Stearns County

Stearns County is located in Central Minnesota and was established on February 20, 1855 by the Territorial Legislature. The county was intended to be named 'Stevens' after Washington Territorial Governor (1853-1857) Isaac Stevens but a legislative clerical error named it 'Stearns' instead after Territorial Council member (1854-1856) Charles Stearns. Saint Cloud is the county seat. Source: Stearns County website.

Notable candidates from Stearns County include:

  • Alphonso Barto (resident): Republican State Representative (1872-1874) and Lieutenant Governor (1874-1876)
  • Joanne Benson (resident): GOP State Senator (1991-1995) and Lieutenant Governor (1995-1999)
  • Louis L. Collins (born): Republican Lieutenant Governor (1921-1925)
  • Loren Warren Collins (resident): Republican State Representative (1881-1883) and Supreme Court Associate Justice (1887-1904)
  • Dave Durenberger (born): Independent-Republican U.S. Senator (1978-1995)
  • Michelle L. Fischbach (resident): Republican State Senator (1996-2018), Lieutenant Governor (2018-2021), and U.S. Representative (2021-present)
  • Charles A. Gilman (resident): Republican State Senator (1868-1870), State Representative (1875-1880, 1915-1917), and Lieutenant Governor (1880-1887)
  • Kittel Halvorson (resident): Farmers' Alliance State Representative (1887-1889) and U.S. Representative (1891-1893)
  • Stafford King (born): Republican State Auditor (1931-1969)
  • Harold Knutson (resident): Republican U.S. Representative (1917-1949)
  • Helen Meyer (born): Supreme Court Associate Justice (2002-2012)
  • Herman J. Mueller (resident): Supreme Court Clerk (1919-1923)
  • Richard Nolan (resident): DFL U.S. Representative (1975-1981) [Nolan was also elected to the State House from Morrison County and U.S. House from Crow Wing County]
  • George R. Smith (born): Republican State Representative (1903-1905) and U.S. Representative (1913-1917)


Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Legislative Districts

Congressional Districts
Starting Ending Districts
1858 1863 At-Large
1863 1873 CD 02
1873 1883 CD 03
1883 1893 CD 05
1893 1933 CD 06
1933 1935 At-Large
1935 1983 CD 06
1983 1993 CD 07
1993 2003 CD 02, 07
2003 2013 CD 06, 07
2013 2023 CD 06
2023 2033 CD 06, 07
Senate Districts
Starting Ending Districts
1858 1861 SD 20
1861 1872 SD 03
1872 1882 SD 31
1882 1891 SD 40
1891 1899 SD 45
1899 1915 SD 47, 54
1915 1963 SD 45, 46
1963 1967 SD 26, 27
1967 1973 SD 26, 51
1973 1983 SD 16, 17
1983 1993 SD 15, 16, 17, 21
1993 2003 SD 10, 11, 14, 16, 20
2003 2013 SD 13, 14, 15
2013 2023 SD 12, 13, 14
2023 2033 SD 12, 13, 14
House Districts
Starting Ending Districts
1858 1861 HD 20
1861 1872 HD 03
1872 1882 HD 31
1882 1891 HD 40
1891 1899 HD 45
1899 1915 HD 47, 54
1915 1963 HD 45, 46
1963 1967 HD 26, 27
1967 1973 HD 26A, 26B, 51A, 51B
1973 1983 HD 16A, 16B, 17A, 17B
1983 1993 HD 15A, 16A, 16B, 17A, 17B, 21A
1993 2003 HD 10B, 11B, 14A, 14B, 16A, 16B, 20A
2003 2013 HD 13A, 14A, 14B, 15A, 15B
2013 2023 HD 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B
2023 2033 HD 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B

Candidates

Candidate Birth county Residence county Elections
Abahsain, Jill Hennepin Stearns 2022, U.S. House, District 07, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)
2022, U.S. House, District 07, Primary (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
2020, State Senate, District 12, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)
Abeln, Lyle Stearns Hennepin 1980, State Senate, District 38, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)
1980, State Senate, District 38, Primary (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
1978, State House, District 38B, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)
1978, State House, District 38B, Primary (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
1976, State House, District 38B, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
1974, State House, District 38B, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
1974, State House, District 38B, Primary (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
Ahles, Peter Stearns Stearns 1922, State Senate, District 46, General (Nonpartisan, Won)
Ahmann, John J. Out of state Stearns 1910, State Senate, District 54, General (Democrat, Won)
1910, State Senate, District 54, Primary (Democrat, Won)
1906, State Senate, District 54, General (Democrat, Won)
Allen, Alanson Out of state Stearns 1874, State Senate, District 31, General (Republican, Lost)
Anderson, Bernt M. (B.M.) Out of state Stearns 1898, State House, District 54, General (Republican, Lost)
Anderson, David G. Hennepin Stearns 1972, State House, District 17B, Primary (Nonpartisan, Lost)
Anderson, Thomas J. (T.J.) Out of state Stearns 1916, Governor, General (Prohibition, Lost)
1916, Governor, Primary (Prohibition, Won)
1908, Lieutenant Governor, General (Prohibition, Lost)
Andrews, Christopher Columbus (C.C.) Out of state Stearns 1868, U.S. House, District 02, General (Republican, Lost)
1861, Governor, General (Write-In, Lost)
1861, Lieutenant Governor, General (Write-In, Lost)
Angstman, George L. Stearns Kanabec 1960, State House, District 55, General (Nonpartisan, Lost)
1960, State House, District 55, Primary (Nonpartisan, Won)
1958, State House, District 55, General (Nonpartisan, Won)
1958, State House, District 55, Primary (Nonpartisan, Won)
1956, State House, District 55, General (Nonpartisan, Won)
1956, State House, District 55, Primary (Nonpartisan, Won)
1939, State Senate, District 55, Special (Nonpartisan, Lost)