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Super Tuesday results • Amy Klobuchar presidential campaign, 2020 • Presidential election, 2020

Tenure

2007 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

Amy Klobuchar (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from Minnesota. She assumed office on January 4, 2007. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Klobuchar (Democratic Party) ran for election for President of the United States. She withdrew before the Democratic convention on August 18, 2020.

Klobuchar endorsed 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on March 2, 2020.^[1]

Klobuchar was mentioned as a possible nominee to replace former United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who passed away on February 13, 2016. Ultimately, President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland.^[2]

Before her election to the U.S. Senate, Klobuchar was an attorney in Hennepin County, Minnesota.^[3]

Based on analysis of multiple outside rankings, Klobuchar is an average Democratic member of Congress, meaning she will vote with the Democratic Party on the majority of bills.

1 Biography
2 Career
- 2.1 Possible 2016 SCOTUS nominee
3 Committee assignments
- 3.1 U.S. Senate
4 Key votes
5 Issues
- 5.1 Democratic Wing Ding appearance
- 5.2 Congresswomen cooperation
6 Noteworthy events
- 6.1 Possible 2016 Democratic vice presidential candidate
- 6.2 United Arab Emirates comments
7 Elections
8 Presidential preference
- 8.1 2020
- 8.2 2016
9 Campaign donors
10 Personal Gain Index
- 10.1 PGI: Change in net worth
- 10.2 PGI: Donation Concentration Metric
11 Analysis
12 Personal
13 See also
14 External links
15 Footnotes

Biography[edit]

Klobuchar was born in 1960 and grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota. She earned her B.A. graduating magna cum laude from Yale University in 1982, and she received her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1985. While attending Yale, Klobuchar interned for Vice President Walter Mondale (D).^[4]

Prior to running for public office, Klobuchar was a partner at the law firms of Dorsey & Whitney and Gray Plant Mooty.^[3] She was elected Hennepin County attorney in 1998 with 50.4 percent of the vote and re-elected in 2002 with no opposition.^[5] She served as county attorney until 2006, the year she was first elected to the U.S. Senate.

Klobuchar won that election with 58 percent of the vote, and she was re-elected with over 60 percent support in 2012 and 2018. In 2014, Senate Democrats elected Klobuchar as chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, which works with advocacy groups, policy experts, and intergovernmental organizations to shape policy positions.^[6]^[7]

Klobuchar has published two books: Uncovering the Dome—based off her Yale senior essay on the politics surrounding the construction of the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome—in 1986 and the memoir The Senator Next Door: A Memoir from the Heartland in 2015.^[8]

Career[edit]

Below is an abbreviated version of Klobuchar's academic, professional, and political career:^[9]

2007-Present: U.S. Senator from Minnesota
1999-2006: Hennepin County Attorney
Partner at Dorsey & Whitney and Gray Plant Mooty law firms
1985: Graduated from the University of Chicago with a Juris Doctor
1982: Graduated from Yale University 1982, magna cum laude

Possible 2016 SCOTUS nominee[edit]

See also: Process to fill the vacated seat of Justice Antonin Scalia

Prior to President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland, Klobuchar was mentioned as a possible nominee to replace former United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died on February 13, 2016.^[2]

Committee assignments[edit]

U.S. Senate[edit]

2021-2022

Klobuchar was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Klobuchar was assigned to the following committees:

2017-2018[edit]

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Klobuchar was assigned to the following committees:^[10]

2015-2016[edit]

Klobuchar served on the following Senate committees:^[11]

Joint Economic Committee
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security
- Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Judiciary Committee
- Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Ranking Member
- Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
- Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest
- Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts
Rules and Administration Committee

2013-2014[edit]

Klobuchar served on the following Senate committees:^[12]

Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Marketing and Agriculture Security
- Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth and Energy Innovation
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources
Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
- Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
- Subcommittee on Science and Space
- Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
- Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion
- Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
- Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
Judiciary Committee
- Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights and Agency Action
- Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security
- Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
- Bankruptcy and the Courts subcommittee
- Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights subcommittee Chairman
United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
Joint Economic Committee

