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Becoming an Informed Voter
Desmond Chuotong
Liberty University
GOVT 220: American Government
Susan Ireland
April 26, 2021
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Presentation Assessment 1
Introduction
We all want someone who will fight for and represent our beliefs in our daily lives. It is
no different in political affairs. Knowing whom to trust with such a crucial responsibility can be
troubling, so diligently researching that person's background and beliefs is imperative.
Examining the Congressional District, U.S. Representative, State, and Senator's political
background will enhance the person's knowledge making them an informed voter. If people vote,
they can vote intelligently and cast an informed ballot without making much effort (Witham,
2014). In the first part of this paper, we will examine the 1st Congressional District of Minnesota
and U.S. Representative Jim Hagedorn's political background. In the second part, we will
examine the political background of Minnesota and that of Senator Tina Smith.
The 1st Congressional District of Minnesota
Political background of the 1st Congressional District of Minnesota
From 2006 up until 2018, the 1st Congressional District of Minnesota voted for a
Democratic nominee. The 1st Congressional District of Minnesota has had a recent tradition to
vote for Democrats, even though that was not the case in the 2018 elections. It is important to
note that from 1994 to 2004, the 1st Congressional District of Minnesota voted Republican
(Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, n.d.). With that said, it is hard to say if Minnesota has a
tradition of voting for a particular party because it changes every decade. Based on elections
from the past 25 years, political parties in the 1st Congressional District of Minnesota are
relatively even. In my opinion, the 1st Congressional District of Minnesota is leaning toward a
Republican based on the last two elections won by a Republican, Jim Hagedorn.
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U.S Representative Jim Hagedorn’s political background
Congressman Jim Hagedorn was born in Blue Earth, Minnesota, in 1962. Jim's father was
Congressman for southern Minnesota's Second Congressional District. In 1984, Jim worked as a
legislative assistant for Arlan Stangeland, Minnesota's Seventh District Republican
Congressman. Jim managed various matters and successfully handled the Congressman's
legislative agenda (About, n.d.). Jim then worked in the United States Department of the
Treasury as Director for Legislative and Public Affairs for the Financial Management Service
from 1991 to 1998. From then to 2009, Jim worked as Congressional Affairs Officer for the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing (About, n.d.). In the 2010 election, Jim lost the Republican
nomination for the 1st congressional district of Minnesota. Three years later, he won the
Republican nomination for the 1st congressional district of Minnesota but lost in the general
election in 2014 (About, n.d.). In 2016, Jim won the Republican nomination in the 1st
congressional district of Minnesota but lost in the 2016 general election. Jim received the
Republican nomination for the elections, and on January 3, 2019, Jim was sworn in to represent
Minnesota's First District in the U.S. House of Representatives (About, n.d.).
Jim Hagedorn’s interest group ratings
Interest groups rated 1st Congressional District of Minnesota's representative, Jim
Hagedorn, as follows. American Civil Liberties Union 22%, Americans for Democratic Action
0%, American Conservative Union 79%, and Family Research Council 100% (Jim Hagedorn's
Ratings and Endorsements, n.d.). Based on this information, it is safe to conclude that Jim
Hagedorn is a conservative. Most, if not all, of the interest groups where he has high ratings are
conservative, so it is easy to infer that he has conservative beliefs.
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H.R.1892: sponsored by Jim Hagedorn
Jim Hagedorn sponsored H.R.1892, whose purpose is to reauthorize the Department of
Justice programs that combat violence against women and for other purposes (To reauthorize
Department of Justice programs that combat violence against women and for other
purposes, 2021). This bill is essential to me because I am a father to a girl, and I have so many
women in my life who have inspired me. I think it is vital that the Department of Justice should
protect women against violence by their programs. This program helps protect women in the 1st
Congressional District of Minnesota against violence. The "Ecumenical Decade: Churches in
Solidarity with Women," 1988–1998, firmly emphasized the elimination of all violence in
various forms (sexual, religious, psychological, structural, physical, spiritual, military), and the
culture of violence, especially as they affect the life and dignity of women. The Bible condemns
all violence because it is against God and humanity. Violence is associated with wickedness and
condemned as detestable to the Lord" (Psalm 11, Proverbs 3 & 10). The Bible condemns
violence against women in particular. "In Jewish law, rape was viewed as equivalent to murder
(Deut 22:26), as was pressuring a woman physically (Deut 22:25–27) or psychologically (Deut
22:28–29) into sex" (Violence against women, n.d).
The State of Minnesota
Each state in the United States elects two senators, regardless of the state's population.
Senators serve six-year terms with staggered elections. Americans in the United States' six
territories do not have senators. Minnesota has two senators in the United States Senate and eight
representatives in the United States House of Representatives. Minnesota's senators are Amy
Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and they are both Democrats. For this assignment, we will examine
Senator Tina Smith.
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Minnesota’s political background
By 1990, conservatives were in charge at Independent-Republican conventions when
businessman Jon Grunseth was endorsed to challenge Perpich. However, discoveries of sexual
misconduct led Grunseth to withdraw from the contest nine days ere the election. Grunseth's spot
on the ballot went to State Auditor Arne Carlson, a GOP moderate who had run well behind
Grunseth in the primary. Carlson served two terms as governor (Lori Sturdentvant, 2019). The
Republican Party of Minnesota became the Independent-Republican Party, a moniker that lasted
until 1995, by which time a more conservative wing has taken over. By this time, the DFL had
slowly begun to weaken, as well. In 1998, three contenders in the Democratic "my three sons"
gubernatorial primary were Humphrey III, Mike Freeman, and Ted Mondale. Humphrey won a
divisive primary and faced St. Paul GOP mayor Norm Coleman, but former professional wrestler
and suburban mayor Jesse Ventura ran as an independent and won with a plurality (Cohen et al.,
2017). Ventura became the first third-party governor in the state in 1998 since the 1930s. The
statehouse fully felt the conservative shift of the Republican Party when Tim Pawlenty was
elected governor in 2002 (Lori Sturdentvant, 2019).
