U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad (left) and Jake Johnson (right).
(FOX 9) - Republican Rep. Brad Finstad is seeking a third full term as he faces DFL challenger Jake Johnson in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District.
Political analysts have said the race could end up being one of the tightest in Minnesota on Election Day as affordability concerns and pressure on farms has turned the Republican-leaning district into a potential toss-up spot.
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Minnesota 1st Congressional District election results
Results will start coming in after polls close at 8 p.m. Find live results below.
Who is Brad Finstad?
Rep. Brad Finstad has served the 1st Congressional District since 2022 after succeeding the late Jim Hagedorn. Finstad is a fourth-generation farmer from the New Ulm area. Before serving in Congress, Finstad was Minnesota's state director for USDA Rural Development.
Finstad is a University of Minnesota graduate who earned a degree in agriculture from the U. He is a father to seven children. He and his wife Jackie own an agriculture business in New Ulm and work with their extended family to run their family farm.
Who is Jake Johnson?
Jake Johnson grew up in Stewartville with 10 siblings and has taught high school math for 20 years. He and his wife, Molly, a paraprofessional, have four sons. His campaign says he mowed lawns and relied on Pell Grants to afford college at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Johnson has represented his fellow teachers as a bargaining team member for his union and served on the board of Minnesota Jump$tart Coalition, an organization that aims to improve the financial literacy for children and young adults.
Tight race?
By the numbers:
A SurveyUSA poll in mid-October showed Johnson with a slight lead in the race while showing Johnson also leading Rep. Finstad in favorability.
The poll was a surprise given the Republican lean of the district. Cook’s Partisan Voter Index rated the district as Republican +6 meaning it voted six percent more Republican in the previous two presidential elections than the national average. For comparison, the most Republican district in the country is R+33 (Alabama’s 4th District).
The Source: Information in this story comes from The Associated Press' election results, campaign websites and FOX 9 reporting.