2011-2012[edit]

Klobuchar served on the following Senate committees:^[13]

Key votes[edit]

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2020[edit]

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress[edit]

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)
114th Congress[edit] The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[14]^[15] The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Klobuchar's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.^[16] Economic and fiscal[edit] Trade Act of 2015[edit] See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). TPA, also known as fast track authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. Congress casts a simple up or down vote on a trade agreement, and the legislation only requires a simple majority for approval. The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Klobuchar voted with 30 other Democratic senators against the bill.^[17]^[18] Trade promotion authority On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Klobuchar was one of 31 Democrats to vote against the bill. After, Senate Republican leadership honored a pledge to support trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by passing the measure as part of HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 by voice vote. The House passed HR 1295 the following day, on June 25, 2015, and both TPA and TAA were signed into law on June 29, 2015.^[19]^[20]^[21] 2016 Budget proposal[edit] On May 5, 2015, the Senate voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 51-48. The non-binding resolution will be used to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government before funding runs out on October 1, 2015. The vote marked the first time since 2009 that Congress approved a joint budget resolution. All 44 Democrats, including Klobuchar, voted against the resolution.^[22]^[23]^[24] Defense spending authorization[edit] On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 91-3. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.^[25]^[26] Klobuchar voted with 41 Democrats, 48 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill.^[27] On November 5, 2015, the House passed the bill by a vote of 370-58, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.^[28] On June 18, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1735 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 71-25. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Klobuchar voted with 20 Democrats, 49 Republicans and one Independent to approve the bill.^[29] The House passed the bill on May 15, 2015.^[30] President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.^[31] 2015 budget[edit] On October 30, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 by a vote of 64-35. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.^[32] Klobuchar voted with 43 Democrats, 18 Republicans and two independents in favor of the bill.^[33] It passed the House on October 28, 2015.^[34] President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs[edit] Iran nuclear deal[edit] See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 7, 2015, the Senate voted to approve HR 1191 - A bill to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a vote of 98-1. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. All 43 Democratic senators who voted, including Klobuchar, approved the bill.^[35]^[36] Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 On September 10, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 58-42.^[37] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Klobuchar voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval.^[38] Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 follow up votes On September 15, 2015, the Senate voted for a second time to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 56-42.^[39] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Klobuchar voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval.^[40] The legislation was voted on for a third time on September 17, and it failed for a third time by a vote of 56-42.^[41] Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 fourth vote On September 17, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster a vote on S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640 by a vote of 53-45. The amendment proposed prohibiting "the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran."^[42] Klobuchar voted with 42 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the amendment.^[43] Domestic[edit] USA FREEDOM Act of 2015[edit] On June 2, 2015, the Senate passed HR 2048 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 by a vote of 67-32. The legislation revised HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 by terminating the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Klobuchar voted with 42 Democrats, 23 Republicans and one Independent to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.^[44]^[45] Cyber security[edit] On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed S 754 - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 by a vote of 74-21.^[46] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Klobuchar voted with 29 Democrats, 43 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill.^[47] Immigration[edit] On October 20, 2015, the Senate voted against proceeding to a vote on S 2146 - the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act by a vote of 54-45. The bill proposed withholding federal funding from "sanctuary jurisdictions" that violate the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and other federal immigration laws. In addition, the bill proposed increasing "penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed" and providing "liability protection for State and local law enforcement who cooperate with Federal law enforcement."^[48] Klobuchar voted with 41 Democrats, one Republican and two Independents against proceeding to the bill.^[49] 113th Congress[edit] The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[50] The Senate confirmed 13,949 out of 18,323 executive nominations received (76.1 percent). For more information pertaining to Klobuchar's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.^[51] National security[edit] American response in Syria[edit] See also: United States involvement in Syria Klobuchar released the following statement regarding the situation in Syria: “The president is right to consult with Congress and obtain approval before taking military action in Syria. The decision to allow Congress to debate will give us the ability to carefully consider the evidence and consult with military officials before making a decision. I continue to strongly believe that we should not have American troops on the ground in Syria. I also urge the president to continue to work with our international allies.”^[52] John Brennan CIA nomination[edit] Klobuchar voted for the confirmation of John Brennan as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on March 7, 2013, with a vote of 63 - 34. Most Democrats supported the nomination, while Republicans were somewhat divided with roughly one-third supporting the nomination.^[53] Economy[edit] Government shutdown[edit] See also: United States budget debate, 2013 During the shutdown in October 2013, the Senate rejected, down party lines, every House-originated bill that stripped the budget of funding for the Affordable Care Act. A deal was reached late on October 16, 2013, just hours before the debt ceiling deadline. The bill to reopen the government, H.R. 2775, lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.^[54] The final vote on H.R. 2775 was 81-18, with all 18 votes against the bill from Republican members. Klobuchar voted with the Democratic Party for the bill.^[55] According to a spokesperson for Klobuchar, she "is giving her pay during the government shutdown to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, since lifesaving NIH medical research is being slashed during the shutdown.^[56] No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013[edit] Klobuchar voted for H.R.325 -- No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. The bill passed the Senate on January 31, 2013, with a vote of 64 - 34. The purpose of the bill was to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and withhold the pay of members of Congress until a budget could be passed. The vote largely followed party lines with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting it and many Republicans in opposition to the bill.^[57] Immigration[edit] Mexico-U.S. border[edit] Klobuchar voted against Senate Amendment 1197 -- Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border. The amendment was rejected by the Senate on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 39 - 54. The purpose of the amendment was to require the completion of 350 miles of fence described in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 before registered provisional immigrant status may be granted. It would also require 700 miles of fence be completed before the status of registered provisional immigrants may be changed to permanent resident status. The vote followed party lines.^[58] Social issues[edit] Violence Against Women (2013)[edit] Klobuchar voted for S.47 -- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill was passed by the Senate on February 12, 2013, with a vote of 78 - 22. The purpose of the bill was to combat violence against women, from domestic violence to international trafficking in persons. All 22 dissenting votes were cast by Republicans.^[59] Previous congressional sessions[edit] Fiscal Cliff[edit] Klobuchar voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by an 89 - 8 vote on January 1, 2013.^[60]

