Election 2018: No incumbent in Minnesota governor’s race
Tim Walz
U.S. Congressman Tim Walz (D-Mankato) is currently serving his sixth term representing Minnesota’s First Congressional District. The First Congressional District spans the southern part of Minnesota — from the South Dakota border in the west to the Wisconsin border in the east. Tim and Gwen live in Mankato with their two young children, Hope and Gus. He is the Ranking Member on Veterans’ Affairs and serves on the Agriculture Committee. He also is one of nine House Members to serve on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.
Walz has leadership posts with the National Guard and Reserve Caucus and the Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus. He has served on the past two Farm Bill conference committees. In 1989, Walz earned a B.S. in social science education from Chadron State College in Nebraska.
Walz spent 1989-1990 teaching high school in China as a part of the first government sanctioned groups of American educators to teach in China through a program at Harvard University. When he returned from China, Walz began teaching high school in Nebraska.
While in Nebraska, Walz met his wife Gwen Whipple (daughter of the Val Whipples of Ivanhoe). Married in 1994, Tim and Gwen Walz moved back to Gwen’s native southern Minnesota where both began teaching and coaching at Mankato West High School.
Since coming to Congress, Walz has made improving the care of our nation’s veterans a top priority. Rep. Walz has been recognized for his work in Congress with awards from AMVETS, the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, the American Cancer Society, the National Association of Development Organizations, the National Farmers Union and the Matthew Shepard Foundation. In 2017, he received the Harry S. Truman Award, presented by The National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS).
Among his top issues Walz said:
Military, Veteran Issues: We must also honor the sacred contract between a grateful nation and our veterans who made selfless sacrifices in defense of freedom and democracy.
Agriculture: Agriculture production is vital to the economy of southern Minnesota and farming is the heart of our rural communities. As a member of the House Agricultural Committee, I have worked to ensure that the farm policies being made in Washington make sense for southern Minnesota’s farmers and ranchers.
Civil Rights & Social Issues: Possibly the most elemental concept of our nation is that of individual liberty, or a right to live our lives however we choose. This extends to applying to any school we like; buying certain products at the grocery store; even putting whatever we want in our bodies. Economic Issues and Fiscal Responsibility: A strong economy is very important to our district and to my work in Congress.
Education: As a former teacher at Mankato West High School, I know that maintaining a strong education system is the backbone of our democracy. We need to ensure our schools have the funding they need to provide quality instruction in all subjects, like math, language arts and information technology. We also need to make sure important support services like counseling and professional development for teachers and principals are funded.
Energy: I firmly believe that American ingenuity will allow us to meet our energy needs, create jobs, and end our dependence on foreign oil. By working towards a sustainable and renewable energy economy we can ensure a brighter future for all Americans.
Environment & Conservation: As both a hunter and a fisherman, I understand firsthand the importance of protecting the natural wonders of southern Minnesota and the United States. Our environment is a resource that we must use and protect responsibly.
Jeff Johnson
Jeff Johnson (R-Plymouth), was born and raised in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota by wonderful, hard-working parents. His father still calls Detroit Lakes home, as does his sister and her family. Jeff graduated from Detroit Lakes High School in 1985, Concordia College in Moorhead in 1989 and Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C. in 1992. Jeff met the love of his life, Sondi, at Concordia and they have been married for 24 years.
They have two boys, Thor (19) and Rolf (15), and they reside in Plymouth with their bulldog Chester (7). From 2000 to 2006 Jeff served in the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he was elected Assistant Majority Leader by his colleagues.
In the House, he fought for conservative principles and was the chief sponsor of several successful bills to limit government power, cut taxes, and combat the methamphetamine epidemic that was gripping the state. In 2011, Jeff was elected by Republicans in Minnesota to represent them at the Republican National Committee.
In 2014, he was Minnesota’s Republican nominee for Governor.
While falling just short of defeating incumbent Governor Mark Dayton, he raised more money than Dayton in 2014 and won independent voters by 10%. As a firm believer in term limits, Jeff is currently serving his final term as a Hennepin County Commissioner. Hennepin County is one of the largest counties in the country and Jeff is one of seven commissioners who oversee a nearly $2 billion annual budget.
As the most conservative voice on the board, he is sometimes in a minority of one and is always engaged in the fight for fiscal sanity and responsibility, increased government accountability and requiring that county programs actually produce measurable results. Here’s what he calls, “My Principles”:
Some of the core principles that guide my thinking on government and the issues: I believe that government can only exercise authority granted to it in the Constitution. I believe that people make better decisions about how to spend the money they earn than government. I support school choice and the empowerment of parents to control the education of their children. I believe the right to keep and bear arms for personal protection is a fundamental individual right. I am pro-life. My Christian faith guides every decision I make.
Among his top issues are:
Community Values: Both Jeff’s faith and commitment to volunteering in his community have been a critical part of his life. He has tutored in homeless shelters in D.C., Chicago, and Minneapolis and coached youth football, baseball and soccer (16 teams in all over a 12-year period). He’s taught Sunday School and confirmation, led small group Bible studies and been active in his church’s music program. Jeff has also served on a number of volunteer community boards and organizations including Young Life, Plymouth Christian Youth Center and Concordia’s Alumni Board. Government’s appetite for overspending in Minnesota goes hand in hand with the desire to push government programs and regulations into every corner of our lives.
Taxes & Spending: I believe we need to cut taxes and reduce the size and power of government. We’ll start by cutting income taxes, the death tax and license tab fees, ending the taxation of social security benefits and instituting an Automatic Taxpayer Refund when government over-taxes Minnesotans.
Jobs: All Minnesotans deserve an economy where hard work is the only limit to success. The way to achieve this is to create an environment that encourages our small-business owners and embraces both the jobs of today and tomorrow. Our government has failed miserably to do this and instead has been a direct obstacle--this changes on Day One of the Johnson Administration.
Education: We will radically simplify our K-12 education funding formula, start to eliminate some of the many state mandates on our schools and teachers, and do everything possible to allow real education choice for every parent in Minnesota. As governor, I will confront head-on the political indoctrination of our kids in some of our public schools.
Healthcare: MNsure has been a complete disaster and has proven that new approaches are desperately needed. I will work to return the power over health care to patients and citizens, and take advantage of federal waivers allowing Minnesota to abandon the provisions of Obamacare that have limited choice and increased costs. I will also start negotiating with other Midwestern states to increase competition by creating an interstate compact to sell and buy insurance across state lines.
Agriculture & Natural Resources: Minnesota’s economy was built on agriculture and our natural resources. Yet, government is doing little but getting in the way of people who work the land. I grew up in rural Minnesota. I know what a blessing our natural resources are, and that the people whose livelihoods depend upon using them are better stewards of the land than any bureaucrat in St. Paul. I believe we can have copper/nickel mining in Northern Minnesota AND protect our environment. I’ll be an advocate as governor to move these projects forward.