General Election '94 Voter Guide: U.S. House Candidates
Published by the LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MINNESOTA EDUCATION FUND
550 Rice Street St. Paul MN 55103
Copyright 1994 League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund
U.S. House Candidates
U.S. Representatives are elected for a 2-year term. The person must be 25
years old, a citizen of the United States for 7 years, a resident of the
state and elected by the people. Salary: $133,600
- Age:
- 48
- Residence:
- Mankato
- Occupation:
- Attorney-Legislator
- Education:
- B.S., College of St. Thomas;
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
- Experience:
- State Senator, 4 years,
emphasis on education, health care, budget and business issues. Vice-chair,
Board of Government
Innovation and Cooperation. Assistant Majority Whip. Attorney and small
business owner, Mankato, 20 years
- Priorities if Elected:
- Deficit reduction
by cutting wasteful spending, reforming entitlement programs, and
reinventing government bureaucracies; health care reform, with emphasis on
universal coverage, rigorous cost-control measures and community based
long-term care; rural economic development, including opening new markets
for agricultural products; institutional reforms, such as rotating
committee chairmanships, a modified line-item veto, and campaign finance
reform.
- Age:
- 43
- Residence:
- Rochester
- Occupation:
- Real Estate Broker, Auctioneer
- Education:
- B.A. in business from
the University of Northern Iowa
- Experience:
- Twenty years of business and
work experience. Twelve years experience in the Minnesota Legislature
- Priorities if elected:
- The first priority must be to balance the federal
budget. Interest on the debt now consumes 13% of all income. My second
priority would be health care reform that builds on our strengths with a
minimum of new bureaucracy. Finally, we need
real campaign reform which includes term limits.
- Age:
- 52
- Residence:
- Montevideo
- Occupation:
- Lawyer
- Education:
- St. Olaf College, B.A. 1964; U. of Chicago,
J.D. 1967
- Experience:
- Board of Directors of Montevideo School District;
Board of Directors, Clean Up the River Environment (CURE); Montevideo
Chamber of Commerce; Montevideo Community Development Corporation; and
Chair of the Agriculture Law Section of the MN. State Bar Association
- Priorities if Elected:
- I will continue to fight to reduce the deficit,
improve the health care system, work to ensure southwest Minnesota's
interest in the 1995 Farm Bill, and institute campaign finance reform. I
will also continue to lead in reforming the crop i nsurance and disaster
programs.
- Age:
- 47
- Residence:
- Redwood
Falls
- Occupation:
- Business owner, Revier Tire and Serv. Ctrs.
- Education:
- High
school/college courses at various schools from Florida, MN., Calif.
- Experience:
- Work: Chmn., Pres., Salesman, mechanic, Revier Tire and Service
Centers, Inc., 25 years. Military: U.S. Navy, 3 1/2 years, P.O. 2nd class
Aerial Photographer. Community Service: City Council member, Mayor, Board
of Education, Public Utilities Commission, etc.
- Priorities if Elected:
- The
first priority would be to change leadership of the Congress leadership
that has been consistent for the
past 40 years. Audit all congressional accounts; cut congressional staff
and committees; balanced budget, with spending caps; term limits; welfare
reform, emphasizing work and family; litigation reform (common sense);
economic growth reform, including capital gains cuts.
- Age:
- 52
- Residence:
- Chaska
- Occupation:
- Owner Radiator Repair Shop
- Education:
- High School grad
- Experience:
- Small businessman for 25 years; congressional candidate since
1986
- Priorities if Elected:
- Repairing the economy, scrapping the Free Trade
system and returning to the proven American system of banking
and economics developed by our founding fathers. This promotes low interest
credit to industry and farming to get production going. By speculating in
derivatives, the system has forgotten that you need a productive base to
support it. Many of the problems caused as a spin-off from the bad
economy, such as health care, money for social services and education, will
be repaired. We can produce our way out of this depression.
- Age:
- 48
- Residence:
- Orono
- Occupation:
- Bank owner, attorney
- Education:
- B.A., Bethel College,
Psychology, History, Philosophy; Bethel Seminary, two years; U. of St.
Thomas, Business Administration; U. of MN., Law Degree
- Experience:
- Union
laborer; College Football Coach; Juvenile Delinquent Group Counselor; Tax,
Corporate, Finance Attorney; Owner, Chairman of Board, St. Stephen State
Bank; Owner, Northern Pension Corporation; Candidate, U.S. Senate, 1990
- Priorities if elected:
- Implement the Olson Productivity Plan. Have a safe,
clean form of energy production by the year 2000. Create a national vision
of a world with less wars. Convince my constituents that "it's up to us"
not Congress.
