Peggy Bennett

Peggy Bennett
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 23A district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 6, 2015
Preceded byShannon Savick
Personal details
Born (1958-07-03) July 3, 1958 (age 66)
White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceAlbert Lea, Minnesota
EducationCrown College (B.A.)
St. Cloud State University M.A.)
Occupation
WebsiteGovernment 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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2014 Minnesota State House - District 27A[23]
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)
2016 Minnesota State House - District 27A[24]
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
2018 Minnesota State House - District 27A[25]
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
2020 Minnesota State House - District 27A[26]
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
2022 Minnesota State House - District 23A[27]
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

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Bennett is single, and resides in Albert Lea, Minnesota.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Bennett, Peggy - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  2. ^ "Rep. Peggy Bennett (23A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  3. ^ "Teacher declares candidacy in House District 27A". Albert Lea Tribune. 3 December 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  4. ^ a b Scheck, Tom (October 23, 2014). "Dayton turns his attention to helping House candidates". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  5. ^ Nehil, Tom; Bierschbach, Briana; Kaul, Greta (2016-07-28). "The 25 legislative races to watch in Minnesota in 2016". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  6. ^ Bakst, Brian (February 25, 2016). "Rubio nets backing from two dozen state legislators". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  7. ^ Pugmire, Tim (November 19, 2014). "New Republicans in the MN House vow to set the agenda". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  8. ^ Campuzano, Eder (January 11, 2023). "Free school meals would be standard in Minnesota under proposed legislation". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  9. ^ Bakst, Brian (February 9, 2023). "As hunger rises in Minnesota, House passes school meals for all bill". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  10. ^ Campuzano, Eder (March 2, 2022). "Republicans say DFL-backed bill to expedite substitute teacher licensing falls short". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  11. ^ Campuzano, Eder (January 27, 2023). "Walz, legislators propose millions in spending to diversify teaching". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  12. ^ Bierschbach, Briana (May 29, 2018). "Bill of rights will help siblings in foster care". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  13. ^ Harlow, Tim; Smith, Mary Lynn (February 2, 2019). "Fight against distracted driving in Minnesota focuses on cellphone use". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  14. ^ Van Berkel, Jessie (May 9, 2018). "Minnesota House passes stronger penalties for freeway protests, despite impassioned opposition". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  15. ^ "Anti-LGBT Activities". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
  16. ^ Hooten, Kyle (2021-12-10). "Report: Minnesota teacher tells students about her threesomes, 'furry' fetish and more". Alpha News. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
  17. ^ Shea, Stephanie (2022-03-22). "Gender Justice's Letter to Becker Public Schools". Gender Justice. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
  18. ^ Bierschbach, Briana (2015-05-22). "What Greater Minnesota got out of the 2015 legislative session". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ Bierschbach, Briana (December 16, 2021). "Minnesota House Republicans criticize Mayo Clinic for employee vaccine mandate". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  21. ^ Star Tribune Editorial Board (December 16, 2021). "EDITORIAL | Ethical decision is protecting patients". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  22. ^ Lopez, Ricardo (2021-12-16). "House GOP leans on Mayo Clinic to call off its vaccine mandate". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  23. ^ "2014 Results for State Representative District 27A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  24. ^ "2016 Results for State Representative District 27A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  25. ^ "2018 Results for State Representative District 27A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  26. ^ "2020 Results for State Representative District 27A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  27. ^ "2022 Results for State Representative District 23A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
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