2018 Minnesota Attorney General election

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v t e

The 2018 Minnesota Attorney General election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the attorney general of the U.S. state of Minnesota. A primary election was held on August 14, 2018, in which Doug Wardlow was nominated as the Republican candidate and Keith Ellison was nominated as the Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) candidate. Ellison won the election.

DFL incumbent Lori Swanson was first elected attorney general in 2006. Swanson succeeded two-term DFL incumbent Mike Hatch, who opted to run for governor in 2006. Swanson was re-elected in 2010 and 2014. On January 28, 2018, Swanson announced that she would seek re-election. The announcement came after months of speculation that she would run for governor in 2018. On June 4, 2018, after failing to receive her own party's endorsement for attorney general, Swanson ended her campaign for attorney general and opted to run for governor instead.

• Keith Ellison, Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee since 2017; U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district since 2007
• Tom Foley, former Ramsey County attorney
• Debra Hilstrom, member of the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2001; former Anoka County assistant attorney
  • Initially withdrew in January 2018 following Swanson's announcement that she would seek re-election. Re-entered the race following Swanson's withdrawal.
• Matt Pelikan, attorney; activist; former clerk for Minnesota Supreme Court Justices Paul Anderson and David Lillehaug
• Mike Rothman, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce from 2011 to 2017
  • Initially withdrew on February 16, 2018, following Swanson's announcement that she would seek re-election. Re-entered the race following Swanson's withdrawal.

It was reported in late January 2018 that Ellison was exploring the possibility of seeking election to be attorney general. According to several people he had spoken with recently, Ellison was not likely to run but found it enticing. Following Swanson's withdrawal from the election on June 4, 2018, it was reported that Ellison was likely to enter the race, which he did the next day.

On June 2, 2018, the DFL endorsed Pelikan at their state convention. Swanson received 52 percent over Pelikan after the first round of balloting, but not the required 60 percent. Swanson then withdrew her nomination for the party's endorsement, but did not indicate if she would run in the primary election.

On June 4, 2018, Swanson announced she would no longer seek re-election and would instead run for Governor. The day after her announcement, Ellison, Foley, Hatch, Hilstrom, and Rothman entered the race. Hatch said he did not think Pelikan had sufficient courtroom experience and would withdraw if someone he thought was qualified entered the race, which he did the next day.

• Sam Clark, former Saint Paul city attorney; former state director and counsel for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
  • Withdrew on January 31, 2018, following Swanson's announcement that she would seek re-election.
• Mike Hatch, attorney general from 1999 to 2007
  • Withdrew on June 6, 2018.
• John Lesch, member of the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2003; Saint Paul assistant city attorney
  • Withdrew on September 15, 2017, saying he wanted to spend more time with his infant daughter, to help the DFL win control of the Minnesota of House of Representatives, and cited the uncertainty of whether DFL incumbent Lori Swanson would seek re-election.
• Lori Swanson, incumbent since 2007
  • Withdrew on June 4, 2018, to seek election to be governor.
• Ryan Winkler, general counsel for Biothera; member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2007 to 2015
  • Withdrew in January 2018 following Swanson's announcement that she would seek re-election.

Results by county:

Map legend

•   Ellison—60–70%
•   Ellison—50–60%
•   Ellison—40–50%
•   Ellison—30–40%
•   Ellison—<30%
•   Hilstrom—30–40%

Results by congressional district:

Map legend

•   Ellison—60–70%
•   Ellison—50–60%

• Sharon Anderson, perennial candidate and nominee for attorney general in 1994
• Bob Lessard, DFL member of the Minnesota Senate from 1977 to 2003
• Doug Wardlow, attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom; member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013

Wardlow was endorsed by the Republicans on June 2, 2018, at their state convention.

• Harry Niska, attorney; candidate for the Ramsey City Council in 2010
  • Withdrew on November 5, 2017, saying campaigning required too much personal life sacrifice.

Results by county:

Map legend

•   Wardlow—50–60%
•   Wardlow—40–50%
•   Wardlow—30–40%
•   Anderson—30–40%
•   Anderson—40–50%
•   Lessard—30–40%
•   Lessard—40–50%

Results by congressional district:

Map legend

•   Wardlow—50–60%
•   Wardlow—40–50%
•   Wardlow—30–40%

• Noah Johnson (Grassroots–Legalize Cannabis Party), attorney

On October 15, 2018, Grassroots–Legalize Cannabis Party candidate Noah Johnson announced his endorsement of DFL nominee Keith Ellison. In explaining his endorsement, Johnson cited Ellison's recent statement of support for marijuana legalization. Johnson also stated that he wished to avoid drawing votes away from Ellison and thereby increasing Republican nominee Doug Wardlow's chances of victory. Johnson's name remained on the ballot.

On October 27, 2018, Politico reported that the State of Minnesota had not elected a Republican attorney general in more than 40 years, but added that Ellison was "putting that streak to the test." According to Politico, Ellison had been "rocked by accusations of domestic abuse" and had fallen behind Wardlow in a recent poll; Politico added that the race "revolves around Ellison and what voters make of the misconduct allegations he's facing."

Despite losing the state, Wardlow won five of eight congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats.

• 2018 Minnesota elections

• Elections & Voting - Minnesota Secretary of State

Official campaign websites

• Keith Ellison (DFL) for Attorney General
• Doug Wardlow (R) for Attorney General