- Age:
- 48
- Residence:
- Minnetonka
- Occupation:
- Congressman 3rd District
- Education:
- Received B.A. from the
University of Minnesota in 1968 (Phi Beta Kappa) and J.D. (with Honors)
from George Washington University in 1973
- Experience:
- First elected to
Congress in 1990; re-elected in 1992. Also served three terms in the
Minnesota Senate, where I was Assistant Minority Leader
- Priorities if
Elected:
- My top priorities will continue to be deficit reduction, crime
control and health care reform. I also want to
expand upon the three child protection bills I authored which passed
Congress as part of the Crime Control Act of 1994. In addition, I will
continue to push for welfare reform, Congressional reform and
campaign-finance reform.
- Age:
- 53
- Residence:
- St. Paul
- Occupation:
- Member, U.S. House of Representatives
- Education:
- Johnson High
School; St. Thomas College; University of Wisconsin - River Falls, B.S.
Honors 1965; University of Minnesota , A.A. 1961; Graduate School
- Experience:
- Union Member/steward, Machinists and Teachers; State
Legislature/Congressman 1971 - present. Chairman Committee/subcommittee,
leadership roles, Parks/Public Lands, Banking/Housing Matters.
- Priorities
if Elected:
- Prioritize Federal Government resources to revitalize the
economy providing sound business growth and good job opportunities.
Achieve significant American health care reform insuring everyone has
quality coverage. Revamp the welfare system
with incentives/skills for work. Reduce the fiscal deficit and the human
deficit. Safeguard our American natural and cultural resources legacy.
- Age:
- 50
- Residence:
- Maplewood
- Occupation:
- Lead machinist
- Education:
- Machinist certification from Dunwoody
Institute and St. Paul Technical Vocational Institute
- Experience:
- 18 years
employed as a lead machinist; former State Representative, H.D. 54B; member
of MN. Board on Aging; youth counselor
- Priorities if Elected:
- Crime: Truth
in sentencing, mandatory life sentences for repeat violent offenders,
victim restitution, meanin gful work for prison inmates which would provide
means to make restitution and would develop skills necessary to reduce
recidivism.
Reform of budget process: Balanced Budget Amendment, line item veto, reform
of Current Services Baseline Budgeting System. Government reform: term
limits, requiring elected officials to live under laws they enact.
- Age:
- 32
- Residence:
- St. Paul
- Occupation:
- Human services financial caseworker
- Education:
- Hutchinson High
School, Hutchinson Minnesota, 1980; attended Hamline University and the
University of Minnesota, 1980-84
- Experience:
- Ran as a candidate for this
office in 1992; canvasser, Minnesota Public Interest Research group
(MPIRG), 1985; secretary, Grassroots Party of Minnesota, 1990-91; parent
of two school aged children
- Priorities if Elected:
- Our nation's founders
envisioned a truly representative democracy. As a career politician, Bruce
Vento cannot represent the best long-term interests of the people of the
Fourth District. Los fundadores de nuestro pais envisionaron una
democracia verdaderamente representativa. Como político de carrera, Bruce
Vento no puede representar los mejores intereses a largo plazo de los
habitantes del Distrito Cuatro.
- Age:
- 56
- Residence:
- Minneapolis
- Occupation:
- U.S. Congress
- Education:
- Bachelor of Arts Degree from Augsburg
College in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Graduate work, University of Minnesota
Experience: Minnesota House of Representatives, 1961-1978; including six
years as Speaker and four as Minority Leader. U.S. Congress 1979-present.
Committees: Budget (Chairman), Appropriations (Defense, Transportation, and
Treasury-Postal Service-General Government).
- Priorities if Elected:
- As a
Member of Congress and as Chairman of the Budget Committee my top priority
will continue to be fighting for a strong economy and creating more,
better-paying jobs. The growing income polarization and the erosion of the
middle class is alarming. The government should improve peoples lives and
secure the future for generations to come.
- Age:
- 51
- Residence:
- Minneapolis
- Occupation:
- Attorney at Law
- Education:
- B.A., University of San Diego; J.D.,
University of California - Davis; 87 hours Business Management, University
of St. Thomas
- Experience:
- Former maid, waitress, bank teller, jewelry and
licensed real estate salesperson, litigation and tax attorney, adjunct law
professor and bank conservatorship/ receivership liquidation attorney
- Priorities if Elected:
- My priorities include congressional reform, a
constitutional amendment for a balanced federal budget and a presidential
line item veto. As a member of the Concord Coalition and Americans for Tax
Reform, I have also pledged to reduce the federal deficit without
increasing taxes.
- Age:
- 49
- Residence:
- Brooklyn Park
- Occupation:
- Attorney
- Education:
- Graduate of the University of Minnesota
with degrees in engineering and law
- Experience:
- Worked as an attorney and a
prosecutor. Elected to the Minnesota House in 1974 and Senate in 1976.
Currently Assistant
Majority Leader of the Senate.
- Priorities if Elected:
-
- Curbing violent
crime through effective enforcement, tough penalties and prevention.