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

114th Congress[edit]

The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[14]^[15] The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Klobuchar's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.^[16]

Economic and fiscal[edit]

Trade Act of 2015[edit]

See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015

On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). TPA, also known as fast track authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. Congress casts a simple up or down vote on a trade agreement, and the legislation only requires a simple majority for approval. The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Klobuchar voted with 30 other Democratic senators against the bill.^[17]^[18]
Trade promotion authority
On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Klobuchar was one of 31 Democrats to vote against the bill. After, Senate Republican leadership honored a pledge to support trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by passing the measure as part of HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 by voice vote. The House passed HR 1295 the following day, on June 25, 2015, and both TPA and TAA were signed into law on June 29, 2015.^[19]^[20]^[21]

2016 Budget proposal[edit]

On May 5, 2015, the Senate voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 51-48. The non-binding resolution will be used to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government before funding runs out on October 1, 2015. The vote marked the first time since 2009 that Congress approved a joint budget resolution. All 44 Democrats, including Klobuchar, voted against the resolution.^[22]^[23]^[24]

Defense spending authorization[edit]

On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 91-3. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.^[25]^[26] Klobuchar voted with 41 Democrats, 48 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill.^[27] On November 5, 2015, the House passed the bill by a vote of 370-58, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.^[28]

On June 18, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1735 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 71-25. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Klobuchar voted with 20 Democrats, 49 Republicans and one Independent to approve the bill.^[29] The House passed the bill on May 15, 2015.^[30] President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.^[31]

2015 budget[edit]

On October 30, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 by a vote of 64-35. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.^[32] Klobuchar voted with 43 Democrats, 18 Republicans and two independents in favor of the bill.^[33] It passed the House on October 28, 2015.^[34] President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.

