Ellison faces another tough test in closely watched attorney general's race

Attorney General Keith Ellison attracted millions of dollars of TV attack ads and his allies responded with harsh critiques of Republican challenger Ron Schutz in a campaign year that also saw other intense downballot races.

While the governor’s office remained the top prize, the slate of other constitutional offices produced spirited contests for attorney general, secretary of state and auditor. Voters get the final say on Election Day.

All three offices have been held by Democrats for years. Minnesota hasn't had a Republican secretary of state or state auditor since 2007. The last Republican attorney general left office in 1971.

The Ellison-Schutz race was one both parties put enormous effort and expense into.

Ellison, a Democrat who won two previous races by small margins, braced for a tough campaign to hold onto the office for a third term. Schutz, a Twin Cities litigator with deep connections, put Ellison on the defensive over fraud in Minnesota’s social services programs.

Ellison branded Schutz as a rubber stamp for President Donald Trump’s administration. Through mid-October, outside groups had spent more than $12 million in the race. More six-figure infusions for ads and other voter persuasion efforts have been deployed on both sides since then.

Secretary of state race

Secretary of State Steve Simon is seeking a fourth term in office. Simon has served as the state’s chief election administrator as the Trump administration renewed attention on Minnesota’s elections.

His Republican challenger Tad Jude, a former legislator and ex-judge, argued Simon had politicized the office. Two minor party candidates were also on the ballot: Libertarian Chip Tangen and the Green Party’s Seth Kuhl-Stennes.

State auditor

For auditor, the main contest was between DFLer Zach Filipovich and Republican Scott Jensen. Filipovich is an accountant and former Duluth city council member. Jensen, a physician, originally announced he would run again for Minnesota governor before shifting course.

A third party candidate, the Forward Independence Party’s Jay Reeves, offered voters another option.

Both the state auditor’s race and attorney general’s race were among the narrowest victories for statewide office in the 2022 midterms. Both Ellison and current State Auditor Julie Blaha, who did not seek reelection this year, beat their Republican opponents by less than one percentage point.

• The rise of early voting in Minnesota
• What to expect in Minnesota on Election Day
• Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race plays into broader battle for chamber majority