We're home after a good day in Mankato; headlines in Minnesota's media spell out just how good it was. The Mankato Free Press reports in Walz wins second victory:
The 1st District had long been portrayed as a Republican-leaning district, a description that may need to change.
“I think so,” Walz said at midnight. “But I don’t think there should be any talk that it’s a Democratic district either. I think it’s a pragmatic district that wants to get things done.”
For the second straight election, Walz had a strong Democratic wind at his back. But he won every single county in the district, including deeply conservative counties in southwestern Minnesota. In Pipestone County, for instance, Walz was given a 1 percentage point win by voters who preferred John McCain over Barack Obama 55-42 percent.
On the verge of giving Walz a larger margin of victory than Gutknecht ever recorded, 1st District residents were quick to compliment the freshman lawmaker.
“He’s been doing a good job,” said Kris Frohling after voting at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mankato. “He thinks of the people. He’s a down-to-earth kind of guy.”
The Post Bulletin writes in Walz captures second House term:
As the results continued to pour in on Election Night, Walz credited his efforts on veterans' issues, the farm bill and transportation for his victory.
"This is a performance review of how you have done, and I am very humbled by it and very honored," he said. "But I think it sets the tone for what people expect. They are not really interested in partisanship. They are interested in what you are going to get done."
The Albert Lea Tribune says Walz turns back GOP challenge for 2nd term. KAAL-TV reports Walz Wins First District. The Worthington Globe reports:
First-term Democratic Rep. Tim Walz, representing the southern counties, beat conservative Republican Brian Davis. With 93 percent of the vote counted, Walz led 189,977 (63 percent) to 99,585 (33 percent).
Walz said he thinks one reason he won was because “I did not get involved in partisan politics.”
But, there was another reason he won so big: “There was a pretty good wind at Democrats’ backs overall.”
Democrats gained nearly 20 seats in the House, which Walz said should help Barack Obama to “have a vision.”
As midnight neared, Walz said that it is time to change gears from the campaign.
“Tomorrow we put the politics away,” he said. “We start working to find solutions.”
KEYC-TV reports Tim Walz holds Off Challenger Davis. The Post Bulletin's Greg Sellnow writes that Rochester reflects change on voters' minds. The Owatonna People's Press postes the AP story in Walz wins another term in the First District.
Rip and Read blogger Alex reflects on the races in In Which We Reach the End & A New Beginning: Election Day, 2008. G. R. Anderson gets Our Metro Wanker Award for his article in MinnPost.
Photo: Congressman Walz casts his ballot while his daughter Hope looks on. Photo by John Cross of the MFP.
And now a tune and shout out for Colin L., utter hip finance dude:
Wow! Great, great job on the part of Tim Walz and all members of the team. I'm really proud to have met so many great people at the Olmsted County DFL and my hat is off to everybody...wow.
Ollie replies: We're impressed, too.
We'd like to remind readers that Bluestem Prairie is a personal blog kept by a private individual.
Posted by: Alex Ball | November 05, 2008 at 11:02 PM