-
Giving all Americans affordable health care, with coverage that can't be
taken away.
- Cutting the federal deficit.
- Educating and training
Americans to compete in the 21st century.
- Protecting the environment,
endangered species and wilderness.
- Supporting American businesses and
workers in a global economy.
- Age:
- 43
- Residence:
- Fridley
- Occupation:
- Attorney
- Education:
- B.A., St. Thomas; J.D., William Mitchell
Law School
- Experience:
- MN. House of Representatives, 5 terms; MN. Senate, 2
terms. Hennepin County Board, 1 term. U.S. Army Reserves, 6 years.
- Priorities if Elected:
-
- Issues of personal economic security. I support
getting a handle on the growth of the federal government by supporting the
balanced budget amendment, the line item veto, the A to Z special budget
cutting session and term limits.
- Congressional campaign finance reform
that puts incumbents and challengers on a level playing field.
-
Meaningful criminal reform legislation that gets tough on violent crime.
- Age:
- 50
- Residence:
- Detroit Lakes
- Occupation:
- Member of Congress; CPA
- Education:
- Glyndon High School, 1962;
Moorhead State University, B.A. 1966, Business Administration, Accounting
Experience: Owner and partner, Detroit Lakes CPA firm; U.S. Army National
Guard; Minnesota Senate; U.S. House of Representatives. Member:
Agriculture and Government Operations. Committees: Chairman, Government
Operations; Subcommittee on Employment, Housing and Aviation
- Priorities if
Elected:
- As an Agriculture Committee leader, reauthorizing CRP and writing
a Farm Bill protecting the interests and in comes of Minnesota's farmers
are my first priority. My key concerns remain fiscal reform, opposing
unfunded federal mandates, reform of Congress, and federal support of key
local services like law enforcement and education.
- Age:
- 29
- Residence:
- St. Cloud
- Occupation:
- Former Asst. Agriculture Commissioner
- Education:
- Sartell and
St. Stephen Public Schools; Brainerd Community College; St. Cloud State
University, B.A., Political Science
- Experience:
- Born and raised on a family
farm in rural Minnesota. Actively involved in farming all my life. Actively
involved in numerous local civic organizations. Six years as a member of
the Minnesota House of Representatives, two years as Assistant
Commissioner of Agriculture for the State of Minnesota.
- Priorities if Elected:
- A
flexible freeze on all federal spending; no tax increases; a fair and
equitable farm policy; elimination of
the federal budget deficit within five years; congressional reform
including reductions in the franking privilege, reductions in th e
congressional budget and term limits.
- Age:
- 59
- Residence:
- Chisholm
- Occupation:
- Member of Congress
- Education:
- B.A. (Summa Cum Laude), College
of St. Thomas (French, Pol. Science); M.A., College of Europe (Comparative
Government)
- Experience:
- Member of Congress since 1974; Vice-Chairman of
House Public Works Committee, Chairman of Aviation Subcommittee and
Congressional Tourism Caucus. Executive Committee member, Congressional Steel
Caucus
- Priorities if Elected:
-
- To create jobs and economic development
opportunities for the Eighth Congressional District.
- To maintain and
improve our national transportation infrastructure.
- To preserve
Minnesota's quality of life and ensure a bright, secure future for future
generations.
- Age:
- 52
- Residence:
- Milaca
- Occupation:
- Farmer
- Education:
- B.A. and M.A. in social science, Brooklyn
College, City University of NY.; M.A. in Demography (population studies),
University of Pennsylvania
- Experience:
- Farmer. Union member. Former social
science instructor at Penn State University. Member, Minnesota Commission
on Violent Crimes. Member, Minnesota Rural Development Board. Active:
N.R.A., Lions.
- Priorities if Elected:
- I believe in the "citizen
legislature" envisioned by the founding fathers and will actively push for
term limits. Deficit reduction is one of the foremost problems facing our
country and I intend to work for a Balanced Budget Amendment. I will also
actively promote incentives to stimulate economic development and real job
creation.
This document is provided electronically by the non-partisan
MINNESOTA E-DEMOCRACY 1994 project. The text of this document was
provided by the League of Women Voters. The other parts of this and
other election documents may be obtained from the
Minnesota E-Democracy server via the Twin Cities Free-Net:
- World-Wide-Web: http://freenet.msp.mn.us:8000/govt/e-democracy/
-
- Gopher: freenet.msp.mn.us, port 8001
- Twin Cities Free-Net Main Menu/ (through these folders)
- The Government Center/
- The Minnesota E-Democracy Project/
-
- E-mail Retrieval: Send an e-mail message to:
- Majordomo@freenet.msp.mn.us
- with the following text (case-sensitive) in the message body:
- info LWV-Guide
-
For more project information: E-Democracy@freenet.msp.mn.us