CQ Risk Rating: Safe Democrat 
| GENERAL ELECTION: NOVEMBER 7, 2000 |
|
| James L. Oberstar (D) | 210,094 | 68% |
| Robert Lemen (R) | 79,890 | 26% |
| Mike Darling (I) | 19,667 | 6% |
| PRIMARY ELECTION: SEPTEMBER 12, 2000 |
|
| | Votes | Percentage | | Democratic |
| James L. Oberstar | 64,189 | 100% |
| | Republican |
| Robert Lemen | 7,197 | 50% |
| Warren L. Nelson | 7,179 | 50% |
Source: Congressional Quarterly. To suggest updates and corrections: politics.feedback@cq.com
Major Industry | Population | Cities | People | Race | Median Household Income | Unusual Features
MINNESOTA 8
:
Northeast - Iron Range; Duluth
The expansive 8th covers about 26,000 square miles, encompassing
Minnesota's entire northeastern quadrant. The mostly rural district
stretches across land that includes flat farmland, bluffs and lakes. Its
largest city, Duluth, is the shipping point for much of the grain from the
Plains states.
Blue-collar Iron Range workers with strong ties to labor cement the
8th's long affiliation with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The 8th has
not sent a Republican to Congress since 1945.
Tribulations of the steel and auto industries hurt the 8th in the 1980s,
and populations continued to decline slightly in the 1990s. Increased mining
productivity and the arrival of the aviation industry - including a
Northwest Airlines maintenance base in shipping center Duluth - have helped
the economy rebound.
The southern end of the district grew in the 1990s by attracting Twin
Cities commuters. These residents are willing to stray from the 8th's solid
DFL stance, more readily offering support to independent candidates. Swedes,
Norwegians, Germans and American Indians add some diversity to the district,
and American Indians enliven the economy with casinos. Huge tracts of the
district's land are designated as state and national forests.
Major Industry
Mining, timber, aviation, agriculture
Population
546,795 (1990)
Cities
Duluth, 83,699; Hibbing, 17,600; Elk River, 14,892 (1996)
People
60% rural; 16% age 65+ (ranks second of eight in state; top third
nationally); 61% married couples, 28% married couples with children; 14%
college educated (ranks seventh of eight in state; bottom third nationally);
49% white collar (ranks sixth of eight in state; bottom third nationally),
31% blue collar (ranks first of eight in state; top third nationally) (1990)
Race
97% white, 0% black, 0% Asian, 2% American Indian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)
Median Household Income
$24,472 (ranks seventh of eight in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)
Unusual Features
Actress Judy Garland from Grand Rapids; Singer Bob Dylan and former Boston
Celtics basketball player Kevin McHale grew up in Hibbing; The nation's only
gas station designed by Frank Lloyd Wright located in Cloque; World's
largest hockey stick adorns Eveleth.
Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)
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District 8
