Better Know a Senate District: 27

The new Senate district 27 consists of 89% of the old SD27, so not only did the district change little, but even the number stayed the same!

In addition to the old 27, 5% of the new district came from SD24, 4% from SD29 and 2% from SD26.

The district voted for President Obama over John McCain, 58%-39% and the district’s hPVI is D+5.

The Senate Race

Senator Dan Sparks

Linden Anderson

Dan Sparks was first elected in 2002, by two votes over incumbent Grace Schwab. In 2006 he cruised to re-election with 68% of the vote, and last year in the big red wave he got 61%.

Via the wonders of the newly public campaign finance reports we know that Senator Sparks has so far raised $10,575 this year, with $3,040 of it coming from individual contributions and he ends the reporting period with just under $14,795 cash on hand.

His opponent, first time candidate Linden Anderson, raised $5,600 this year, with $5,375 coming from individual contributions and he ends the period with $3,260 cash on hand.

It’s a little bit of a red flag when an opponent out-raises an incumbent in individual contributions, but you would have to completely ignore Dan Sparks past history of electoral success in what is essentially the same district. This is a safe DFL seat.

The House Races

A side

Representative Rich Murray

Shannon Savick

Freshman Republican Rich Murray, who beat incumbent Robin Brown by 57 votes in 2010, occupies the most Democratic seat that any incumbent Republican is seeking re-election in, thanks to John Kriesel’s retirement.

The A side of this district is more Republican than the B side, but it’s still a D+3 seat that went for Obama with 57% of the vote.

Representative Murray raised a total of $9,099 this year, with $8,399 of it coming from individual contributions. He ends the reporting period with $13,636 cash on hand.

Former Wells mayor Shannon Savick, raised a total of $8,445 this year, with $5,345 of it coming in the form of individual contributions. She ends the reporting period with $6,932 cash on hand.

Despite the district’s DFL tilt and Rep. Murray’s slim 2010 margin, I think this race still belongs in the toss-up category.

B side

Representative Jeanne Poppe

Nathan Neitzell

Jeanne Poppe is running for her fifth term, having first been elected in 2004, beating incumbent Jeff Anderson 52%-48%. She had lost to him in 2002, 51%-49%.

Anderson tried to reclaim his seat in 2006 and Representative Poppe beat him by an even wider margin 56%-44%. She won in 2008 with 66% and 2010 with 58%.

This is the Democratic side of the district, having given President Obama 60% of the vote and has an hPVI of D+8.

Jeanne Poppe raised $2,000 this year, $250 of it coming from individual contributions. She has just under $6,913 cash on hand. Nathan Neitzell raised $2,519 this year, $2,290 of it coming from individual contributions. He ends the period with $1,815 cash on hand.

This is a safe DFL seat.