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MINNESOTA
The American Conservative Union is taking our highly touted Congressional Ratings program to State Legislatures for the third year in a row, grading members on their votes on key conservative issues. Last year, we graded State Legislators in fifteen critical states, including Colorado, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. This year, we are expanding our ratings to twenty states. ACU first began rating members of Congress in 1971. Since then, our ratings system has become the most important conservative measuring stick in American politics -- the gold standard for voters seeking more information on their representatives records. Throughout the history of our conservative ratings program, the ACU has also become the go-to source for determining whether an elected officials philosophical rhetoric matches his or her record. Our guides provide a comprehensive analysis of the legislative landscape over the preceding year. This differentiates us from other useful guides which may emphasize single areas, like taxes, defense, or Table of Contents social policy. Our annual matrix covers issues running the gamut of legislative action, including domestic energy production, healthcare, government reform, climate change, border security, foreign policy, and social issues. These issues are carefully selected to ensure legislators are scored and rated on the bellwether conservative topics they voted on over the course of the year. This expansion of our Conservative Ratings program is part of Chairman Al Cardenas vision for building on successful ACU initiatives and taking the fight for conservative principles to the state and local levels. Eventually we will bring our ratings to all fifty states -- scoring every legislature in every state, every year.
ACU Board Members A Letter From The Chairman How We Selected the Votes Conservative All-Stars MN House Vote Descriptions House Scores MN Senate Vote Descriptions Senate Scores
2 3 4 4 6 8 13 15
American Conservative Union 1331 H St. NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005 (202) 347-9388 conservative.org
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November 21, 2013 Dear Fellow Conservative, On behalf of our Board of Directors, I am pleased to present the American Conservative Unions 2013 State Legislative Ratings for members of the Minnesota State Legislature.
Since 1971, our Congressional ratings have become the gold standard in holding every member of Congress accountable for their voting record on the most important issues facing our nation. Last year we brought that same commitment to conservative ideals to the states, rating members in fifteen legislatures. I am pleased to report that this year we will score 20 states. This is part of the ACU plan to bring our ratings to all 50 states -- scoring every legislature in every state, every cycle. There could not be a more critical time for conservatives to evaluate Americas leadership and hold them accountable for their actions. Our economy, our international standing, our very moral fiber are weaker because this administration has put us on a course to bigger government, less freedom, and an abandonment of traditional values. With our government expanding faster now than at any time in our countrys history, the ACU intends to continue to play a major role in giving the American people the tools they need to make informed voting decisions at every level of government. While some may be disheartened by the results of Novembers elections, conservatives found themselves in a similar situation after President Obama first took office in the spring of 2009. The cause of conservatism dramatically reasserted itself in the 2010 elections, with conservative legislators winning an unprecedented number of elections nationwide. Because of this, our 2013 State Legislative Ratings are vital for voters to make informed choices on the future of our nation. We can come back even stronger in 2014, but only if we start our march toward victory now. Thank you for your continued support. I know that together we can ensure Americas best days are still ahead. Sincerely,
1331 H Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005 Tel: (202) 347-9388 Fax: (202) 347-9389 www.conservative.org
Minnesota House of Representatives: Albright M. Anderson P. Anderson S. Anderson Beard M. Benson Daudt Dean Dettmer
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ACU Conservatives
ACU Conservatives are those members of the Minnesota State Legislature who scored 80 percent or higher on the ACU 2013 State Legislative Ratings. Minnesota Senate: Dahms Miller J. Pederson B. Petersen Rosen Ruud Weber
Minnesota House of Representatives: Barrett Cornish Davids FitzSimmons Garofalo Gunther Howe Kelly Kieffer Kiel Kresha Loon Mack McDonald McNamara ONeill Sanders Schomacker Theis Torkelson Uglem Urdahl Woodard Zellers Zerwas
Minnesota House of Representatives: Anzelc Atkins J. Benson Bernardy Carlson, Sr. Dehn Falk Freiberg Hausman Hilstrom Hornstein Hortman C. Johnson S. Johnson Kahn Laine Lenczewski Lesch Mariani Melin Morgan Paymar Persell Radinovich Simon Simonson Slocum Sundin Thissen
MINNESOTA 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS 9. HF 976 Environment and Natural Resources. This bill increased permanent spending and included numerous fee increases as well as the establishment of new fees. The ACU opposes permanent spending increases and opposes government increasing revenue through the use of fees. The bill passed the House on May 18, 2013 by a vote of 71-60 10. SF 489 Omnibus Pensions Bill. This bill provides bailouts for the Duluth and St. Paul teachers pension funds and May 3, 2013. ACU opposes these bailouts that do nothing to solve the fundamental problems facing public employee pensions and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on May 18, 2013 by a vote of 78-53. 11. HF 729 Omnibus Jobs Bill. This bill is a state level stimulus bill that allows government to pick winners and losers in the marketplace, adds solar power mandates that drive up the cost of electricity, and provides a bailout for the St. Paul RiverCentre convention center. ACU opposes this type of government interference in the marketplace and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on May 15, 2013 by a vote of 73-59. 12. HF 799 Electoral College. This bill would enter Minnesota in a compact with other states to cast Minnesotas electoral votes for the winner of the national popular vote for president, regardless of the majority vote within Minnesota. ACU opposes this proposal that works against our federal system of government and deprives the people of Minnesota a say on the presidential election and so opposed this bill. The House defeated the bill on May 8, 2013 by a vote of 62-71.
