House District 12A
Candidates:
- John Ward - DFL (Campaign Finance Bd.)
- David Pundt - R (Campaign Finance Board
100% rural, although Brainerd has an increasingly urban feel. The richest deposits of manganese in Minnesota are located in this district. Brainerd is a regional commercial center and a starting point for tourists visiting area lakes. This lakes region has become a hot spot for retiring Minnesota seniors, making their issues important to the district. Investments in lake homes generate environmental concerns as well. Politically, this is a swing district, although Republicans do well in Presidential elections. Because the northern part of the district is close to mining operations there are many union members in the Crosby area. Brainerd and Baxter have grown more conservative as new residents move in.
To get a much better picture of each candidate's prospects, your best bet is to order the 2007-2008 Politics in Minnesota Directory, which includes election histories for each incumbent, the vote percentages for major candidates in each district and much more in addition to the maps and district descriptions below. Buy the Directory here. Please note that the district maps and written descriptions are copyrighted. We encourage you to link to the pages, but printing them for dissemination requires the permission of the publisher. To get permission, write to staff@politicsinminnesota.com.
Also, please note that some incumbents do not yet have opponents. Candidate filings close July 15, 2008.
Morning Reports
