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Denise Packard
Denise Packard was a 2014 Democratic candidate for District 57B of the Minnesota House of Representatives.[1]
Campaign themes
2014
Packard's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
| “ | Investing in the Future
I grew up in a large working class family and with the help of the GI Bill, given to Veterans with disability, I was able to complete college. The GI Bill opportunity not only empowered my generation, but also created a standard for the next generation by drawing thousands into colleges and universities, and thousands more into advanced technical training. However as I talk with my young friends and family members who have done everything right- they played by the rules, worked hard, finished college; and yet they're finding themselves unemployed, drowning in debt, and in many cases, like my daughter, moving back home. These young people did all we asked of them and yet they feel failed. Because of our global economy, it has become more and more essential for young people to get some kind of post-high school education - whether college or advanced technical training. We have a choice: are we going to tell our young people that they are on their own, or are we going to invest in them - and in our own future? I believe we must invest in our future and that means continuing to support District 196’s tradition of excellence by doing more to help our kids before they get to college. The very first job I had was working in a public elementary school. I saw first-hand how important it is for a child to have great teachers. A great teacher can make a huge difference in a child's life, and we need to invest in getting and keeping great teachers in classrooms everywhere. That is why I am shocked at the frequent attacks on public school teachers. We can invest in getting and keeping great teachers in classrooms by providing safe and secure environments for learning. We need to work collaboratively with teachers - not against them - to improve the performance of students, teachers, and schools. Investments in our young people pay the highest dividends and must continue to be one of our highest priorities. We owe them the Best Our men and women in uniform do an incredible job. They are our local heroes who fight with courage and honor. Our military families show the same courage. My late husband, Jeff and my son Erik have served in the Armed Forces as well as both my Parents along with two of my brothers. My oldest brother, Raymond C Huot died while serving in Vietnam. I have a first-hand idea of how much our service members and their families contribute to our country. As a state representative, I will do all I can to support service members, their families, and veterans. I will work hard to help ease the return to civilian life by taking action to create jobs. Our service members and military families contribute so much to our country - we owe them the best. There's work to do! Four years after the recession we are still in the midst of a job crisis. As I talk with people in my daily work and as a candidate, I often hear of their individual struggles, and in some cases after months of looking for employment they settle for a job in which they are underemployed and underpaid. Compared to their previous employment, they are making barely enough to make ends meet. When people are unemployed or making just a small paycheck, they can't spend money, and that hurts businesses and depresses the economy. The thing is, there’s also plenty of work to do! Infrastructure: Our roads,water lines and sewage line are aging and in need of repair. Expanding mass transit, rail, and broadband internet are all the basic pieces of getting people and goods to work. Education: All-day Kindergarten creates the need to increase staff, transportation, and space. Small Business Owners: I have a lot of respect for small businesses and the self-employed. Since each business is unique and each faces its own set of challenges we cannot make it harder for them to thrive. We need to create shorter, streamlined forms that can level the playing field and allow for competition with the bigger corporations that do not even have a vested interest in our district. Large Businesses: Flint Hills Refinery is creating several new jobs by investing in new more efficient equipment. As they create these jobs we need to work with leaders to assure that worker rights and a safe work environment is maintained. Cutting Spending and Smart Investing At a time when our state is facing a budget surplus we need to be smart about our budget, which is not just about finance and economics but also about values. Our district pays out many dollars in taxes every year, and we need to be sure we see the return on our investment. I believe Representatives should look toward the needs of their district first, before party agenda and affiliation. We need a house member who will keep an eye on the needs of this district. As your State Representative I will bring that tax money home. I will work hard for money for our classrooms, roads, and infrastructure and I will say no to corporate welfare. Our budget must reflect a commitment to creating a better future for our children and grandchildren. What Families Need As a registered nurse, providing quality health care has been a passion for me. I am proud of a Minnesota tradition that has provided access to quality health care for over 35 years, when in 1976 legislator leaders got together to establish the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association (MCHA) for individuals who were turned down in the private marketplace for a pre-existing condition. With the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) a new marketplace has been created through MNSure guaranteeing that Minnesotans have even more choices for health care. Although Minnesota is a leader, there is still more to do. We must continue to develop innovative ways to improve quality while reducing cost. We are blessed to have internationally recognized institutions whose research can lead to breakthroughs that can save both lives and cost. We cannot let those who want repeal the ACA succeed, this process alone would place more burden and cost on an already broken system. We cannot roll back these gains that are so important for our families because after all, at some point in our life, we will all need access to health care.[2][3] |
” |
Elections
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. Denise Packard was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Anna Wills was unopposed in the Republican primary. Wills defeated Packard in the general election.[4][5][6]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Anna Wills Incumbent |
58.4% | 9,083 | |
| Democratic | Denise Packard | 41.5% | 6,458 | |
| Write-in | Write-in | 0.1% | 11 | |
| Total Votes | 15,552 | |||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Denise + Packard + Minnesota + House"
See also
- Minnesota House of Representatives
- Minnesota House of Representatives District 57B
- Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2014
- Minnesota State Legislature
External links
- Official campaign website
- Denise Packard on Facebook
- Denise Packard on Twitter
- Minnesota Secretary of State, "2014 State General Election Candidate Filings"
Footnotes
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2014 State General Election Candidate Filings," accessed July 1, 2014
- ↑ Packard for House, "Issues," accessed October 22, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 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, "2014 Election Results," accessed November 4, 2014