Foreign Affairs[edit]

Iran nuclear deal[edit]

See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015

On May 7, 2015, the Senate voted to approve HR 1191 - A bill to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a vote of 98-1. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. All 43 Democratic senators who voted, including Klobuchar, approved the bill.^[35]^[36]

Hire More Heroes Act of 2015
On September 10, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 58-42.^[37] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Klobuchar voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval.^[38]

Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 follow up votes
On September 15, 2015, the Senate voted for a second time to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 56-42.^[39] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Klobuchar voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval.^[40] The legislation was voted on for a third time on September 17, and it failed for a third time by a vote of 56-42.^[41]

Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 fourth vote
On September 17, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster a vote on S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640 by a vote of 53-45. The amendment proposed prohibiting "the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran."^[42] Klobuchar voted with 42 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the amendment.^[43]

Domestic[edit]

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015[edit]

On June 2, 2015, the Senate passed HR 2048 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 by a vote of 67-32. The legislation revised HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 by terminating the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Klobuchar voted with 42 Democrats, 23 Republicans and one Independent to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.^[44]^[45]

Cyber security[edit]

On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed S 754 - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 by a vote of 74-21.^[46] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Klobuchar voted with 29 Democrats, 43 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill.^[47]

Immigration[edit]

On October 20, 2015, the Senate voted against proceeding to a vote on S 2146 - the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act by a vote of 54-45. The bill proposed withholding federal funding from "sanctuary jurisdictions" that violate the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and other federal immigration laws. In addition, the bill proposed increasing "penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed" and providing "liability protection for State and local law enforcement who cooperate with Federal law enforcement."^[48] Klobuchar voted with 41 Democrats, one Republican and two Independents against proceeding to the bill.^[49]

113th Congress[edit]

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[50] The Senate confirmed 13,949 out of 18,323 executive nominations received (76.1 percent). For more information pertaining to Klobuchar's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.^[51]

National security[edit]

American response in Syria[edit]

See also: United States involvement in Syria

Klobuchar released the following statement regarding the situation in Syria: “The president is right to consult with Congress and obtain approval before taking military action in Syria. The decision to allow Congress to debate will give us the ability to carefully consider the evidence and consult with military officials before making a decision. I continue to strongly believe that we should not have American troops on the ground in Syria. I also urge the president to continue to work with our international allies.”^[52]

John Brennan CIA nomination[edit]

Klobuchar voted for the confirmation of John Brennan as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on March 7, 2013, with a vote of 63 - 34. Most Democrats supported the nomination, while Republicans were somewhat divided with roughly one-third supporting the nomination.^[53]

Economy[edit]

Government shutdown[edit]

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

During the shutdown in October 2013, the Senate rejected, down party lines, every House-originated bill that stripped the budget of funding for the Affordable Care Act. A deal was reached late on October 16, 2013, just hours before the debt ceiling deadline. The bill to reopen the government, H.R. 2775, lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.^[54] The final vote on H.R. 2775 was 81-18, with all 18 votes against the bill from Republican members. Klobuchar voted with the Democratic Party for the bill.^[55]

According to a spokesperson for Klobuchar, she "is giving her pay during the government shutdown to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, since lifesaving NIH medical research is being slashed during the shutdown.^[56]

No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013[edit]

Klobuchar voted for H.R.325 -- No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. The bill passed the Senate on January 31, 2013, with a vote of 64 - 34. The purpose of the bill was to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and withhold the pay of members of Congress until a budget could be passed. The vote largely followed party lines with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting it and many Republicans in opposition to the bill.^[57]

Immigration[edit]

Mexico-U.S. border[edit]

