Visit Our Sponsors Races President Congress Legislature Audio Highlights President Bush's post-election news conference (11/4/04) President George W. Bush accepts his victory (11/3/04) Sen. John F. Kerry acknowledges his defeat (11/3/04) Sen. John Edwards (11/3/04) John Thune accepts S.D. Senate victory (11/3/04) Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) on his victory (11/2/04) Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) (11/2/04) Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-Minn.) (11/2/04) Patty Wetterling concedes (11/2/04) Sen. Mark Dayton's analysis of Minn. vote (11/2/04) Election Results See complete election returns from Minnesota and the U.S. Select A Candidate Select A Candidate Which candidates' views on the issues most closely match your own? Take our Select A Candidate survey. Conventions Democratic National Convention Republican National Convention Your Voice What goals would you set for President Bush? What focus would you like to see? What do you want from the 2004 administration?

MPR poll: Bush momentum builds over Kerry in Minnesota
As President Bush makes a three-city campaign swing through Minnesota, a new poll shows him with a narrow lead over Democrat John Kerry in the state. It's the first time Bush has led Kerry in the Minnesota Public Radio-St. Paul Pioneer Press poll. The slim two-point lead is within the poll's margin of sampling error, and pollsters say the race is still a toss-up. (09/16/2004)

Lillie defeats DFL incumbent Wasiluk in primary election
A DFL state representative who was caught on video tape drinking alcohol in his Capitol office has lost his primary election. Scott Wasiluk of district 55A lost to challenger Leon Lillie, a city council member from North St. Paul. Television cameras caught Wasiluk and three other people drinking in his office on the last day of the legislative session in May. Lillie's win over Wasiluk was the only upset victory over an incumbent state lawmaker in primary elections across the state. Turnout in the election was light. Morning Edition substitute host Perry Finelli spoke with upset winner Leon Lillie. (09/15/2004)

Bush spending little time in Washington
If you're looking for President Bush, don't bother searching the White House. Bush has not spent a full day in Washington since Aug. 2 - roaming the country rather than staying in the Oval Office as he seeks a second term. He'll be in Washington Wednesday to host a concert and reception at the White House. Then Bush hits the road again Thursday for a campaign swing through Minnesota. (09/14/2004)

Gov. Howard Dean
Former Democratic presidential contender and Vermont Gov. Howard Dean has said his failed presidential campaign threw the first punch in what could be "a real fight for the soul of the Democratic Party." In his new book, "You Have the Power," Dean advises his party to move to the left, and he claims that Americans are disenchanted with politics because they believe they can't make a difference. As you might guess from the title of his book, Gov. Dean disagrees. ( 09/14/2004)

Does Congress deserve its bad rap?
The 108th Congress has been called one of the least productive in history. But one scholar says the American institution is often misunderstood. ( 09/14/2004)

Nader supporters file petitions to put him on Minnesota ballot
Supporters of Ralph Nader's independent run for president on Monday filed petitions to get his name on the Minnesota ballot in November. The campaign needed 2,000 signatures from eligible voters and said it turned in 4,781. The secretary of state's office will need to confirm that the signatures are valid and that the voters are eligible. That's expected to take a couple of days. (09/13/2004)

The election and the poll numbers
While the race is still close, recent polls suggest that the presidential race is finally starting to break out of the equilibrium that has has marked it for months. New polls that showed George Bush holding a sizable lead in Arizona, for instance, have led many analysts to take it off the list of hotly contested battleground states altogether. What do the new numbers mean? What can we expect to see as the campaign pulls into its home stretch? ( 09/13/2004)

It's DFL right vs. left in Northeast Minnesota
The issues are similar, but the views are from two different directions in Northeast Minnesota's DFL primary for House District 6-A. The outcome could predict November's winner. (09/10/2004)

Non-profits try to mobilize voters
Minnesota non-profit organizations have launched their first-ever coordinated voter drive to get people to the polls in November. Non-profits say many of the people they serve don't vote, and they want to change that. Their goal is to contact 40,000 eligible voters, which could make a difference in what appears to be a close presidential race in the state. (09/09/2004)

Kerry campaigns in Rochester
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry campaigned in Rochester on Wednesday. He met with a group of approximately 150 local folks in the back yard of a Rochester residence. The meeting was advertised as about health care, but Kerry took questions and talked about topics such as immigration, the draft, and environmental protection. (09/08/2004)

Vice presidential candidates campaign in Minnesota
Vice President Dick Cheney and his Democratic challenger, John Edwards, brought their campaigns to Minnesota on Monday. Cheney spoke to a group of nearly 500 supporters at the Minnesota State Fair, while Edwards spoke to thousands of supporters at an AFL-CIO Labor Day rally in St. Paul. (09/06/2004)

Race for Minnesota's 2nd District takes shape
The race for President has been overshadowing some other campaigns in Minnesota. One of them is in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District. The contest between Republican John Kline and DFLer Teresa Daly mirrors many of the issues being discussed in the presidential contest. The war in Iraq is at the top of the list of issues that the two candidates are debating. (09/05/2004)

Presidential campaigning ramps up again in Minnesota
One day after President Bush formally accepted his party's nomination for re-election, the president and his surrogates have fanned across the country to launch the general campaign season. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was part of the team, landing in Minnesota to rally Republicans at the State Fair. Of course, Democratic candidate John Kerry was at the fair on opening day. And Vice-President Dick Cheney is expected there on Labor Day, while Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards will be across town at a Labor Day picnic on Harriet Island. MPR's Michael Khoo reports on the uptick in campaigning. (09/03/2004)

Side by side presidential rallies at the fair
Bush and Kerry supporters converge on Carousel Park for side by side presidential rallies and try to convince "Minnesota's last undecided voter." Gary Eichten is joined on stage by two political commentators for this special Minnesota Public Radio Day at the State Fair event. ( 09/03/2004)

The battle for the House
House Speaker Steve Sviggum and Minority Leader Matt Entenza will hold their second of several debates on who should control the Minnesota House of Representatives. Midmorning broadcasts live from the Minnesota State Fair. ( 09/03/2004)