Minnesota Governor Q+A: Margaret Anderson Kelliher

Why should voters choose you over your opponent?

As Governor I will do everything it takes to get Minnesota back to work. Almost 204,000 Minnesotans are unemployed. Thousands more are underemployed, working harder and earning less.

As Governor I will build a budget based on Minnesota’s highest priorities – focused on what we will achieve as a state, not just how we resolve the deficit. Those priorities are:

Good Jobs – As Governor, I will do everything it takes to get Minnesota back to work in good-paying jobs. I will do that by: 1) Bringing federal dollars home; 2) Investing in high-priority infrastructure; 3) Expanding Minnesota industries and growing small businesses; 4) Educating Minnesota’s workforce for the next generation of jobs; and 5) Growing the clean energy economy.

Great Schools – As Governor, I will make sure every school has the resources they need to prepare our children for success in the 21st Century economy. I will fight to make sure we have a great teacher in every classroom and that every child comes to Kindergarten ready to learn. I will invest in Minnesota’s greatest asset – a skilled workforce to build the strongest economy in the nation.

Strong Infrastructure – As Governor, I will invest in the critical infrastructure that our state, regional, and local economies depend on. Sound investments in road and bridge safety and a 21st Century transit system will grow our economy and create jobs. And investing in our parks, trails, and other essential infrastructure will add value to our communities and improve our quality of life

Affordable Health Care – As Governor, I will make sure all Minnesotans have health care by 2014. I support the Minnesota Health Plan because it’s the right thing to do. But a cost study must be completed first, because that’s the fiscally responsible thing to do. While working toward that goal, I will cover all Minnesotans by: 1) Bringing $1.4 billion in federal health care funding home from Washington; 2) Fully-implementing federal reforms; and 3) Reforming MinnesotaCare.

Just like Tim Pawlenty, my opponent Tom Emmer is not willing to fight for good jobs, strong schools, sound infrastructure, or access to affordable health care. And he would refuse to bring Minnesota tax dollars home from Washington that would help address our jobs crisis.

Minnesota can’t afford another eight years of failed leadership. We need a Governor who will fight for us – a Governor who won’t quit when the going gets tough. I will be that Governor.

What is your greatest strength?

My greatest strength has always been my ability to bring people together. As Speaker of the House I have proven time and again that Minnesota is at its best when we work together toward a common goal.

In 2007, I brought Democrats and Republicans together to pass the nations strongest Renewable Energy Standard. In 2008, I built coalitions with farmers and environmentalists, business and labor, Democrats and Republicans to override Governor Pawlenty’s transportation veto. It was the single largest job creator the legislature passed in a generation.

And in 2009, I built the coalition to pass the Legacy Amendment – letting voters decide on new dedicated funding for clean water, habitat for hunting and fishing, parks and trails and the arts and culture.

Minnesota needs a Governor who is willing and able to work with everyone to solve the serious challenges facing our state. After all, we are all in this together.

What is your greatest weakness?

Gordy’s Hi Hat in Cloquet. I always have to stop on my way through town.

What do you consider your single greatest achievement, in or out of office?

In 2008, I overrode Tim Pawlenty’s transportation veto to fix Minnesota’s aging roads and bridges.

I did it by building a coalition of Democrats and Republicans, business and labor, farmers and environmentalists. That single effort invested more than $6 billion in our deteriorating roads and bridges, and made the first long-term dedicated investment in transit.

I saw the need, and I fought for the solution. I told Tim Pawlenty I was going to pass a comprehensive transportation bill against his objections. He told me to go ahead and try. That’s exactly what I did.

Even when the going got tough, I didn’t back down. No matter the challenges facing our state, I will always stand up and fight to do the right thing. I did it as Speaker of the House, and I will do it as Governor.

How would you define leadership?

I believe leadership is taking action to improve people’s lives. For me, being Governor will not be about scoring political points – instead I will be focused on getting Minnesota back to work.

As Governor, I will serve Minnesotans. I will focus on creating good jobs, great schools, and ensuring safety on our roads and bridges. And I will do it by bringing people together to solve Minnesota’s many challenges collaboratively – because we’re all in this together.

In a few sentences or less, how do you plan to address Minnesota's