2000Flipped from RepublicanFinal results
2000 election for U.S. Senate in Minnesota
U.S. Senate · Minnesota
Mark Dayton (D) won with 48.8% of the vote, defeating Rod Grams (R) by 5.5 points, a seat Republicans won last time.
Mark DaytonDemocrat · winner
48.8%1,181,553
Rod GramsRepublican
43.3%1,047,474
James (jim) GibsonIndependent
5.8%140,583
David DanielsOther party
0.9%21,447
Rebecca EllisSocialist Workers
0.5%12,956
David SwanConstitution
0.4%8,915
Erik D. PakieserLibertarian
0.3%6,588
2,419,520 votes
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 2000
Races before and after
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
Money in this race
Each line compares the two campaigns on one scale.
Mark DaytonRod Grams
$12M
Raised by the campaign
$5.9M
$12M
Spent by the campaign
$6M
$83.4K
Cash on hand
$17.5K
Other candidates' campaigns: James (jim) Gibson $261.4K.
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 2000.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 2000
The candidates
Mark Dayton (D)Rod Grams (R)James (jim) Gibson (I)
Also on the ballot: David Daniels (Other party), 0.9%; Rebecca Ellis (Socialist Workers), 0.5%; David Swan (Constitution), 0.4%; Erik D. Pakieser (Libertarian), 0.3%