MPR’s Mark Zdechlik prepared this documentary, looking back at Minnesota's battleground role in the 2004 race for the White House.

Until 2004, Minnesota had largely been on the sidelines when it came to contested states in presidential elections... At least for the past couple of generations. Largely because of Minnesota's prominent national politicians, Mondale, Humphrey, McCarthy -- the state had been taken for granted by both parties as solidly Democratic when it came to presidential politics. The 2004 race proved Democrats and Republicans now view Minnesota as a state that could go either way. That's why the presidential campaigns spent so much time and money here.