Why It Matters

Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) won reelection to Minnesota's 8th Congressional District on Nov. 3, keeping the seat in Republican hands. The Associated Press called the race at 7:11 a.m. on Nov. 4. ​

Stauber's victory secured him a fifth term representing northeastern Minnesota, even as Democrats regained control of the U.S. House nationally. The change in House leadership will place Stauber in the minority when the new Congress convenes in January, potentially limiting his influence over the chamber's legislative agenda and committee priorities.

The Result

According to the Minnesota secretary of state's unofficial results, with all 834 precincts reporting as of 1:38 p.m. on Nov. 4, Stauber received 190,744 votes, or 53.07%, compared with 168,350 votes, or 46.84%, for Democrat Trina Swanson.

Stauber led Swanson by 22,394 votes, approximately 6.2 percentage points. An additional 359 write-in votes were recorded. The margin was substantially narrower than Stauber's previous reelection victories. According to MPR News, it was his closest race since he first won the district in 2018. The district includes Duluth, the Iron Range, Brainerd and Bemidji, along with much of northern Minnesota. Once a Democratic stronghold supported by organized labor, the district has shifted toward Republicans in recent elections.

The Primary

Swanson won the Aug. 11 Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary with 54,413 votes, or approximately 77.2%, defeating Luke Gulbranson, who received 11,888 votes, and John Munter, who received 4,149 votes.

Stauber also faced a primary challenger, defeating Anthony Hamilton with 58,139 votes, or approximately 86.4%, compared with Hamilton's 9,121 votes. A third candidate, Debra Topping, was listed as an unaffiliated write-in candidate in the general election rather than appearing by name on the printed ballot.

The Incumbent's Record

Stauber has represented Minnesota's 8th Congressional District since January 2019. Before entering Congress, he served as a Duluth police officer and St. Louis County commissioner. Stauber has been a vocal advocate for northeastern Minnesota's mining industry, particularly proposals to expand domestic production of copper, nickel and other critical minerals.

On Jan. 12, Stauber introduced H.J. Res. 140, a Congressional Review Act resolution seeking to overturn a Biden administration moratorium on new mineral leasing across approximately 225,500 acres of the Superior National Forest near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The House passed the resolution Jan. 21 by a vote of 214-208, and the Senate approved it April 16 by a vote of 50-49. President Donald Trump signed the measure into law April 27, overturning the federal land withdrawal.

Supporters, including Stauber, argued that reversing the restrictions would protect mining jobs and strengthen domestic critical mineral production. Environmental organizations and opponents of the resolution warned that copper-nickel mining in the surrounding watershed could threaten water quality and the Boundary Waters ecosystem. Stauber's position on mining remained central to the campaign. MPR News reported on Nov. 4 that his advocacy for the industry had defined his congressional tenure.

Campaign Context

Swanson, an attorney from Hermantown, previously worked for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and rose to director of international operations.

According to MPR News, Swanson left the agency following disagreements with the Trump administration's immigration policies. Her campaign emphasized health care, education, child care, economic development, and employment opportunities in northern Minnesota. Swanson also supported the region's mining industry while advocating protections for the Boundary Waters, reflecting the district's competing economic and environmental interests.

Pre-Election Indicators

The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated Minnesota's 8th Congressional District Solid Republican heading into Election Day, while Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the seat Safe Republican. Despite those ratings, Stauber won by his narrowest margin since his first congressional campaign.

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