House District 18B
Candidates:
- Dean Urdahl - R (Campaign Finance Bd.)
- David Detert - DFL (Campaign Finance Bd.)
The district is approximately 60% rural, 40% towns and cities. Once considered a rural area, parts of the district have acquired a suburban/exurban flavor. There are still many farms, and agricultural-based jobs, especially grain, dairy and other livestock remain important. Tourism is a major economic factor, particularly in the Annandale area. Many residents commute to jobs in the Twin Cities. Housing is primarily single-family, though many towns have apartment complexes and housing for the elderly. The area is rich in Minnesota history. The Dakota Conflict of 1862 started in Acton Township in Meeker County. The district is dotted with lakes, and many metro-area residents have seasonal homes on them. Politically, this is a GOP district.
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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