1990 United States Senate election in Minnesota

none March 2026 September 2023 1990 United States Senate election in Minnesota Minnesota File:Flag of Minnesota (1983-2024).svg 1983 presidential no 1984 United States Senate election in Minnesota 1984 1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota 1996 November 6, 1990 150x150px Wellstone (1).png Paul Wellstone Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party 911,999 50.49% Boschwitz Rudy.jpg Rudy Boschwitz Independent-Republicans of Minnesota 864,375 47.86% 1990 United States Senate election in Minnesota results map by county.svg 280px County resultsWellstone: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70%Boschwitz: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz Independent-Republicans of Minnesota Paul Wellstone Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party The 1990 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on November 6, 1990. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz was defeated by Democratic challenger Paul Wellstone in a tight race. Widely considered an underdog and outspent by a 7-to-1 margin, Wellstone was the only candidate to both defeat an incumbent senator and flip a seat in the 1990 election cycle; he gained national attention after his upset victory. The race was also notable as the first in the history of the U.S. Senate where both major-party candidates were Jewish. Wellstone was re-elected in 1996 in a rematch with Boschwitz. Background 1984 United States Senate election in Minnesota In 1984, despite Democrat Walter Mondale's narrow victory in the state in the concurrent presidential election,Raines Howell November 7, 1984 Reagan Wins By a Landslide, Sweeping at Least 48 States; G.O.P. Gains Strength in House https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/07/politics/reagan-wins-by-a-landslide-sweeping-at-least-48-states-gop-gains.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20170825144938/http://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/07/politics/07REAG.html?pagewanted=1 August 25, 2017 March 12, 2025 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331Balz Dan 2021-04-20 Mondale lost the presidency but permanently changed the office of vice presidency https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mondale-lost-the-presidency-but-permanently-changed-the-office-of-vice-presidency/2021/04/19/478b1a68-a17b-11eb-85fc-06664ff4489d_story.html 2025-05-26 The Washington Post en-US 0190-8286 Rudy Boschwitz won reelection to a second term, defeating Democratic challenger Joan Growe 58% to 41%.Ladd Thomas E. May 1, 1985 Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1984 https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1984election.pdf live https://web.archive.org/web/20210129075653/https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1984election.pdf January 29, 2021 March 11, 2025 Clerk of the United States House of Representatives 10Biden, Joseph Robinette (Joe), Jr. (1942–) https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=b000444 live https://web.archive.org/web/20250225204059/https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=b000444 February 25, 2025 March 11, 2025 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress The election was held as part of the midterm election cycle of Republican president George H. W. Bush's term.Dewar Helen Yang John E. November 6, 1990 The Senate Incumbents Win Control Remains with Democrats https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1990/11/07/the-senate/88a317b4-abae-4a7c-9a3c-f65fe6b52b54/ March 12, 2025 The Washington Post General election Candidates Russell Bentley, lumberjack and marijuana legalization activist (Grassroots) Rudy Boschwitz, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1979 (Independent-Republican) Paul Wellstone, professor at Carleton College and nominee for Minnesota State Auditor in 1982 (DFL) Campaign Paul Wellstone was considered to be a longshot candidate, being outspent by a margin of 7-to-1. Wellstone used grassroots campaigning tactics, and quirky campaign ads like "Fast Paul",Paul Wellstone TV Ad "Fast Paul" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbmMlTsKo30 en 2023-01-01 where he spoke quickly about himself and his platform, and "Looking for Rudy",North Woods Advertising - "Looking for Rudy" - Paul Wellstone for U.S. Senate (MN) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfZuplTlu4M en 2023-01-01 a two minute ad where he went searching for his opponent Rudy Boschwitz throughout Minnesota. Debates + 1990 United States Senate election in Minnesota debates No. Number Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey:black #90ff90  P  Participant  black #FFFFDD  A  Absent  black #ff9090  N  Not invited  black #CCFFCC  I  Invited #f0e68c W Withdrawn Rudy Boschwitz Paul Wellstone1 October 14, 1990 KMSP-TVLeague of Women Voters Beverly McKinnell C-SPAN P P2 October 18, 1990 Bob Potter C-SPAN P P Results General election resultshttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=3513 Our Campaigns - MN US Senate Race - Nov 06, 1990 Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Paul Wellstone 911,999 50.49% Independent-Republicans of Minnesota Rudy Boschwitz (incumbent) 864,375 47.86% Grassroots Party Russell B. BentleyThe Bizarre Story of How a Hardcore Texas Leftist Became a Frontline Putin Propagandist, Tim Dickinson Rolling Stone, March 3, 2022 (https://archive.today/20220303182411/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/russell-texas-bentley-putin-propaganda-ukraine-interview-1315433/ archive) 29,820 1.65% 1,806,194 100.00% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Independent-Republicans of Minnesota See also 1990 United States Senate elections References Category:1990 Minnesota elections Minnesota 1990