Perpich's 1990 loss coincided with the election of Carleton College professor Paul
Wellstone to the U.S. Senate. A decided liberal and energetic orator, Wellstone solidified DFL's
dominance in the Twin Cities. Wellstone's vote against approving a unilateral American attack
on Iraq in 2002 was the only such vote cast by a Democrat facing a severe reelection challenge
that year (Lori Sturdentvant, 2019). Wellstone standing in the polls against the Republican
challenger, former St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, rose in the days after the vote. Sadly,
Wellstone, his wife, their daughter, and several aides died in a plane crash twelve days prior to
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the election. Coleman won the seat, but he lost it six years later to former entertainer Al Franken
in the closest U.S. Senate race in state history. Franken's victory margin was 312 votes (Lori
Sturdentvant, 2019).
Though not typically included in national analysts' lists of top battleground states,
Minnesota has been more closely divided in recent presidential races than is popularly
remembered. Minnesota has the longest consecutive streak of voting Democratic for president of
any state, but that run was severely tested in 2016 (Cohen et al., 2017). The Democratic Party
dominates the presidential elections in Minnesota. The last time Minnesota voted for the
Republican nominee was in 1972, and even then, it gave Richard Nixon his lowest percentage
margin over George McGovern. Close races in 2000 and 2004 gave Republican encouragement,
but after Barack Obama won the state handily in 2008 and 2012, few thought it would be a
battleground in 2016 (Cohen et al., 2017). Nevertheless, with relatively few minority voters and
large swaths of rural territory, the Democratic bastion was a competitive contest, and Hillary
Clinton defeated Donald Trump by just 46%-45% (Cohen et al., 2017). Based on the information
mentioned above, one can say that Minnesota has and will keep leaning Democrat in presidential
elections because they have a long tradition of supporting the Democratic Party.
Tina Smith’s political background
Tina Smith graduated from Stanford University in 1980, and she earned her MBA from the Tuck
School of Business at Dartmouth College in 1984. Smith moved to Minnesota to work at General
Mills and raise her family with her husband. Smith left General Mills to start a small business.
She later served as Chief of Staff to both Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rebake and Governor Mark
Dayton. Smith was elected to serve as Minnesota's 48th Lieutenant Governor in 2014. CITE.
Smith filled the United States Senate seat vacated by Al Franken for the remainder of Franken's
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term through January 2021. She ran for reelection, and on November 3, 2020, she won in the
general election (Tina Smith, n.d).
Tina Smith’s interest group ratings
Interest groups rated U.S. Senator Tina Smith as follows; the American Civil Liberties
Union 77%, Americans for Democratic Action 95%, American Conservative Union 2%, and
Conservative Coalition 0% (Tina Smith's Ratings and Endorsements, n.d.). I would classify Tina
Smith as a liberal because the groups with high ratings are liberal groups with liberal beliefs, and
the groups with low ratings are conservative.
S. 167: Community Immunity During COVID–19 Act of 2021.
A bill sponsored by Tina Smith is the S. 167: Community Immunity During COVID–19
Act of 2021. S. 167 is "a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to make grants to covered health departments to increase the rate of
recommended immunizations and for other purposes." (S. 167: Community Immunity During
COVID–19 Act of 2021, 2021). Increasing the rate of immunizations for American citizens is
beneficial because it keeps everyone safer. Many people have died since the outbreak of the
virus, our lifestyles have changed, people have lost their jobs, etc. This immunization will assist
in making our lives go back to normal.
Conclusion
In conclusion, U.S. Representative Jim Hagedorn and U.S. Senator Tina Smith reflect my
values, even though they are in different parties. Political parties do not matter to me as long as
they share my beliefs and values. Hagedorn is fighting for violence against women, and Smith is
fighting for more immunizations so that Americans can be healthier and go back to their usual
way of life. These two bills share my values.
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References
About. (n.d.). U.S. Congressman Jim Hagedorn. https://hagedorn.house.gov/about
Cohen, R., Barnes, J., & Jacobson, L. (2017). The Almanac of American Politics. Columbia
Books and Information Services. https://ebookcentral-proquest-
com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/lib/liberty/reader.action?docID=5594123&ppg=2059
Jim Hagedorn's Ratings and Endorsements. (n.d.). Vote Smart.
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/146027/jim-hagedorn
Lori Sturdentvant. (2019). Politics in Minnesota. Mnopedia. https://www.mnopedia.org/politics-
minnesota
Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. (n.d.). Ballotpedia.
https://ballotpedia.org/Minnesota%27s_1st_Congressional_District
S. 167: Community Immunity During COVID–19 Act of 2021. (2021). Govtrack.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/s167
Tina Smith. (n.d). Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/Tina_Smith
Tina Smith's Ratings and Endorsements. (n.d.). Vote Smart.
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/152968/tina-smith
To reauthorize Department of Justice programs that combat violence against women and for
other purposes. ( 2021, March 12). Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-
congress/house-bill/1892?s=1&r=7
Violence against women. (n.d). Safer Resource.
https://www.saferresource.org.au/the_bible_on_domestic_family_violence
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Witham, S. (2014). Presentation: Becoming an Informed Voter.
https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_734082
_1&content_id=_46265377_1
