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Karen Clark
Karen Clark (b. July 23, 1945) is a former Democratic-Farmer-Labor member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 62A from 1981 to 2019. Clark did not file to run for re-election in 2018.
Biography
Clark earned her B.S.N. from the College of Saint Teresa and her M.P.A. from Harvard University. Her professional experience includes working as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Minnesota, St. Cloud State University and Macalester College; Obstetrics/Gynecology Nurse Practitioner; and as a public health nurse.[1][2]
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Agriculture Finance |
| • Environment and Natural Resources |
| • Job Growth and Energy Affordability |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Clark served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy and Finance, DFL Lead Housing |
| • Agriculture Finance |
| • Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Clark served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Capital Investment |
| • Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance |
| • Housing Finance and Policy, Chair |
| • Jobs and Economic Development Finance and Policy |
| • Ways and Means |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Clark served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Capital Investment |
| • Jobs and Economic Development Finance |
| • Redistricting |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Clark served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Finance |
Issues
Same-sex marriage
On February 17, 2013, Senator Scott Dibble announced on a talk show that he would introduce a bill in the Minnesota State Senate to legalize same-sex marriage. Clark introduced a similar bill in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and Governor Mark Dayton stated his support for same-sex marriage. Clark, Dibble, and other same-sex marriage supporters defeated the proposed Minnesota Same-Sex Marriage Amendment in the November 6, 2012 election.[3]
The legislation passed 75-59 in the House and 37-30 in the Senate; Dayton signed it into law on May 14, 2013.[4][5]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2018
Karen Clark did not file to run for re-election.
2016
Elections for the Minnesota House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 9, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 31, 2016.
Incumbent Karen Clark defeated Claire Leiter in the Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A general election.[6][7]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 62A General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Karen Clark Incumbent |
88.78% | 12,657 | |
| Republican | Claire Leiter | 11.22% | 1,600 | |
| Total Votes | 14,257 | |||
| Source: Minnesota Secretary of State | ||||
Incumbent Karen Clark ran unopposed in the Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A Democratic primary.[8][9]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 62A Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Karen Clark Incumbent (unopposed) | |
Claire Leiter ran unopposed in the Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A Republican primary.[8][9]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 62A Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Claire Leiter (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the Minnesota House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election was held on August 12, 2014, and a general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 3, 2014. Incumbent Karen Clark was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Bruce Lundeen was unopposed in the Republican primary. Yolandita Colon ran as an Independence candidate. Clark defeated both Lundeen and Colon in the general election.[10][11][12]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Karen Clark Incumbent |
82.1% | 6,632 | |
| Independence | Yolandita Colon | 9.6% | 773 | |
| Republican | Bruce Lundeen | 8% | 650 | |
| Write-in | Write-in | 0.2% | 20 | |
| Total Votes | 8,075 | |||
2012
Clark won re-election in the 2012 election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A. She was unopposed in the Democratic primary on August 14 and defeated Kurtis Hanna (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[13][14]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Karen Clark Incumbent |
90% | 12,672 | |
| Republican | Kurtis Hanna | 10% | 1,410 | |
| Total Votes | 14,082 | |||
2010
Clark won re-election to the District 61A seat in 2010. She had no primary opposition. She defeated Nicholas Skrivanek (R) and Sadik Warfa (Independence Party of Minnesota) in the general election on November 2, 2010.[15]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 61A (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Karen Clark (DFL)
|
5,963 | 78.48% | ||
| Nicholas Skrivanek (R) | 746 | 9.82% | ||
| Sadik Warfa | 876 | 11.53% | ||
| Write-In | 13 | 0.17% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Karen Clark won election to the District 61A Seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, defeating S. Andrew Sheppard. [16]
Karen Clark raised $25,213 for her campaign.[17]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 61A (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Karen Clark (DFL)
|
11,005 | 88.84% | ||
| S. Andrew Sheppard (R) | 1,325 | 10.70% | ||
| Write-In | 57 | 0.46% | ||
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.
2018
In 2018, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from February 20 through May 21.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative 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 related to reproductive health issues.
- Legislators are scored on how they voted on tax and fiscal legislation.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 3 through May 22. The legislature held a special session from May 23 to May 26.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2016, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from March 8 through May 23.
|
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2015, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 6 through May 18.
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2014, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from February 25 to May 19.
|
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2013, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 8 to May 20.
|
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Clark has been a member of the Neighborhood Revitalization Policy Board, Southside Services For Mentally Retarded Board, Child Care Task Force, Governors Workforce Development Council, Jobs Political Caucus, Minneapolis Lead Advisory Network, and the Park House Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Day Activity Center Community Advisory Council.[1]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Karen + Clark + 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, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Project Vote Smart, "Karen Clark's Biography," accessed August 3, 2015
- ↑ Karen Clark Election Committee, "About Karen." Retreived July 9, 2013
- ↑ CBS Minnesota, "Sen. Dibble Plans To Introduce Gay Marriage Bill This Week," February 18, 2013
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Minnesota Legalizes Gay Marriage: Gov. Mark Dayton Signs Bill Into Law," May 14, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Minnesota Senate Passes Gay Marriage, Governor To Sign," May 13, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing Search," accessed August 25, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "General election results, 2016," accessed December 19, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings," accessed June 3, 2016
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Minnesota State Primary: Tuesday, August 9, 2016," accessed August 9, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2014 Election Results," accessed November 4, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "State Canvassing Board Report," August 19, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2014 State General Election Candidate Filings," accessed July 25, 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's report on Clark's 2008 campaign contributions
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Davnie (DFL) |
Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A 2013–2019 |
Succeeded by Hodan Hassan (D) |
| Preceded by - |
Minnesota House of Representatives District 61A 1981–2013 |
Succeeded by Frank Hornstein (DFL) |
