House District 16B
- Mary Kiffmeyer - R [Endorsed] (Campaign Finance Bd.)
Mark Olson- R (Campaign Finance Bd.)- Bruno Gad - DFL (Campaign Finance Bd.)
- Steve Andrews - DFL [Endorsed] (Campaign Finance Bd.)
Rural/exurban. Once an area marked by distinct small town identities, the district now has a suburban flavor because many residents commute to St. Cloud or the Twin Cities. Along with extensive growth has come major traffic congestion and the proposed Northstar commuter rail line which would run from the Twin Cities and end in Big Lake. Sherburne County's population increased from 18,344 in 1970 to 67,000-plus in 2000. The county spent decades encouraging that growth, touting the area's good schools, choice real estate, transportation corridors, and parks and open spaces. The district grew by 11,000 people between redistricting periods - a 33-percent growth rate over a decade. Politically, this is a firmly Republican district because of the many social conservatives and sportsmen.
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.
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