After taking a pounding from Congressman Tim Walz in the 2012 general election, Republicans in the 1st Congressional District appear to be dusting themselves off and getting serious about preventing the Mankato Democrat from winning a fifth term.

St. Peter Democratic Rep. Terry Morrow went unchallenged last fall in his race for House District 19A, but his sudden retirement from the seat in December enticed nearly a dozen candidates to jump into the special election to replace him.

A few months ago, nobody thought Sen. Mike Parry could lose a congressional primary to Allen Quist. But he managed.

Minnesota’s reapportioned congressional map yielded one well-publicized surprise by placing the home of Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of the 6th Congressional District into the 4th District, which is represented by DFL U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum.

Longtime conservative stalwart Allen Quist put weeks of rumors to rest early Thursday morning at the Country Kitchen in Winona, where he officially launched his second run for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District.

Republican House Rep. Steve Drazkowski is not ruling out a run against Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz in 2012.

Sen. Steve Dille will probably not be bored when his 24 years at the Legislature officially come to an end next month. The first item on the 65-year-old Dassel Republican's post-Senate agenda is completing a biography of his grandfather.

Ranging in age from 24 to 65, new class presents a varied face

Chip Cravaack pulled off one of the most stunning political upsets in Minnesota history, knocking off 18-term U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar in the 8th Congressional District. The GOP challenger received 48 percent of the vote, besting the incumbent by nearly 5,000 votes.

Former Republican governors Al Quie and Arne Carlson both agree that they want Independence Party candidate Tom Horner in the governor's office next year, but they don't see eye-to-eye on who should sit in Congress represnting southern Minnesota.