Klobuchar voted against Senate Amendment 1197 -- Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border. The amendment was rejected by the Senate on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 39 - 54. The purpose of the amendment was to require the completion of 350 miles of fence described in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 before registered provisional immigrant status may be granted. It would also require 700 miles of fence be completed before the status of registered provisional immigrants may be changed to permanent resident status. The vote followed party lines.^[58]

Social issues[edit]

Violence Against Women (2013)[edit]

Klobuchar voted for S.47 -- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill was passed by the Senate on February 12, 2013, with a vote of 78 - 22. The purpose of the bill was to combat violence against women, from domestic violence to international trafficking in persons. All 22 dissenting votes were cast by Republicans.^[59]

Previous congressional sessions[edit]

Fiscal Cliff[edit]

Klobuchar voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by an 89 - 8 vote on January 1, 2013.^[60]

Issues[edit]

Democratic Wing Ding appearance[edit]

Klobuchar made an appearance at the 2013 Democratic Wing Ding, a fundraiser in Northern Iowa. She was the keynote speaker, and she criticized House Republicans for not passing the farm bill and the immigration bill. She specifically criticized Iowa's 4th Congressional District's Republican Representative Steve King for his opposition to the immigration bill. Klobuchar added that she partly attended the fundraiser to support Iowa Democrat Bruce Braley, who ran for Senator Tom Harkin's seat in 2014.^[61]

Congresswomen cooperation[edit]

In December 2013, Klobuchar said that the close friendships between her fellow congresswomen helped resolve the federal shutdown. She noted that the women had dinner together every other month. She said, "We are really good friends and when people talk about the days of old and they miss the days that people used to work together, we’ve got that going with the 20 female senators."^[62] -->

Noteworthy events[edit]

Possible 2016 Democratic vice presidential candidate[edit]

See also: Possible vice presidential picks, 2016

Klobuchar was mentioned as a possible Democratic vice presidential candidate. On July 22, 2016, Hillary Clinton announced that she had selected U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) as her running mate.^[63]

United Arab Emirates comments[edit]

In December 2013, Klobuchar criticized the United Arab Emirates for holding an American over a mock documentary. Shezanne Cassim was a University of Minnesota graduate who moved to Dubai in 2006. He made and posted a satirical video online that made fun of the youth culture in Dubai. Cassim was arrested in April 2012 and charged with violating cybercrimes laws and endangering national security.^[64] He pleaded not guilty but was sentenced to one year in a maximum-security prison. Klobuchar defended Cassim, saying, "I figure if Mick Jagger can play Abu Dhabi, these guys shouldn’t be in jail for putting a video up. If he’s not home by the time of that Rolling Stones concert, they’ve got a problem. They can’t have Mick Jagger up there singing his songs and then have this guy in jail."^[65]

Klobuchar worked with U.S. State Department to seek Cassim's release. He was freed in January 2014 after spending nine months behind bars, and returned to Minnesota just six weeks before the Rolling Stones concert.^[66]^[67]

Elections[edit]

2020[edit]

Presidency[edit]

See also: Presidential candidates, 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) won the presidential election on November 3, 2020. Biden received 306 electoral votes and President Donald Trump (R) received 232 electoral votes. In the national popular vote, Biden received 81.2 million votes and Trump received 74.2 million votes.

Klobuchar formally announced she was running for president on February 10, 2019.^[68] She ended her presidential campaign on March 2, 2020.^[69]

Ballotpedia compiled the following resources about Klobuchar and the 2020 presidential election:

News stories about the 2020 presidential election;
An overview of key national and state campaign staffers;
Endorsements from politicians, public figures, and organizations;
An overview of candidate campaign travel; and
A list of other presidential candidates who ran for election.

Click here for Klobuchar's 2020 presidential campaign overview.

