Electoral Circumstances

  

Elections:

Last Election 2016:

Presidential Election:

1. Hillary Clinton - Total Votes:  1,367,716       Percent: 46.44%   
2. Donald Trump - Total Votes: 1,322,951        Percent: 44.92%

*District narrowly voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012

2nd Congressional District:

- Minnesota's 2nd congressional district has been Republican since 2001, with representatives John Kline, Mark Kennedy, and now Jason Lewis. However this statistic does not shed light on how much of a battleground district Minnesota's 2nd was this year.

Margin of Victory-  1.8%

Primary Election: 

Although this is Jason Lewis's first term, the outlook for the next primary in 2018 is looking fairly safe. Considering he will now have an incumbency advantage, and also won the last primary against three other candidates. The margin of victory in this primary was 18.2%, a strong victory. His popularity through his radio talk show, and now continuing his connections in office should gain him even more strength. 

Prediction: Safe

General Election:

Considering the margin of victory in this district last year (1.8%), I think it is safe to say that Jason Lewis is not safe with his seat come next election. Couple of things to consider are his incumbency advantage to win a greater portion of voters, his success in office, and the effects of the Republican party control of government today. If there is wide voter backlash on Republican actions in government this may make this area more of a battleground district during the next election. 

Prediction: Toss- up...... But the Incumbent will always win/ and history of Republican representatives for this district.. so basically safe seat for Jason Lewis. 

Campaign Finances: 

Total Campaign Contributions: 

• Angie Craig: $ 3,390,272

• Jason Lewis: $ 697,850

Cost Per Vote: 

- Angie Craig: $ 20.26

-Jason Lewis: $ 4.01

Major Issues:

• Jobs and Economy:   Excerpt: "You can’t tax and spend your way out of a tax and spend crisis. Moreover, overregulation is hampering business growth and stifling job creation... It’s time to get our economy working for all Americans, and that means making work pay again. It means encouraging capital formation right here at home instead of abroad. It means an end to substituting bailouts for bankruptcy for the well connected and instead unleashing the real engine of economic growth: small and medium-size businesses."
• Reforming the Tax Code: Excerpt: "Today’s IRS code–filled with loopholes and tax credits for every conceivable special interest–has over four million words...We need a flatter and fairer tax code that not only treats everyone the same, but encourages work, savings, and investment."
• Education: Excerpt: "Let’s not put our children on an education assembly line with one-size fits all bureaucratic testing. We need real changes–such as merit pay, collective-bargaining reform, seniority rules changes, and school choice–in order to best serve our children."
• Terrorism and Boarders: Excerpt: "The only way to keep our homeland safe, along with slowing the influx of criminals and drugs, is to enforce the laws on the books and secure the border. Further, the fiscal cost of unlawful immigration is simply unsustainable."
• Healthcare: Excerpt: "Empowering healthcare consumers should be issue one for any representative. And we do that by undoing the costly ACA ‘essential health benefits,’ allowing individuals to buy policies across state lines, and enacting true portability by changing the tax code."