CQ Risk Rating: Republican Favored 
| GENERAL ELECTION: NOVEMBER 7, 2000 |
|
| Gil Gutknecht (R) | 159,835 | 56% |
| Mary Rieder (D) | 117,946 | 42% |
| Rich Osness (LIBERT) | 5,440 | 2% |
| PRIMARY ELECTION: SEPTEMBER 12, 2000 |
|
| | Votes | Percentage | | Democratic |
| Mary Rieder | 31,244 | 100% |
| | Republican |
| Gil Gutknecht | 17,824 | 100% |
Source: Congressional Quarterly. To suggest updates and corrections: politics.feedback@cq.com
Major Industry | Population | Cities | People | Race | Median Household Income | Unusual Features
MINNESOTA 1
:
Southeast - Rochester; part of Mankato
A spirit of independence characterizes the 1st, which occupies
Minnesota's southeastern corner and is bordered to the east by the
Mississippi River. The district supported moderate, liberal, conservative
and independent candidates simultaneously in the 1990s, electing a spectrum
ranging from liberal Sen. Paul Wellstone to independent upstart Gov. Jesse
Ventura. In 1992, 26 percent of voters supported Ross Perot.
Despite its strong independent streak, the 1st's mostly white and
middle-class population leans Republican on the state and congressional
levels. The GOP is heavily favored in Rochester, where the city's Mayo
Clinic-centered health care industry draws a large professional population.
Blue-collar residents who work for the meat-packing company Hormel in Mower
County form the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party stronghold. University town
Winona also supports the DFL.
Corn, soybean and dairy farmers throughout the district lean Republican
but are willing to exhibit an independent streak. The 1st's northern peak
includes an array of colleges in Mankato and Northfield and reaches
fractionally into metropolitan Minneapolis, where independent tendencies
intensify.
Major Industry
Agriculture, livestock, health care
Population
546,881 (1990)
Cities
Rochester, 75,638; Mankato, 31,271; Winona, 24,788 (1996)
People
47% rural, 39% suburban; 14% age 65+ (ranks fifth of eight in state; top
third nationally); 62% married couples, 30% married couples with children;
19% college educated (ranks fifth of eight in state; middle third
nationally); 52% white collar (ranks fifth of eight in state; bottom third
nationally), 26% blue collar (ranks third of eight in state; middle third
nationally) (1990)
Race
98% white, 0% black, 1% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)
Median Household Income
$28,403 (ranks fifth of eight in state; middle third nationally) (1990)
Unusual Features
Spam Jam observed in Austin, birthplace of Spam; Northfield hosts the
"Defeat of Jesse James Days" to commemorate the James gang being driven off
during an attempted robbery; World's largest ear of corn in Rochester.
Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)
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District 1