Amy Klobuchar (D) presidential primary results in 2020

State	Date	% of vote received	Pledged delegates
Iowa	February 3	12.2	1
New Hampshire	February 11	19.7	6
Nevada	February 22	7.3	0
South Carolina	February 29	3.1	0
Arkansas	March 3	3.1	0
California	March 3	2.2	0
Maine	March 3	1.4	0
Massachusetts	March 3	1.2	0
Minnesota	March 3	5.6	0
North Carolina	March 3	2.3	0
Oklahoma	March 3	2.2	0
Tennessee	March 3	2.1	0
Texas	March 3	2.1	0
Utah	March 3	3.4	0
Vermont	March 3	1.3	0
Virginia	March 3	0.6	0
Alabama	March 3	0.2	0
Idaho	March 10	0.7	0
Michigan	March 10	0.7	0
Mississippi	March 10	0.2	0
Missouri	March 10	0.4	0
North Dakota	March 10	1.5	0
Washington	March 10	2.1	0
Democrats Abroad	March 10	0.6	0
Florida	March 17	1.0	0
Wisconsin	April 7	0.7	0
Ohio	April 28	1.3	0
Indiana	June 2	0.8	0
Maryland	June 2	0.5	0
Georgia	June 9	0.4	0
West Virginia	June 9	1.6	0
Kentucky	June 23	1.0	0
New York	June 23	0.8	0
Louisiana	July 11	0.9	0
Puerto Rico	July 12	0.5	0

Total pledged delegates: 7

2018[edit]

See also: United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Minnesota

Incumbent Amy Klobuchar defeated Jim Newberger, Dennis Schuller, and Paula Overby in the general election for U.S. Senate Minnesota on November 6, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Amy Klobuchar (D)	60.3	1,566,174
	Jim Newberger (R)	36.2	940,437
	Dennis Schuller (Legal Marijuana Now Party)	2.6	66,236
	Paula Overby (G)	0.9	23,101
	Other/Write-in votes	0.0	931

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,596,879 (100.00% precincts reporting)
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Minnesota

Incumbent Amy Klobuchar defeated Steve Carlson, Stephen Emery, David Robert Groves, and Leonard Richards in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Minnesota on August 14, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Amy Klobuchar	95.7	557,306
	Steve Carlson	1.7	9,934
	Stephen Emery	1.2	7,047
	David Robert Groves	0.8	4,511
	Leonard Richards	0.6	3,552

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 582,350
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Minnesota

Jim Newberger defeated Merrill Anderson, Rae Hart Anderson, and Roque De La Fuente in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Minnesota on August 14, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Jim Newberger	69.5	201,531
	Merrill Anderson	15.7	45,492
	Rae Hart Anderson	8.9	25,883
	Roque De La Fuente	5.9	17,051

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 289,957
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Robert Barnheiser (R)

2012[edit]

See also: United States Senate elections in Minnesota, 2012

Klobuchar ran for re-election in 2012.^[70] She defeated Jack Shepard, Darryl Stanton and Dick Franson in the Democratic primary. She defeated Republican Kurt Bills, Independence Party candidate Stephen Williams, candidate Timothy Davis, and Minnesota Open Progressives candidate Michael Cavlan in the November general election.^[71]

U.S. Senate, Minnesota General Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Amy Klobuchar Incumbent	65.2%	1,854,595
	Republican	Kurt Bills	30.5%	867,974
	Independence	Stephen Williams	2.6%	73,539
	Grassroots	Tim Davis	1.1%	30,531
	Progressive	Michael Cavlan	0.5%	13,986
Total Votes				2,843,207
Source: Minnesota Secretary of State, "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" (dead link)

Full history[edit]

To view the full congressional electoral history for Amy Klobuchar, click [show] to expand the section.

