Former Vice President Joe Biden is projected to secure Minnesota and its 10 electoral votes Tuesday, despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to take the state.
Minnesota hasn’t voted for a Republican president President Richard Nixon in 1972, and Trump came unexpectedly close to winning the state in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. Trump’s campaign made a major push for Minnesota, with Trump visiting the state numerous times throughout September and October. The Associated Press has now called the race for Biden.
Polls showed Biden with a solid lead in the state going into Election Day, according to FiveThirtyEight, putting Biden at 51.8 points and Trump at 42.7 points. (RELATED: NYT Polls Show Competitive Swing State Races, Biden Gaining Ground In Minnesota)
DULUTH, MN – SEPTEMBER 30: President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Duluth International Airport on September 30, 2020 in Duluth, Minnesota. The rally is Trump’s first after last night’s Presidential Debate. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Trump saw an opportunity in Minnesota thanks to the state’s large blue-collar working base. His major reelection pitch was to bring farming and manufacturing jobs to the state. Trump received several endorsements from Democratic mayors in the iron belt.
As with everywhere in the country, however, Republicans tend to take the rural areas in Minnesota and Democrats in turn take the cities. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul polled heavily for Biden, as well as the surrounding suburbs.