With the beginning of the candidate filing period on May 20, the official 2014 elections calendar has begun. Candidates will have until June 3 to file for partisan offices.
Both the DFL and Republican parties will have their state conventions on the same dates, May 30 to June 1. The DFL will convene in Duluth while the Republican Party will hold their convention in Rochester.
The entire Minnesota House of Representatives is up for election in 2014. So far, ten Republicans have announced their retirements from the House, while four DFLers have decided not to run again. Democrats currently hold a 73 to 61 margin of control.
There are no seats in the State Senate up in 2014. The DFL controls the Senate by a margin of 39 to 28.
Statewide offices on the ballot in 2014 include Governor Mark Dayton and his new running mate, Tina Smith, as well Attorney General Lori Swanson and Auditor Rebecca Otto. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie announced that he will not be seeking re-election and Representatives Deb Hilstrom and Steve Simon are seeking the DFL endorsement for that office.
Regardless of the outcome at the Republican convention, it is expected that there will be a highly contested primary election on August 12 for the Republican nomination for Governor. Current candidates include Representative Kurt Zellers, former Representative Marty Seifert, Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, Senator Dave Thompson, and businessman Scott Honour.
United States Senator Al Franken (D) will be seeking re-election. Candidates for the Republican endorsement for the U.S. Senate include Senator Julianne Ortman, businessman Mike McFadden, St. Louis County Board Chair Chris Dahlberg and Representative Jim Abeler. A primary for the Republican Senate nomination is also likely.