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HF 5 HF 1054 SF 778 HF 677 (Property Tax Relief Amdt.) HF 677 HF 9 HF 630 HF 976 SF 489 HF 729 HF 799 HF 630 (Religious Liberty Amdt.)
ACU Votes
Votes Cast
ACU %
ABELER + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 12 12 12 0 0 11 12 0 12 0 1 1 0 1 10 12 10 1 11 0 12 1 1 11 1 1 12 + 1 + + + + + + + + + 12 + + + + X + 8 + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12
73% 100% 8% 100% 100% 100% 0% 0% 92% 100% 0% 100% 0% 10% 8% 0% 8% 83% 100% 83% 8% 100% 0% 100% 8% 8% 100% 8% 8% 100%
ALBRIGHT
Allen
ANDERSON, M.
ANDERSON, P .
ANDERSON, S.
Anzelc
Atkins +
BARRETT
BEARD + + + + + + E +
Benson, J.
BENSON, M.
Bernardy
Bly
Brynaert
Carlson, Sr.
Clark
CORNISH
DAUDT
DAVIDS
Davnie
DEAN
Dehn
DETTMER
Dill
Dorholt
DRAZKOWSKI
Erhardt
Erickson, R.
ERICKSON, S.
+ in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence; P voted present
HF 5
HF 1054
SF 778
HF 677 (Property Tax Relief Amdt.) HF 677 HF 9 HF 630 HF 976 SF 489 HF 729 HF 799
ACU Votes
Votes Cast
ACU %
FABIAN + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 10 11 0 1 10 11 12 10 12 2 9 1 0 12 0 12 12 0 0 11 1 1 12 0 0 0 + 1 + 2 0 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 + + + + + + + + + 12 12 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -
100% 0% 17% 8% 83% 100% 0% 8% 83% 100% 100% 83% 100% 17% 75% 8% 0% 100% 0% 100% 100% 0% 0% 92% 8% 8% 100% 0% 0% 0%
Falk
Faust
Fischer
FITZSIMMONS
FRANSON
Freiberg
Fritz
GAROFALO
GREEN
GRUENHAGEN
GUNTHER
HACKBARTH
Halverson
HAMILTON
Hansen
Hausman
HERTAUS
Hilstrom
HOLBERG
HOPPE
Hornstein
Hortman
HOWE
Huntley
Isaacson
JOHNSON, B.
Johnson, C.
Johnson, S.
Kahn
+ in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence; P voted present
10
HF 5 HF 1054 SF 778 HF 677 (Property Tax Relief Amdt.) HF 677 HF 9 HF 630 HF 976 SF 489 HF 729 HF 799 HF 630 (Religious Liberty Amdt.)
ACU Votes
Votes Cast
ACU %
Representative Name Party + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 0 12 0 0 2 1 1 1 12 11 10 1 0 1 1 9 1 10 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 11 1 + + + + + + + + + + 11 + + + + + + + + + + 11 + + + + + + + + + + 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 + + + + + + + + + + 11 12 92% 92% 92% 92% 0% 100% 0% 0% 17% 8% 8% 8% 100% 92% 91% 8% 0% 8% 8% 90% 8% 83% 0% 8% 8% 0% 8% 8% 8% 100% 8%
KELLY
KIEFFER
KIEL
KRESHA
Laine
LEIDIGER
Lenczewski
Lesch
Liebling
Lien
Lillie
Loefer
LOHMER
LOON
MACK
Mahoney
Mariani
Marquart
Masin
MCDONALD
McNamar
MCNAMARA
Melin
Metsa
Moran
Morgan
Mullery
Murphy, E.
Murphy, M.
MYHRA
Nelson
+ in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence; P voted present
HF 5
HF 1054
SF 778
HF 677 (Property Tax Relief Amdt.) HF 677 HF 9 HF 630 HF 976 SF 489 HF 729 HF 799
ACU Votes
Votes Cast
ACU %
NEWBERGER + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + E + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 12 11 0 2 12 0 11 1 12 12 0 1 12 11 2 2 1 11 12 1 0 0 0 0 12 10 0 1 + + X + + + + + + 11 + 1 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 11 12 + + + + + + + + + + 12 12 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -
100% 8% 100% 8% 100% 92% 0% 17% 100% 0% 100% 8% 100% 100% 0% 8% 100% 92% 17% 17% 8% 92% 100% 8% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% 91% 0%
Newton
NORNES
Norton
O'DRISCOLL
O'NEILL
Paymar
Pelowski, Jr.
