Minnesota presidential primary
A Minnesota presidential primary has been held five times: 1916, 1952, 1956, 1992 and 2020. The state of Minnesota has normally held presidential caucuses instead. On May 22, 2016 Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed a bill that reinstated a presidential primary starting in 2020[1].
1916
The first Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, March 14, 1916. Along with the Democratic and Republican parties, the Prohibition Party also held a primary. The Progressive Party (Bull Moose) was eligible to hold an election but no candidates filed.
Winners
- Democratic Party: Woodrow Wilson
- Prohibition Party: William Sulzer
- Republican Party: Albert B. Cummins
1952
The second Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, March 18, 1952.
Winners
- Democratic Farmer Labor Party: Hubert Humphrey "favorite son candidate"
- Republican Party: Harold Stassen
1956
The third Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, March 20, 1956.
Winners
- Democratic Farmer Labor Party: Estes Kefauver
- Republican Party: Dwight Eisenhower
1992
The fourth Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, April 7, 1992. The closed primary was binding for the Independent- Republicans Party, but for the Democratic Farmer Labor Party it was only a "beauty contest" as the DFL awarded its delegates at a March 3 caucuses to Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa[2].
Winners
- Democratic Farmer Labor Party: Bill Clinton
- Independent Republican Party: George H. W. Bush
2020
The fifth Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. However, controversy over the Republican Party of Minnesota excluding challengers to President Trump[3] sparked a legal challenge by James Martin, a voter and Rocky De La Fuente, a presidential candidate[4] jeopardizing the Minnesota Secretary of State from being able to print the ballots for both the Democratic and Republican primary elections[5].
Winners
- Democratic Farmer Labor Party: Joe Biden
- Republican Party: Donald Trump
References
- ^ AP (May 22, 2016). "Dayton Signs Law Moving Minnesota To Presidential Primary". StarTribune.com. Star Tribune. Archived from the original on May 24, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- ^ Berke, Richard (February 29, 1992). "The 1992 Campaign". NYTimes.com. New York Times. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- ^ Condon, Patrick (October 31, 2019). "Minnesota Republican Party leaves Trump challengers off presidential primary ballot". StarTribune.com. Star Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- ^ Montemayor, Stephen (December 14, 2019). "Petition takes aim at state GOP's decision to limit 2020 primary choices to President Trump". StarTribune.com. Star Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- ^ McKinney, Matt (December 20, 2019). "Challenge to Minnesota's Trump-only Republican ballot leaves early voting in limbo". StarTribune.com. Star Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
State officials warned the Supreme Court in papers filed this week that unless the ballot question is settled 'within the first few days of January,' they may not have enough time to print and distribute ballots for the start of early voting on Jan. 17.