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Steve Gottwalt
Steve Gottwalt (b. October 16, 1961) is a former Republican member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 15A from 2007 to January 7, 2013. He resigned to take a job as director of state legislative policy for an imaging scan provider firm.[1]
Prior to his election to the House, Gottwalt served on the Saint Cloud City Council from 1997-2006. He has worked as director of communications and consumer affairs for Coborn's, Incorporated, director of communications for the Diocese of Saint Cloud, director of contracting for EverCare, and a contract manager for Medica Health Plans.
Gottwalt is chair of the Saint Cloud Area Economic Development Partnership and a member of the Church of Saint Peter, Saint Cloud Regional Airport Board, Central Minnesota Transportation Alliance, and the Saint Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.[2]
Campaign themes
Gottwalt's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[3]
- Excerpt: "We live in a land of freedom and opportunity; not entitlement. I believe government has an important, but limited, role in meeting our needs and wants. Government cannot and should not do it all!"
- Excerpt: "I believe the best welfare program is a good paying job. Minnesota is among the highest cost welfare states in the nation, but we score low in terms of a business-friendly tax and regulatory climate."
- Excerpt: "I believe the best social program is a healthy family. In recent years, we have seen a strong push for government programs to replace healthy families and responsible parenting, injecting themselves into the formation of children and families from cradle to grave."
- Excerpt: "I believe we must set good priorities and live within our means instead of raising taxes on struggling Minnesotans. Minnesotans are tired of government spending that for decades has grown at twice the rate of our economy, taking more and more of our hard-earned wages."
- Excerpt: "The best health care system is a patient-centered system that empowers you and your health care providers -- not government bureaucrats and politicians!"
Committee assignments
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Gottwalt served on these committees:
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Gottwalt served on these committees:
- Bioscience and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division (Lead GOP)
- Healthcare and Human Services Finance Division
- Healthcare and Human Services Policy and Oversight
- State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections
Elections
2012
Gottwalt won re-election in the 2012 election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 14A. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary on August 14 and defeated Anne Nolan (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Steve Gottwalt Incumbent |
54.1% | 10,269 | |
| Democratic | Anne Nolan | 45.9% | 8,726 | |
| Total Votes | 18,995 | |||
2010
Gottwalt won re-election to the District 15A seat in 2010. He had no primary opposition. He defeated Anne Nolan (DFL) in the general election on November 2, 2010.[5]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 15A (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Anne Nolan (DFL) | 5,880 | 38.39% | ||
| Steve Gottwalt (R)
|
9,409 | 61.42% | ||
| Write-In | 29 | 0.19% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Steve Gottwalt won election to the District 15A Seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, defeating Joanne Dorsher.[6]
Steve Gottwalt raised $49,983 for his campaign.[7]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 15A (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Steve Gottwalt (R)
|
11,446 | 53.60% | ||
| Joanne Dorsher (DFL) | 9,873 | 46.23% | ||
| Write-In | 37 | 0.17% | ||
Campaign finance summary
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Scorecards
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."[8]
2012
Gottwalt received a score of 43% in the 2012 scorecard, ranking 76th out of all 134 Minnesota House of Representatives members.[9]
2011
Gottwalt received a score of 77% in the 2011 scorecard, ranking 53rd out of all 134 Minnesota House of Representatives members. [10]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Steve + Gottwalt + Minnesota + Legislature
External links
- Steve Gottwalt's House site
- Minnesota House of Representatives - Rep. Gottwalt
- Legislative Profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006
- Steve Gottwalt on Facebook
- Steve Gottwalt on Twitter
Footnotes
- ↑ SCTimes, "3 Republicans declare run for House 14A seat," January 7, 2013(dead link)
- ↑ Project Vote Smart - Rep. Gottwalt
- ↑ "stevegottwalt," Official Campaign Website
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2012 State General Election Candidate Filings," accessed June 18, 2012
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2010 Election Results," accessed March 9, 2014
- ↑ 2008 General Election Results
- ↑ Follow the Money's report on Gottwalt's 2008 campaign contributions
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecards," 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 ' |
Minnesota State House District 15A 2007–2013 |
Succeeded by Sondra Erickson (R) |
