Meet Amy Klobuchar, candidate for Minnesota governor | WCCO Election Guide
Amy Klobuchar, the DFL nominee for governor, is Minnesota's senior U.S. senator and is in her fourth term. She is running with Ben Schierer, the former mayor of Fergus Falls.
Watch her 60-second video pitch and read below how she'd tackle Minnesota's top issues, from the state budget and schools to health care, public safety and fraud.
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Minnesota's next governor and legislature will need to negotiate a two-year state budget. What are your top three spending priorities, and how would you pay for them?
First, I'll make state government accountable to Minnesotans, stop fraud before it starts, and make sure tax dollars aren't misspent. Second, I'll work to lower costs for Minnesotans, including health care, child care, and housing. And third, I'll be laser-focused on a growth agenda to expand our economy and workforce by supporting small businesses, creating more apprenticeships, raising student achievement, and expanding pathways to in-demand careers.
I'll balance the budget and govern with fiscal responsibility. I've made it clear I'm not going to increase taxes – in fact, I'll do everything I can to lower taxes. We'll find savings with a top-to-bottom state government audit, cut waste, modernize outdated technology, and redirect those savings to what matters. And my growth agenda will help our state grow, build, and expand businesses and attract and retain more high-paying jobs. That brings in revenue without raising taxes.
Read my plans at AmyKlobuchar.com/priorities.
Many Minnesota school districts are facing funding shortfalls, staffing shortages, or declining enrollment. What specific policies would you pursue as governor to address K-12 school funding and staffing?
As both a mom and the daughter of a teacher who taught second grade until she was 70-years-old, I know how critical it is to invest in our schools and get our kids a good education. My administration will focus on getting student achievement up and screen time in the classroom down.
To address school challenges, we will spend smarter by funding what works: proven phonics and math instruction, limiting time spent on screens and removing cell phones from classrooms, expanded tutoring, more affordable health care for school personnel, and streamlined teacher training to get qualified educators into classrooms faster. Passing this year's statewide school funding amendment is also important.
Finally, we will stretch state dollars by leveraging outside funding. I'll bring in federal funding like CHIPS and Science Act grants, mobilize nonprofits and businesses to invest in education, and partner with local employers to fund workforce pipelines.
What would you do as governor to lower health care costs and expand access to care for Minnesota families, including in rural parts of the state?
Minnesotans are paying too much for health care. I took on Big Pharma in the Senate and won, and I'll bring that same fight to Minnesota as Governor. I'll reduce premiums, lower prescription drug prices by expanding bulk purchasing, and make health care more affordable for families and small businesses. I'll also work across the state to build and expand Minnesota's leadership in medical innovation, treatment, and research.
In rural Minnesota, I'll strengthen rural hospitals and safety-net care, and make sure communities can recruit the doctors, nurses, and medical technicians they need. And while federal health care cuts have already taken health care away from eight million Americans and could cause more than 500 hospitals across the country to close, I'll work to protect access to care. Because Minnesotans should not have to drive hours or break the bank to get the care they need.
What would you do as governor to address public safety and crime, and how would you balance that with concerns about criminal justice reform?
Minnesotans deserve to feel safe. As a former prosecutor, I take crime and public safety very seriously. I ran Minnesota's largest prosecutor's office, went after violent crime, and did my job without fear or favor. I'll take the same approach as Governor. I'll strongly support local police departments, recruit for public safety jobs, invest in violence prevention, build real partnerships between law enforcement and the communities they serve, and support gun safety reforms that save lives.
We also need to be doing everything we can to prevent violence through school safety programs, mental health care, and chemical dependency treatment. We can keep people safe while also making sure our justice system is fair and accountable. I'll focus on what works based on my years of experience running the biggest prosecutor's office in Minnesota: holding criminals accountable, supporting victims, strengthening trust, and preventing crime before it happens.
Minnesota has lost billions of dollars to fraud in state-administered programs in recent years. What would you do as governor to strengthen oversight and prevent this kind of fraud from happening again?
The fraud in our state programs is completely unacceptable. The people of Minnesota were ripped off, and it never should have happened. When I ran Minnesota's largest prosecutor's office, I took on fraud, and I'll bring that approach to tackling fraud as governor. On day one, I'll launch a top-to-bottom audit of state agencies to make sure we are delivering results. If it's working, keep it. If it's not, I'll fix it or end it, and I'll hold managers to account.
We need to stop fraud before it starts. I'll replace decades-old IT systems with modern technology that can identify fraud before money goes out the door. We'll vet grants and contracts, freeze suspicious payments, conduct unannounced in-person inspections, and strengthen criminal penalties and enforcement. Minnesotans expect leaders who deliver results, not excuses. That's what I've done as your Senator, and that's what I'll do as your next Governor.