CSPG: Elections - 2006 Candidate Profiles - Minnesota

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Elections: 2006 Candidate Profiles

Minnesota - Senate

Summary | History | Outlook | Polls

Amy Klobuchar (DFL)

Website: www.amyklobuchar.com

Mark R. Kennedy (Republican)

Website: www.markkennedy06.com

Robert Fitzgerald (Independence)

Website: www.votefitzgerald.org

Michael James Cavlan (Green)

Website: www.cavlan.org

Ben Powers (Constitution)

Website: www.powers2006.info

Summary:

The Minnesota race for Senate is to fill the seat vacated by 1-term DFL Senator Mark Dayton.

Amy Klobuchar, the Hennepin County Attorney, is campaigning to start bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq, to strengthen Social Security, to promote homegrown energy resources, to increase benefits to veterans, to reform health care (expanding access, cutting costs), and to work for ethics reform in government.

Mark Kennedy, a three-term US Representative, is campaigning to promote agriculture in the state, to protect Social Security, to strengthen Medicare and pension system, to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil by encouraging renewable energy sources like ethanol, bio-diesel, and wind, and to close the door between Capitol Hill and the K Street lobbyists.

Robert Fitzgerald, a public access executive director, supports energy sovereignty, a balanced budget, a reduction in the national debt, and a more open governmental process. Fitzgerald also believes the Federal government has lost its ability to be flexible and responsive and that state and local governments need to be the vanguard of good government.

Michael James Cavlan, a nurse, supports of the passage of a bill for Universal Single Payer Health Care Plan for the entire nation.

Ben Powers, the Constitution Party candidate, is running a campaign that is pro-life, anti-gay marriage, pro-gun rights, pro-private property rights, against the income tax, and against omnibus legislation and unrelated rider amendments.

History:

Mark Dayton unseated 1-term GOP incumbent Rod Grams in 2000 by 5.5 points. Republicans have won 7 of the last 10 elections for US Senate, although the last two victories (2002, Norm Coleman; 1994, Rod Grams) were by 5 points or less. Third parties have had a strong showing in Minnesota Senate races in recent years, with candidates receiving at least 2 percent of the vote in 5 of the last 6 races.

Outlook:

Kennedy has raised more money than Klobuchar, although both candidates have adequately flooded the airwaves with their respective messages. During the past several weeks public polls have given Klobuchar a significant lead - often in double digits. Approximately 85 percent of Minnesotans have formed an opinion about each candidate, and nearly twice as many have an unfavorable view of Kennedy as they do of Klobuchar (Minnesota Poll, October 2006). All these factors - added in with the national mood towards the Republican Party - suggests the DFL will likely hold this seat in the US Senate in 2006.

Polls:

Poll	Date	Klobuchar	Kennedy	Fitzgerald	Other / No opinion	Sample	MoE
SurveyUSA⁵	November 3-5, 2006	56%	40%	2%	1% / 1%	710 LV	± 3.7
Minnesota Poll¹	October 31 – November 3, 2006	54%	34%	4%	1% / 7%	1027 LV	± 3.2
Rasmussen	November 1, 2006	54%	40%	N/A	6%	500 LV	± 4.5
Pioneer Press / MPR⁴	October 26-30, 2006	50%	40%	1%	2% / 7%	625 LV	± 4.0
Humphrey Institute³	October 23-28, 2006	55%	33%	3%	8%	663 LV	± 3.8
St. Cloud State	October 15-27, 2006	56%	31%	3%	4% / 5%	499 LV	± 4.0
Rasmussen	October 25, 2006	54%	39%	N/A	7%	500 LV	± 4.5
SurveyUSA⁵	October 21-23, 2006	55%	39%	3%	2% / 1%	606 LV	± 4.0
Minnesota Poll¹	October 6-11, 2006	55%	34%	3%	8%	818 LV	± 3.4
Rasmussen	October 4, 2006	53%	36%	6%	5%	500 LV	± 4.5
SurveyUSA⁵	September 25-27, 2006	51%	43%	2%	1% / 3%	616 LV	± 4.0
Zogby / WSJ	September 19-25, 2006	49%	40%	N/A	11%	718 LV	± 3.7
Pioneer Press / MPR⁴	September 18-20, 2006	52%	37%	1%	1% / 9%	625 LV	± 4.0
Humphrey Institute³	September 13-18, 2006	52%	36%	7%	6%	1023 LV	± 3.9
Minnesota Poll¹	September 13-15, 2006	56%	32%	3%	1% / 8%	820 LV	± 3.4
Rasmussen	August 28, 2006	47%	40%	8%	6%	500 LV	± 4.5
USA Today / Gallup	August 23-28, 2006	50%	40%	N/A	10%	790 LV	N/A
Rasmussen	August 1, 2006	50%	38%	5%	7%	500 LV	± 4.5
SurveyUSA²	July 21-23, 2006	47%	42%	8%	4%	616 RV	± 4.0
Minnesota Poll¹	July 6-11, 2006	50%	31%	3%	3% / 14%	813 LV	± 3.4
Rasmussen	June 26, 2006	47%	44%	N/A	2% / 7%	500 LV	± 4.5
Rasmussen	April 27, 2006	45%	43%	N/A	3% / 9%	500 LV	± 4.5
Rasmussen	February 14, 2006	45%	42%	N/A	5% / 8%	500 LV	± 4.5
Rasmussen	January 16, 2006	43%	42%	N/A	6% / 9%	500 LV	± 4.5
Rasmussen	December 14, 2005	48%	41%	N/A	4% / 7%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "Whom would you vote for if the election for U.S. Senate were held today, would you vote for Democrat Amy Klobuchar, Republican Mark Kennedy, or Independence Party candidate Robert Fitzgerald?"

2 "If the election for United States Senate were today, and the only three candidates on the ballot were Republican Mark Kennedy, DFL candidate Amy Klobuchar, and Independence Party Candidate Robert Fitzgerald, who would you vote for?"

3 "Suppose that the election for United States Senate was being held today. Would you vote for: Democrat Amy Klobuchar, Republican Mark Kennedy, or Independence Party candidate Robert Fitzgerald?"

4 "If the 2006 election for Senate were held today, for whom would you vote: Republican Mark Kennedy, DFL candidate Amy Klobuchar, Independence Party candidate Robert Fitzgerald, or Green Party candidate Michael Cavlan?"

5 "If the election for United States Senator were today, who would you vote for? Republican Mark Kennedy? DFL candidate Amy Klobuchar? Green Party candidate Michael Cavlan? Constitution Party candidate Ben Powers? Independence Party candidate Robert Fitzgerald? Or some other candidate?"