Does your state lean blue or lean red? Check out our new report, highlighting partisan control of state government from 1992-2013.
Amy Klobuchar
| Amy Klobuchar | ||
 | ||
| U.S. Senate, Minnesota | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| January 3, 2007-Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2019 | ||
| Years in position | 6 | |
| Party | Democratic | |
| Predecessor | Mark Dayton (D) | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $174,000/year | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 6, 2012 | |
| First elected | November 7, 2006 | |
| Next election | November 2018 | |
| Campaign $ | $10,203,513 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Education | ||
| Bachelor's | Yale University | |
| J.D. | University of Chicago Law School | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | May 25, 1960 | |
| Place of birth | Plymouth, MN | |
| Profession | Attorney | |
| Net worth | $681,014 | |
| Religion | Congregationalist | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
| Campaign website | ||
Error creating thumbnail: File seems to be missing: /var/www/ballotpedia/public_html/wiki/images/Amy_Klobuchar_Logo.png  | ||
Contents |
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Klobuchar is a "rank-and-file Democrat".[2]
Klobuchar is seeking re-election in 2012. On August 14, she defeated three other candidates in the Democratic primary.[3]
Biography
Klobuchar was born in 1960 in Plymouth, MN, where she also attended high school. She earned her B.A. from Yale University in 1982 and her J.D. from University of Chicago Law School in 1985. Prior to her political career, Klobuchar was a partner at the law firms of Dorsey & Whitney and Grant Plant Mooty.[4]
Career
Below is an abbreviated version of Klobuchar's political career[4]:
- Hennepin County Attorney, 1999-2006
- U.S. Senate, 2007-Present
Committee assignments
U.S. Senate
2013-2014
Klobuchar serves on the following Senate committees[5]:
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Marketing and Agriculture Security
- Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth and Energy Innovation
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources
- Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
- Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
- Subcommittee on Science and Space
- Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
- Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion
- Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
- Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
- United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
- Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights and Agency Action
- Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security
- Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
- Bankruptcy and the Courts subcommittee
- Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights subcommittee Chair
- United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
- Joint Economic Committee
2011-2012
Klobuchar served on the following Senate committees[6]:
- Joint Economic Committee
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
- Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
- Judiciary Committee Committee
Issues
Judiciary Committee
Senator Klobuchar was first appointed to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2009.[7] Klobuchar participated in the confirmation hearing of Sonia Sotomayor in 2009. Klobuchar was one of three new Democrats appointed to the committee in 2009. Ted Kaufman of Delaware and fellow home state Senator Al Franken were also appointed to the committee along with Klobuchar.[7]
Klobuchar is only the fourth woman in the history of the Senate Judiciary Committee to be appointed onto the powerful committee. The three other women that were first appointed to the committee were Dianne Feinstein and Carol Mosley-Braun in 1993 and Maria Cantwell in 2001.
Klobuchar serves on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittees on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights along with the Crime and Drugs Subcommittee.[8]
Fiscal Cliff
Klobuchar voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by a 89/8 vote on January 1, 2013.[9]
Elections
2012
Klobuchar ran for re-election in 2012.[10] She defeated Jack Shepard, Darryl Stanton, and Dick Franson in the August 14, 2012 Democratic primary. She defeated Republican Kurt Bills, Independence Party candidate Stephen Williams, grassroots candidate Timothy Davis, and Minnesota Open Progressives candidate Michael Cavlan in the November general election.[11]
| U.S. Senate, Minnesota, General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Amy Klobuchar Incumbent |
65.2% | 1,854,595 | |
| Republican | Kurt Bills | 30.5% | 867,974 | |
| Independence | Stephen Williams | 2.6% | 73,539 | |
| Grassroots | Tim Davis | 1.1% | 30,531 | |
| Progressive | Michael Cavlan | 0.5% | 13,986 | |
| Total Votes | 2,843,207 | |||
| Source: Minnesota Secretary of State, "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Klobuchar won election to the United States Senate. She defeated Mark R. Kennedy (R), Robert Fitzgerald, (I), Michael James Cavlan (G), and Ben Powers (C) in the general election.[12]
| U.S. Senate General Election, Minnesota, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Amy Klobuchar |
58.1% | 1,278,849 | |
| Republican | Mark R. Kennedy | 37.9% | 835,653 | |
| Independent | Robert Fitzgerald | 3.2% | 71,194 | |
| Green | Michael James Calvan | 0.5% | 10,714 | |
| Constitution | Ben Powers | 0.2% | 5,408 | |
| Independent | Write-In | 0% | 954 | |
| Total Votes | 2,202,772 | |||
Campaign donors
Comprehensive donor information for Klobuchar is available dating back to 2006. Based on available campaign finance records, Klobuchar raised a total of $10,203,513 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 24, 2013.[13]
| Amy Klobuchar's Campaign Contribution History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2012 | U.S. Senate (Minnesota) |  |
$10,203,513 | |
| Grand Total Raised | $10,203,513 | |||
2012