PEPPIN
Persell
PETERSBURG
Poppe
PUGH
QUAM
Radinovich
Rosenthal
RUNBECK
SANDERS
Savick
Sawatzky
Schoen
SCHOMACKER
SCOTT
Selcer
Simon
Simonson
Slocum
Sundin
SWEDZINSKI
THEIS
Thissen
11
+ in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence; P voted present
12
HF 5 HF 1054 SF 778 HF 677 (Property Tax Relief Amdt.) HF 677 HF 9 HF 630 HF 976 SF 489 HF 729 HF 799 HF 630 (Religious Liberty Amdt.)
ACU Votes
Votes Cast
ACU %
Representative Name Party + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 1 1 12 1 11 2 10 11 X + 1 + + + + + + + + + + 11 + + + + + + + + + 10 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 + + + + + + + + + + 11 12 92% 83% 92% 9% 8% 8% 100% 8% 92% 17% 91% 92%
TORKELSON
UGLEM
URDAHL
Wagenius
Ward, JoAnn
Ward, John
WILLS
Winkler
WOODARD
Yarusso
ZELLERS
ZERWAS
+ in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence; P voted present
9. SF 489 Omnibus Pensions Bill. This bill provides bailouts for the Duluth and St. Paul teachers pension funds. ACU opposes these bailouts that do nothing to solve the fundamental problems facing public employee pensions and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on May 17, 2013 by a vote of 38-27. 10. HF 729 Omnibus Jobs Bill. This bill is a state level stimulus bill that allows government to pick winners and losers in the marketplace, adds solar power mandates that drive up the cost of electricity, and provides a bailout for the St. Paul RiverCentre convention center. ACU opposes this type of government interference in the marketplace and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on May 16, 2013 by a vote of 40-27. 11. SF 339 Second Amendment Rights. This resolution urges the President and Congress to respect and not violate the Second Amendment constitutional right to bear arms. ACU strongly supports Second Amendment rights and supported this resolution. The Senate defeated a motion to allow a floor vote on the resolution on February 21, 2013 by a vote of 26-38. ACU supported the motion. 12. SF 1589 Legislative Pay Raise. The Senate version of the State Government Finance Bill included a 35 percent pay raise for legislators that would then be automatically increased annually by indexing the salary to inflation. ACU opposed this pay increase at a time of massive tax increases to pay for a budget shortfall and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on April 16, 2013 by a vote of 34-32 but the pay increase was removed from the final version of the bill.
14
14
HF 5
HF 1054
SF 778
HF 677 (Property Tax Relief Amdt.) HF 630 HF 976 SF 489 HF 729 SF 339 SF 1589 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU %
Senator Name Party + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + E + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 12 0 12 0 2 0 1 11 0 0 0 0 11 1 12 0 11 12 0 0 1 12 12 1 0 1 + + 2 + + + + + + + + + + + 12 0 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 11 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 + + + + + + + + + + + 12 12 100% 0% 100% 17% 100% 0% 100% 0% 17% 0% 8% 92% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% 8% 100% 0% 100% 100% 0% 0% 8% 100% 100% 8% 0% 8%
ANDERSON, B.
Bakk
BENSON
Bonoff
BROWN
Carlson
CHAMBERLAIN
Champion
Clausen
Cohen
Dahle
DAHMS
Dibble
Dziedzic
Eaton
Eken
FISCHBACH
Franzen
GAZELKA
Goodwin
HALL
HANN
Hawj
Hayden
Hoffman
HOUSLEY
INGEBRIGTSEN
Jensen
Johnson, A.
Kent
+ in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence; P voted present
15
16 HF 5 HF 1054 SF 778 HF 677 (Property Tax Relief Amdt.) HF 630 HF 976 SF 489 HF 729 SF 339 SF 1589 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X X + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + + + + + + + + 0 0 0 9 9 12 12 12 12 0 10 10 12 0 2 10 11 0 1 0 12 0 0 0 1 1 + + + + + + + + + + + 12 + 1 + X 1 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 + + + + + + + + + + + 12 12 100% 9% 8% 100% 0% 0% 0% 82% 75% 100% 100% 100% 100% 0% 83% 91% 100% 0% 18% 91% 92% 0% 8% 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 9% 8%
KIFFMEYER
Koenen
Latz
LIMMER
Lourey
Marty
Metzen
MILLER
NELSON
NEWMAN
NIENOW
ORTMAN
OSMEK
Pappas
PEDERSON, J.
PETERSEN, B.
PRATT
Reinert
Rest
ROSEN
RUUD
Saxhaug
Scalze
Schmit
SENJEM
Sheran
Sieben
Skoe
Sparks
Stumpf
+ in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence; P voted present
HF 5
HF 1054
SF 778
HF 677 (Property Tax Relief Amdt.) HF 630 HF 976 SF 489 HF 729 SF 339 SF 1589 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU %
Senator Name + + + + + + + + + + + 9 0 0 + + + + + + + + + + 11 0 0 12 12 12 12 12 12 + + + + + + + + + + + 12 12
THOMPSON
Tomassoni
Torres Ray
WEBER
WESTROM
Wiger
Wiklund
+ in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence; P voted present
17
2013
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