically useful scale of red for Republicans and blue for Democrats. Now it may be fading from purple to lavender, perhaps scarlet, with new boundaries announced Tuesday. Heavily Republican Goodhue and Wabasha counties were added to the district effective with the August primary election and November general election. Recent history:
MN-1 expanded. Now includes Goodhue and Wabasha counties. Largest cities as reconfigured in 2022: Rochester, Mankato, Owatonna, Austin, Winona, Albert Lea, Red Wing, Worthington and Marshall.
2020: Jim Hagedorn, Republican, defeated Da Feehan, Democat, 48% to 45%
2018: Jim Hagedorn, Republican, defeated Da Feehan, Democrat, 50% to 49%
2016: Tim Walz, Democrat, defeated Jim Hagedorn, Republican, 50% to 49%.
2014: Tim Walz, Democrat, defeated Jim Hagedorn, Republican, 54% to 45%.
2012: Tim Walz Democrat, defeated Allen Quist, REoubican, 57% to 42%.
2010: Tim Walz, Democrat, defeated Randy Demmer, Republican, 49% to 44%.
2008: Tim Walz, Democrat, defeated Brian Davis, Republican, , 62% to 32%.
2006: Tim Walz, Democrat, defeated Gil Gutknecht, incumbent Republican, , 52% to 47%.
2004: Gil Gutknecht, Republican, defeated Leigh Pomeroy, Democrat, 59% to 35%.
2002: Gil Gutknecht, Republican, defeated Steve Andreasen , Democrat, 61% to 34%.
2000: Gil Gutknecht, Republican, defeated Mary Reider , Democrat, 56% to 41%.
1998: Gil Gutknecht, Republican, defeated Tracy Beckman , Democrat, 54% to 45%.
1996: Gil Gutknecht, Republican, defeated Mary Reider, Democrat, 52% to 47%.
1994: Gil Gutknecht, Republican, defeated John Hottinge , Democrat, 55% to 44%.
1992: Tim Penny, Democrat, defeated Tim Droogsma, Republican, 73% to 25%.
1990: Tim Penny, Democrat, defeated Doug Anderson, Republican, 78% to 21%.
1988: Tim Penny, Democrat, defeated Curt Schrimpf, Republican, 70% to 29%.
1986: Tim Penny, Democrat, defeated Paul Grawe, Republican, 72% to 27%.
1984: Tim Penny, Democrat, defeated Keith Spicer, Republican, 57% to 43%.
1992: Tim Penny, Democrat, replaced Arlen Erdahl, incumbent Republican who lost renomination.
The district earlier was MN-2 and configured differently.
MN-1 ngressional gallery:
Arlen Erdahl 1979-1983
Tom Hagdorn 1975-1983
Tim Penny 1983-1995
Gil Gutknecht 1995-2007
Tim Walz 2005-2017
Jim Hagedorn 2019-2022