The Associated Press called the Minnesota governor’s race for incumbent Democrat Tim Walz over Republican challenger Scott Jensen at 10:26 p.m. on election night Tuesday. With 95% of precincts reporting, Walz received 52% and Jensen received 44% of the votes, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State.

Walz’s victory extends the Democratic Party’s 12-year grip on the governor’s office. The last time a Minnesota Republican won statewide
office was in 2006, when Gov. Tim Pawlenty was reelected.

Democrat Ilhan Omar won her House of Representatives seat over Cece Davis Tuesday. Omar captured 74% of the vote, according to the Secretary of State.

Control of congress hung in the balance early Wednesday, with both parties notching victories in some of the most competitive
races in a midterm election that centered on voter frustration over high inflation and the sudden rollback of abortion rights.

Overall, 7 in 10 voters said the ruling overturning abortion rights was an important factor in their midterm decisions.

AP VoteCast, a broad survey of the national electorate, showed that high inflation and concerns about the fragility of democracy were heavily influencing voters.

Half of voters said inflation factored significantly, with groceries, gasoline, housing, food and other costs that have shot up in the past year. Slightly fewer — 44% — said the future of democracy was their primary consideration.

Orney Walked can be reached at walk3519@stthomas.edu.