Minnesota's 3rd congressional district

Minnesota's 3rd congressional district encompasses the suburbs of Hennepin County to the north, west, and south of Minneapolis. With blue collar Brooklyn Park and Coon Rapids to the north, middle-income Bloomington to the south, and higher-income Eden Prairie, Edina, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Minnetrista, and Wayzata to the West, it features a mixed characteristic. Republican Erik Paulsen currently represents the district in the U.S. House of Representatives, having been elected in 2008.

Election of 2008

The district leans slightly Republican with a CPVI of EVEN. However, 53% of people in the district voted for Barack Obama in 2008, equal to his share of the national popular vote. On September 17, 2007, incumbent Republican Jim Ramstad announced he would not seek reelection in 2008. On November 4, 2008, Republican Erik Paulsen defeated Democrat Ashwin Madia to replace Ramstad.

Election of 2010

On April 10, 2010 the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Party endorsed Jim Meffert to run for the seat, while the GOP endorsed Paulsen for another term.