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

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

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

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

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

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

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

References

  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.

External links