Elections: 2006 Candidate Profiles

Minnesota - House (8)

District Geography | Summary | History | Outlook | Polls

James L. Oberstar (DFL, 16-term incumbent)

Website: www.oberstar.org

Rod Grams (Republican)

Website: www.gramsforcongress.com

Harry Welty (Unity)

Website: www.welty4congress.org

District Geography:

Minnesota's 8th Congressional District comprises the northeastern Iron Range counties: Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, St. Louis, Wadena, and the southeastern part of Beltrami County.

Summary:

Sixteen-term DFL incumbent James Oberstar serves as the highest-ranking democrat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Oberstar voted against the War in Iraq and is committed to bringing home U.S. troops as soon as possible, fiscal responsibility, making prescription drugs more affordable for seniors, and increasing the federal minimum wage.

Rod Grams has previously represented Minnesota's 6th District (defeating 10-year incumbent Democratic Gerry Sikorski in 1992) and the state in the U.S. Senate (replacing the retiring Dave Durenberger in 1996). A former anchorman at KMSP-TV in the Twin Cities, Grams owns three radio stations in Little Falls. Grams is campaigning for an air-tight border, economic development in the district, and slowing the growth of deficits and providing a balanced budget.

Harry Welty - a columnist and former school board member - is running under the Unity Party banner, although he has pledged to caucus with the Democratic Party if elected.

History:

Oberstar was first elected to Congress in 1974 when he filled the open seat left by 14-term congressman John A. Blatnik in Minnesota's 8th District. Oberstar beat his Republican opponent in that election, Jerome Arnold, by 35.8 points. Oberstar has outlasted his predecessor by winning a string of 16 straight elections, by an average victory margin of 46 points. The GOP has failed to field a candidate against Obserstar in two elections (1976 and 1978), and the closest a Republican candidate has come to beating Oberstar is 29.4 points in 1992 (Independent-Republican Phil Herwig). Oberstar has won by more than 40 points in 9 of his 16 campaigns, and beat 2004 GOP challenger Mark Groettum by 33 points.

Outlook:

The Oberstar-Grams matchup is intriguing, especially with Grams' attempt at a very novel House - Senate - House pathway to D.C. Oberstar - a fixture on the 8th District scene for generations - has five times more cash on hand ($475,000) than does Grams ($93,000).

Polls:

None.