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John Benson (Minnesota)
John Benson (b. July 30, 1943) is a former Democratic-Farmer-Labor member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 44B from 2007 to 2015. Benson did not seek re-election in 2014.
Biography
Benson's professional experience includes working as a social studies teacher at Edina Public Schools from 1966 to 1999. He also served as President of Education Minnesota Edina from 1996 to 1999, the Edina Federation of Teachers from 1990 to 1996 and the Minnesota Federation of Teachers from 1987 to 1995.[1]
Committee assignments
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Benson served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Education Policy |
| • Environment and Natural Resources Policy |
| • Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance |
| • Health and Human Services Policy |
| • Rules and Legislative Administration, Vice chair |
| • Taxes |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Benson served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Education Reform |
| • Rules and Legislative Administration |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Benson served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Finance, Vice chair |
| • K-12 Education Policy and Oversight |
Elections
2012
Benson won re-election in the 2012 election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 44B. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary on August 14 and defeated Mark Stefan (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[2][3]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  John Benson Incumbent |
55.9% | 13,754 | |
| Republican | Mark Stefan | 44.1% | 10,848 | |
| Total Votes | 24,602 | |||
2010
Benson won re-election to the District 43B seat in 2010. He had no primary opposition. He defeated Brian Grogan (R) in the general election on November 2, 2010.[4]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 43B (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| John Benson (DFL)
|
8,986 | 51.65% | ||
| Brian Grogan (R) | 8,394 | 48.24% | ||
| Write-In | 19 | 0.11% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Benson won election to the District 43B Seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, defeating Brian Grogan.[5]
Benson raised $39,261 for his campaign.[6]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 43B (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| John Benson (DFL)
|
12,372 | 55.53% | ||
| Brian Grogan (R) | 9,872 | 44.31% | ||
| Write-In | 34 | 0.15% | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Minnesota scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2014
In 2014, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from February 25 to May 19.
- Legislators are scored on if they supported or opposed AFSCME's position.
- Legislators are scored based on votes on economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their support for the organization's principles, which it defines as "provid[ing] a basis for a constitutionally limited government established to sustain life, liberty, justice, property rights and free enterprise."
- Legislators are scored on bills of interest to an organization advocating "limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty."
- Legislators are scored based on bills related to education.
- Legislators are scored on business-related bills.
- Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
- Legislators are scored based on issues affecting nurses, healthcare, and working families.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to animals.
- Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Legislators are scored on how they voted on tax and fiscal legislation.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored by the organization on "their support for legislation forwarding an equitable and inclusive Minnesota."
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2013, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 8 to May 20.
|
Taxpayers League of Minnesota
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota, a Minnesota-based taxpayer advocacy organization, releases a legislative scorecard for the Minnesota House of Representatives and Minnesota State Senate once a year. The scorecard gives each legislator a score based on how they voted in the prior legislative term on tax issues and “their efforts to balance the state budget without a tax increase.” The organization also compiles a legislator’s individual "Lifetime Score."[7]
2013
Benson received a score of 0% in the 2013 scorecard, ranking 131st out of all 134 Minnesota House of Representatives members.[8]
2012
Benson received a score of 14% in the 2012 scorecard, ranking 108th out of all 134 Minnesota House of Representatives members.[9]
2011
Benson received a score of 23% in the 2011 scorecard, ranking 76th out of all 134 Minnesota House of Representatives members. [10]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Benson is married with two children.[1]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "John + Benson + Minnesota + House"
External links
- Office website
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006, 2004
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Project Vote Smart, "John Benson's Biography," accessed December 18, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2012 State General Election Candidate Filings," accessed June 18, 2012
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Minnesota State Canvassing Report - State Primary - Tuesday, August 14, 2012," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2010 Election Results," accessed March 9, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "All Races by Legislative District," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Benson, John," accessed December 18, 2014
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecards," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecard, 2013," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecard, 2012," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecard, 2011," accessed May 15, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ryan Winkler (DFL) |
Minnesota House of Representatives District 44B 2013–2015 |
Succeeded by Jon Applebaum (DFL) |
| Preceded by - |
Minnesota House of Representatives District 43B 2007–2013 |
Succeeded by Leon Lillie (DFL) |