2006

On November 7, 2006, Klobuchar won election to the United States Senate. She defeated Mark R. Kennedy (R), Robert Fitzgerald, (I), Michael James Cavlan (G), and Ben Powers (C) in the general election.^[72]

U.S. Senate General Election, Minnesota, 2006
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Amy Klobuchar	58.1%	1,278,849
	Republican	Mark R. Kennedy	37.9%	835,653
	Independent	Robert Fitzgerald	3.2%	71,194
	Green	Michael James Calvan	0.5%	10,714
	Constitution	Ben Powers	0.2%	5,408
	Independent	Write-In	0%	954
Total Votes				2,202,772

Presidential preference[edit]

2020[edit]

See also: Presidential election in Minnesota, 2020 and Democratic National Convention, 2020

Klobuchar ran for president of the United States in 2020. After she withdrew, Klobuchar endorsed Joe Biden (D) in the 2020 presidential election.^[73]

2016[edit]

See also: Presidential election in Minnesota, 2016 and Democratic National Convention, 2016

Klobuchar endorsed Hillary Clinton (D) in the 2016 presidential election.^[74]

Campaign donors[edit]

Comprehensive donor history[edit]

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.

Amy Klobuchar campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Result	Contributions
2018	U.S. Senate Minnesota	✔	$13,007,187
2012	U.S. Senate (Minnesota)	✔	$10,203,513
2006	U.S. Senate (Minnesota)	✔	$9,202,052
Grand total raised			$32,412,752
Source: Follow the Money

2018[edit]

U.S. Senate Minnesota 2018 election - Campaign Contributions
Top industry contributors to Amy Klobuchar's campaign in 2018
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate	$815,605.66
Lawyers & Lobbyists	$672,918.32
General Business	$593,184.58
Communications & Electronics	$448,846.78
Agriculture	$393,425.00
Total Raised in 2018	$13,007,187.47
Source: Follow the Money

U.S. Senate Minnesota 2018 election - Campaign Contributions
Top individual contributors to Amy Klobuchar's campaign in 2018
LERNER, SUZANNE L	$23,250.00
Total Raised in 2018	$13,007,187.47
Source: Follow the Money

2012[edit]

Klobuchar won the U.S. Senate election in 2012. During that election cycle, Klobuchar's campaign committee raised a total of $10,203,513 and spent $8,532,377.^[75]

Cost per vote[edit]

Klobuchar spent $4.60 per vote received in 2012.

United States Senate, 2012 - Amy Klobuchar Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$10,203,513
Total Spent	$8,532,377
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$953,146
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	$955,342
Top contributors to Amy Klobuchar's campaign committee
Dorsey & Whitney	$61,850
Target Corp	$56,050
US Bancorp	$51,889
General Mills	$51,650
Robins, Kaplan et al	$49,650
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$1,044,812
Retired	$504,878
Leadership PACs	$319,150
Lobbyists	$298,430
Securities & Investment	$286,533

To view the breakdown of campaign funding by type click [show] to expand the section.
Breakdown of the source of Klobuchar's campaign funds before the 2008 election.

2006[edit]

Klobuchar won election to the U.S. Senate in 2006. During that election cycle, Klobuchar's campaign committee raised a total of $9,202,052 and spent $9,095,671.^[76]

Personal Gain Index[edit]

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

PGI: Change in net worth[edit]

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Klobuchar's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $400,028 and $1,225,000. That averages to $812,514, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic senators in 2012 of $13,566,333. Klobuchar ranked as the 69th most wealthy senator in 2012.^[77] Between 2006 and 2012, Klobuchar's calculated net worth^[78] decreased by an average of 3 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.^[79]

Amy Klobuchar Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2006	$979,445
2012	$812,514
Growth from 2006 to 2012:	-17%
Average annual growth:	-3%^[80]
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.^[81]

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric[edit]

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Klobuchar received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.

