The 2000 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on November 7, 2000 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of Minnesota. The race pitted incumbent Republican Senator Rod Grams against former Minnesota State Auditor Mark Dayton. Dayton won with 48.83% of the vote against Grams' 43.29%. Dayton declined to run for reelection in 2006 and later ran successfully in 2010 and 2014 for Governor of Minnesota. He was succeeded in the Senate by fellow Democrat Amy Klobuchar, who has held the seat ever since.
DFL primary
Mark Dayton, former Minnesota State Auditor
Michael V. Ciresi, attorney
Jerry Janezich, state senator
Rebecca Yanisch
Richard "Dick" Franson, city councilman
Oloveuse S. "Ole" Savior, artist and perennial candidate. Gregg A. Iverson
Results
Republican primary
Candidate
Rod Grams, incumbent U.S. Senator
William Paul "Bill" Dahn
Results
General election
Candidates
Mark Dayton (DFL), former State Auditor and former candidate for this seat in 1982 Rod Grams (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
Debates
Dayton and Grams had three debates. One on October 18, one on October 26, and one on November 3.
Results
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Aitkin (largest city: Aitkin) Big Stone (largest city: Ortonville) Grant (largest city: Elbow Lake) Lincoln (largest city: Tyler) Marshall (largest city: Warren) Pennington (largest city: Thief River Falls) Pine (largest city: Pine City) Polk (largest city: East Grand Forks) Pope (largest city: Glenwood) Red Lake (largest city: Red Lake Falls) Yellow Medicine (largest city: Granite Falls) Beltrami (largest city: Bemidji) Blue Earth (largest city: Mankato) Chippewa (largest city: Montevideo) Clay (largest city: Moorhead) Fillmore (largest city: Spring Valley) Freeborn (largest city: Albert Lea) Itasca (largest city: Grand Rapids) Koochiching (largest city: International Falls) Lac qui Parle (largest city: Madison) Mahnomen (largest city: Mahnomen) Nicollet (largest city: North Mankato) Rice (largest city: Faribault) Swift (largest city: Benson) Traverse (largest city: Wheaton) Winona (largest city: Winona) Kandiyohi (Largest city: Willmar) Jackson (Largest city: Jackson) Renville (Largest city: Olivia)