Peggy Bennett
Peggy Bennett | |
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Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 23A district | |
Assumed office January 6, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Shannon Savick |
Personal details | |
Born | White Bear Lake, Minnesota | July 3, 1958
Political party | Republican |
Residence | Albert Lea, Minnesota |
Education | Crown College (B.A.) St. Cloud State University M.A.) |
Occupation | |
Website | Government website Campaign website |
Peggy Bennett (born July 3, 1958) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2015. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Bennett represents District 23A in southern Minnesota, which includes the city of Albert Lea and parts of Faribault, Freeborn, Steele and Waseca Counties.[1][2]
Early life, education, and career
[edit]Bennett grew up in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. She graduated from Mound Westonka High School in Mound, Minnesota; from Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota, with a Bachelor of Arts in education; and from St. Cloud State University in 1981 with a Master of Arts in special education.[1][3]
Before entering politics, Bennett was a first-grade public school teacher in Albert Lea for 33 years.[4][5]
Minnesota House of Representatives
[edit]Bennett was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2014, and has been reelected every two years since. She defeated one-term DFL incumbent Shannon Savick,[1] criticizing Savic and Democrats for raising taxes.[4] During the 2016 Republican Presidential Primary, Bennett joined two dozen state lawmakers in endorsing Florida Senator Marco Rubio.[6]
Bennett is the minority lead on the Education Policy Committee and serves on the Education Finance and Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committees. From 2015-16, Bennett served as vice chair of the Education Innovation Policy Committee. She was an assistant minority leader from 2019 to 2022.[1]
Education
[edit]Bennett has called for more local control in education decisions.[7] She opposed efforts to provide free meals to all school children, regardless of family income, calling it a "shotgun approach".[8][9] She supported a bill that would speed up the licensing process for substitute teachers in response to workforce shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that DFL proposals didn't go far enough.[10] Bennett has spoken against bills to increase recruitment of teachers of color.[11]
Other political positions
[edit]In 2018, Bennett authored legislation that passed unanimously creating a "sibling bill of rights" to help children in the foster care system avoid being separated from their siblings.[12] She supported legislation increasing penalties on distracted driving and on protestors that block freeways.[13][14] Bennett has been in contact and worked directly with an anti-LGBTQ group in Minnesota, the "Child Protection League."[15][16][17] She has opposed proposals to raise the gas tax to pay for roads and bridges improvements.[18] Bennett stated she carries a handgun while at the State Capitol.[19]
Bennett led House Republican opposition of the Mayo Clinic for its vaccine mandate policy for employees, calling for a halt in state funding for health care facilities that fire employees "due to unrealistic vaccine mandate policies".[20][21][22]
Electoral history
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Peggy Bennett | 8,155 | 53.04 | |||
Democratic (DFL) | Shannon Savick (incumbent) | 6,139 | 39.93 | |||
Independence | Thomas Keith Price | 1,066 | 6.93 | |||
Write-in | 14 | 0.09 | ||||
Total votes | 15,374 | 100.0 | ||||
Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Peggy Bennett (incumbent) | 12,329 | 61.71 | |
Democratic (DFL) | Gary Schindler | 7,633 | 38.21 | |
Write-in | 17 | 0.09 | ||
Total votes | 19,979 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Peggy Bennett (incumbent) | 9,957 | 56.52 | |
Democratic (DFL) | Terry Gjersvik | 7,651 | 43.43 | |
Write-in | 9 | 0.05 | ||
Total votes | 17,617 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Peggy Bennett (incumbent) | 13,416 | 63.43 | |
Democratic (DFL) | Thomas Martinez | 7,719 | 36.49 | |
Write-in | 16 | 0.08 | ||
Total votes | 21,151 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Peggy Bennett (incumbent) | 12,038 | 65.75 | |
Democratic (DFL) | Mary Hinnenkamp | 6,252 | 34.15 | |
Write-in | 19 | 0.10 | ||
Total votes | 18,309 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
Personal life
[edit]Bennett is single, and resides in Albert Lea, Minnesota.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Bennett, Peggy - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
- ^ "Rep. Peggy Bennett (23A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ "Teacher declares candidacy in House District 27A". Albert Lea Tribune. 3 December 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
- ^ a b Scheck, Tom (October 23, 2014). "Dayton turns his attention to helping House candidates". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Nehil, Tom; Bierschbach, Briana; Kaul, Greta (2016-07-28). "The 25 legislative races to watch in Minnesota in 2016". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Bakst, Brian (February 25, 2016). "Rubio nets backing from two dozen state legislators". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Pugmire, Tim (November 19, 2014). "New Republicans in the MN House vow to set the agenda". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Campuzano, Eder (January 11, 2023). "Free school meals would be standard in Minnesota under proposed legislation". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Bakst, Brian (February 9, 2023). "As hunger rises in Minnesota, House passes school meals for all bill". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Campuzano, Eder (March 2, 2022). "Republicans say DFL-backed bill to expedite substitute teacher licensing falls short". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Campuzano, Eder (January 27, 2023). "Walz, legislators propose millions in spending to diversify teaching". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Bierschbach, Briana (May 29, 2018). "Bill of rights will help siblings in foster care". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Harlow, Tim; Smith, Mary Lynn (February 2, 2019). "Fight against distracted driving in Minnesota focuses on cellphone use". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Van Berkel, Jessie (May 9, 2018). "Minnesota House passes stronger penalties for freeway protests, despite impassioned opposition". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ "Anti-LGBT Activities". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
- ^ Hooten, Kyle (2021-12-10). "Report: Minnesota teacher tells students about her threesomes, 'furry' fetish and more". Alpha News. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
- ^ Shea, Stephanie (2022-03-22). "Gender Justice's Letter to Becker Public Schools". Gender Justice. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
- ^ Bierschbach, Briana (2015-05-22). "What Greater Minnesota got out of the 2015 legislative session". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Orenstein, Walker (2021-11-15). "Why Minnesota lawmakers — and members of the public — can carry guns almost everywhere at the state Capitol complex". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Bierschbach, Briana (December 16, 2021). "Minnesota House Republicans criticize Mayo Clinic for employee vaccine mandate". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Star Tribune Editorial Board (December 16, 2021). "EDITORIAL | Ethical decision is protecting patients". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Lopez, Ricardo (2021-12-16). "House GOP leans on Mayo Clinic to call off its vaccine mandate". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ "2014 Results for State Representative District 27A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- ^ "2016 Results for State Representative District 27A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- ^ "2018 Results for State Representative District 27A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- ^ "2020 Results for State Representative District 27A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- ^ "2022 Results for State Representative District 23A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
External links
[edit]- Peggy Bennett at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
- Peggy Bennett official Minnesota House of Representatives website
- Peggy Bennett official campaign website