Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District

Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District

Minnesota’s 2nd congressional district covers the south Twin Cities metro area and contains all of Carver, Scott, Le Sueur, Goodhue and Rice Counties. It also contains most of Dakota County and south Washington County including the cities of Cottage Grove and the southern part of Woodbury. Burnsville and Eagan are the largest cities in the district.

Three of Minnesota’s most important rivers run through the district, the Mississippi River, the Minnesota River, and the St. Croix River. Interstate highways I-35 E and I-35 W merge in the district in addition to the north-south thoroughfares of U.S. Routes 169, 61, and 52 and the east-west Route 212. The suburban areas in the northern part of the district blend into the rural farmland in the south. The district's economy includes agriculture, small businesses, and large corporations.

Some of the largest employers in the district are Thomson North American Legal, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Northwest Airlines, 3M, Lockheed Martin, Cambria, and Red Wing Shoes. The district includes Pine Bend Refinery, the largest oil refinery in Minnesota, owned by Koch Industries.

The 2nd District is also home to two private liberal arts colleges: St. Olaf and Carleton, both in Northfield. Minnesota's largest amusement park, Valleyfair, is in Shakopee, and Le Sueur, in the southwest part of the district, is the birthplace of the world famous Jolly Green Giant food products.

Two of Minnesota's oldest cities, Hastings and Red Wing are in the district. The district hosts heritage festivals and town celebrations, such as Kolacky days in Montgomery, the Pine Island Cheese festival, and Shakopee Derby Days.

Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District is currently represented by Republican John Kline (Lakeville), a retired United States Marine Corps Colonel. Kline was considered to be the most conservative member of the Minnesota delegation in the 109th Congress, scoring 100% conservative by a conservative group and 3% progressive by a liberal group. The district is Republican-leaning with a CPVI of R + 3.