It is a primarily rural district built on a strong history of agriculture, though this is changing rapidly due to population growth in the Rochester combined statistical area.

From the state's early years until after the 2000 census, the district encompassed only southeastern Minnesota.

In 2006, Republican Representative Gil Gutknecht lost to Democrat Tim Walz.

On paper, the district leans Republican, with a CPVI of R+7, but some recent elections have been among the closest in the nation, with victories by less than a single percentage point in both 2016 and 2018.

[5] In the 2022 general election, Republican Brad Finstad defeated the Democratic nominee by 11.5 points.