Klobuchar won the U.S. Senate election in 2012. During that election cycle, Klobuchar's campaign committee raised a total of $10,203,513 and spent $8,532,377.[14]
| United States Senate, 2012 - Amy Klobuchar Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $10,203,513 |
| Total Spent | $8,532,377 |
| Total Raised by Election Runner-up | $953,146 |
| Total Spent by Election Runner-up | $955,342 |
| Top contributors to Amy Klobuchar's campaign committee | |
| Dorsey & Whitney | $61,850 |
| Target Corp | $56,050 |
| US Bancorp | $51,889 |
| General Mills | $51,650 |
| Robins, Kaplan et al | $49,650 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $1,044,812 |
| Retired | $504,878 |
| Leadership PACs | $319,150 |
| Lobbyists | $298,430 |
| Securities & Investment | $286,533 |
2006
Klobucar won election to the U.S. Senate in 2006. During that election cycle, Klobuchar's campaign committee raised a total of $9,202,052 and spent $9,095,671.[15]
Analysis
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Klobuchar missed 15 of 1,935 roll call votes from Jan 2007 to Apr 2013, which is 0.8% of votes during that period. This is better than the median of 1.7% among the lifetime records of senators currently serving.[16]
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Klobuchar paid his congressional staff a total of $2,404,347 in 2011. He ranked 7th on the list of the lowest paid Democratic Senatorial Staff Salaries and he ranked 30th overall of the lowest paid Senatorial Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, Minnesota ranked 46th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[17]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Klobuchar's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $310,029 and $1,052,000. That averages to $681,014, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic Senators in 2011 of $20,795,450. Her average net worth decreased by 6% from 2010.[18]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Klobuchar's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $345,029 and $1,104,000. That averages to $724,514.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic Senators in 2010 of $19,383,524.[19]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
Each year, National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted, as compared to other members, in the previous year. More information about the analysis process can be found on the vote ratings page.
2012
According to the data released in 2013, Klobuchar was ranked the 34th most liberal senator during 2012.[20]
2011
According to the data released in 2012, Amy Klobuchar was ranked the 34th most liberal senator during 2011.[21]
Percentage voting with party
November 2011
The website Open Congress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Amy Klobuchar voted with the Democratic Party 91.0% of the time, which ranked 38th among the 51 Senate Democratic members in November 2012.[22]
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Amy + Klobuchar + Minnesota + Senate
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Amy Klobuchar News Feed
- Klobuchar hopeful on immigration before Obama dinner - USA TODAY
- Klobuchar pleased with Senate vote on FAA furloughs - Minnesota Public Radio
- Poll shows Franken with big leads over potential opponents - Minnesota Public Radio
- GAS PRICES: Klobuchar demands answers on Minnesota spike - FOX 9 News
- MN Gas Prices Still The Nation's Most Expensive - CBS Local
- US Senate committee approves immigration overhaul - Tico Times
- North Dakota and Minnesota senators team up for flood protection - WDAY
- Column: A senator's lost cause - Worthington Daily Globe
- Klobuchar amendment to keep Asian carp out of Minnesota's waterways passes ... - Coon Rapids ECM Publishers
- Military affairs beat: Minnesotan, now national security adviser to vice ... - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
Personal
Klobuchar is married to John Bessler, with whom she has a daugher, Abigail.[23]
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Legislation:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Works by or about:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
References
- ↑ ABC News, "General Election Results 2012-Minnesota," November 7, 2012
- ↑ Gov Track "Amy Klobuchar," Accessed March 3, 2012
- ↑ CBS Minnesota "Another Republican Enters Fray Vs. Sen. Klobuchar," Accessed February 18, 2012
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Biographical Guide to Members of Congress "Amy Klobuchar," Accessed November 2, 2011
- ↑ Congressional Quarterly "Senate Committee List" Accessed January 18, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Senate Official Website "Committee Assignments," Accessed November 2, 2011
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Senate Judiciary" List of previous members
- ↑ "Senate Judiciary Committee" List of Subcommittees
- ↑ U.S. Senate "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.
- ↑ Minnesota Public Radio "Klobuchar hopes for 'grace period' before 2012 campaign," Accessed January 5, 2012
- ↑ ABC News, "General Election Results 2012-Minnesota," November 7, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006" Accessed November 2, 2011
- ↑ Open Secrets "Donor history for Amy Klobuchar" April 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets " 2012 Election Cycle," Accessed March 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Amy Klobuchar 2006 Election Cycle," Accessed November 2, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "Amy Klobuchar" Accessed April 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm "Amy Klobuchar"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn), 2011"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Klobuchar, (D-Minnesota), 2010"
- ↑ National Journal, "TABLE: House Liberal Scores by Issue Area," February 26, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," February 23, 2012
- ↑ Open Congress "Voting With Party"
- ↑ Official Senate Page "About," Accessed November 2, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mark Dayton |
U.S. Senate - Minnesota 2007-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| |||||||||||||
