It’s a five-way race in today’s primary election between Democrats vying to be on the ballot for U-S House this November in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. Hamline University analyst David Schultz says former State Representative Joe Radinovich probably has the best name recognition, but Schultz adds the 8th District is very complex: “We’ve got sort of Duluth, we’ve got part of the Iron Range, then we have the northern suburbs of really the Twin Cities. It’s almost like three districts in one.”Schultz says all the major Democratic contenders come from somewhat different geographic bases. Also in the race are Jason Metsa, Kirsten Kennedy, Michelle Lee and Soren Sorenson. The winner squares off against Republican Pete Stauber in November.
Schultz says the 8th is one of a handful of truly swing congressional districts in the U-S. “It’s one that the Democrats need to hold to take back the [U-S] House, and one that the Republicans have a decent shot potentially at winning,” he says.