WINNER: Amy Klobuchar

R: Mark Kennedy
D: Amy Klobuchar

Race Breakdown:
This Senate seat came up for grabs when unpopular, one-term Democratic Senator Mark Dayton announced last year that he wouldn’t seek re-election. Now it’s a contest between Republican Mark Kennedy and Democrat Amy Klobuchar. Kennedy, 49, is in his third term representing the area north of Minneapolis in the U.S. House. Klobuchar, 46, is the attorney for Hennepin County, where Minneapolis is located, and is the daughter of well-known Twin Cities newspaper columnist Jim Klobuchar.

Mark Kennedy likes to portray himself as an independent, but he has strongly supported many of policies of the Bush administration, including the Iraq war, the war on terror and tax breaks. Kennedy also emphasizes his business background – he is a CPA – and his time in the House. He is focusing his campaign on Iraq, renewable energy, environmental conservation, and continued tax cuts which he says will grow the economy.

A fairly liberal Democrat, Amy Klobuchar has tried to link Kennedy to Bush and has called for change in Washington. The most important issues for her are national security, Social Security, restructuring the health care system, and ethical reform in the capital.

Current polls show Klobuchar in the lead over Kennedy by 54 to 39 percent.

Learn More:
Mark Kennedy for U.S. Senate
Amy Klobuchar for U.S. Senate
Minnesota Public Radio on Oct. 15 debate

WAR AND NATIONAL SECURITY

IRAQ

Kennedy supports the war in Iraq as a long-term commitment, although he acknowledges that mistakes have been made. He opposes withdrawing troops, stressing that a pullout will weaken our national security. He says you can’t negotiate with “people who want to kill you.”

Klobuchar opposed the decision to go to war in Iraq and wants a “change of course” there. She says, “We must draw down our forces in a responsible way.” She believes diplomacy and political pressure will be necessary for a responsible withdrawal. (more)

TERRORISM STRATEGIES

Kennedy voted in favor of the PATRIOT Act and its reauthorization in the House. He is opposed to the “weakening” the act. He wants to maintain electronic surveillance of terrorists in United States and abroad.

Klobuchar supports the PATRIOT Act. She stresses that the government needs to give more money to fencing and border patrol. She also wants more communication between intelligence agencies, and greater screening of cargo at the nation’s ports. (more)

EDUCATION

STUDENT LOANS AND GRANTS

In March, Kennedy voted against the failed “Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment,” which would have lowered student loan interest rates and provided grants to minority students.

Klobuchar says the government has not met its obligation to fund student loans and grants. She notes that tuition at University of Minnesota has risen 81 percent in the past seven years. (more)

SCHOOLS

In the House, Kennedy opposed the No Child Left Behind Act because he believes that parents, teachers and local school boards, not the federal government, should be in charge of dictating education. (more)

Klobuchar stresses that NCLB needs to be fully funded. She also wants to expand early childhood education programs and provide more support for special education.

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

HABITAT vs. OIL

Kennedy opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – and voted against it in the House. He strongly supports protecting the nation’s wetlands and wildlife refuges.

Klobuchar opposes drilling in ANWR but sees possibilities in additional oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. She says she will fight to protect open spaces, hunting grounds, and wetlands to preserve wildlife and prevent flooding disasters.(more)

ENERGY IDEAS

Kennedy supported the Bush administration’s energy bill in 2005, which he called “vital legislation” reflecting “common sense energy policy.” He wants to give oil companies incentives to encourage them to invest in alternative energy sources like ethanol and he wants the nation’s fuel supply to consist of at least 10 percent renewable fuels by 2010. He supports nuclear power and clean coal. (more) (more)

Klobuchar wants the nation to invest in renewable energy sources and impose penalties on oil companies for price gouging. She also wants to give tax breaks to car manufacturers that make and sell hybrid and flexible-fuel vehicles. And she wants to limit greenhouse gas emissions to the 2000 level by 2010. (more)

ECONOMY

MINIMUM WAGE

Kennedy supported a failed, Republican-backed House bill that would have raised the hourly minimum wage to $7.25 while also eliminating the estate tax (which Democrats opposed).

Klobuchar is in favor of raising minimum wage.

TAXES

Kennedy supported extending the Bush administration’s tax cuts. He believes keeping taxes low will boost the economy by increasing jobs and spending.

In what she says is an effort to reduce the federal deficit, Klobuchar wants take away tax cuts for those making over $200,000 a year.

CRIME

JUVENILE CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Kennedy’s stance on juvenile crime and justice is not known.

As a district attorney, Klobuchar advocated maintaining the Minneapolis Police Department’s juvenile crime unit in order to keep violent crime down. Her broader position on juvenile crime is not certain.

HATE CRIMES

Kennedy’s position on hate crimes legislation is unknown.

Klobuchar is an advocate of federal hate crimes legislation. She spoke at the (Clinton) White House in support of the legislation in 2000.

–NM