From 2005-2014, 26.67 percent of Klobuchar's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.^[82]

Amy Klobuchar Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$20,012,859
Total Spent	$18,528,952
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$2,026,784
Retired	$1,201,633
Women's Issues	$1,017,489
Leadership PACs	$585,950
Securities & Investment	$505,358
% total in top industry	10.13%
% total in top two industries	16.13%
% total in top five industries	26.67%

Analysis[edit]

Ideology and leadership[edit]

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Klobuchar was a moderate Democratic leader as of July 2014.^[83] Klobuchar was rated as a "rank-and-file Democrat" in June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues[edit]

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.^[84]

As of September 2015, Klobuchar most often voted with:

As of September 2015, Klobuchar least often voted with:

Lifetime voting record[edit]

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Klobuchar missed 21 of 2,765 roll call votes from January 2007 to September 2015. This amounts to 0.8 percent, which is better than the median of 1.6 percent among current senators as of September 2015.^[85]

Congressional staff salaries[edit]

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Klobuchar paid her congressional staff a total of $2,404,347 in 2011. She ranked 7th on the list of the lowest paid Democratic senatorial staff salaries and ranked 30th overall of the lowest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Minnesota ranked 46th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.^[86]

National Journal vote ratings[edit]

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013[edit]

Klobuchar ranked 29th in the liberal rankings in 2013.^[87]

2012[edit]

Klobuchar ranked 34th in the liberal rankings in 2012.^[88]

2011[edit]

Klobuchar ranked 34th in the liberal rankings in 2011.^[89]

Voting with party[edit]

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014[edit]

Klobuchar voted with the Democratic Party 96.2 percent of the time, which ranked 19th among the 53 Senate Democratic members as of July 2014.^[90]

2013[edit]

Klobuchar voted with the Democratic Party 95.5 percent of the time, which ranked 24th among the 52 Senate Democratic members as of June 2013.^[91]

Personal[edit]

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Klobuchar is married to John Bessler. They have a daughter named Abigail.^[92]

External links[edit]

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

President of the United States

Officeholder

U.S. Senate Minnesota

Footnotes[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by Mark Dayton	U.S. Senate - Minnesota 2007-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

Minnesota's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Amy Klobuchar (D)

Tina Smith (D)

Representatives

District 1

Jim Hagedorn (R)

District 2

Angie Craig (D)

District 3

Dean Phillips (D)

District 4

Betty McCollum (D)

District 5

Ilhan Omar (D)

District 6

Tom Emmer (R)

District 7

Michelle Fischbach (R)

District 8

Pete Stauber (R)

Democratic Party (6)

Republican Party (4)

	v • e State of Minnesota St. Paul (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? \| Elections in 2021 \| How to vote \| How to run for office \| Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? \| U.S. President \| U.S. Congress \| Federal courts \| State executives \| State legislature \| State and local courts \| Counties \| Cities \| School districts \| Public policy

Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Original source: https://ballotpedia.org/Amy_Klobuchar
Status: cached on November 18 2021 14:43:25

Amy Klobuchar

Contents

Biography[edit]

Career[edit]

Possible 2016 SCOTUS nominee[edit]

Committee assignments[edit]

U.S. Senate[edit]

2021-2022

2019-2020

2017-2018[edit]

2015-2016[edit]

2013-2014[edit]

2011-2012[edit]

Key votes[edit]

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2020[edit]

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress[edit]

114th Congress[edit]

Economic and fiscal[edit]

Trade Act of 2015[edit]

2016 Budget proposal[edit]

Defense spending authorization[edit]

2015 budget[edit]

Foreign Affairs[edit]

Iran nuclear deal[edit]

Domestic[edit]

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015[edit]

Cyber security[edit]

Immigration[edit]

113th Congress[edit]

National security[edit]

American response in Syria[edit]

John Brennan CIA nomination[edit]

Economy[edit]

Government shutdown[edit]

No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013[edit]

Immigration[edit]

Mexico-U.S. border[edit]

Social issues[edit]

Violence Against Women (2013)[edit]

Previous congressional sessions[edit]

Fiscal Cliff[edit]

Issues[edit]

Democratic Wing Ding appearance[edit]

Congresswomen cooperation[edit]

Noteworthy events[edit]

Possible 2016 Democratic vice presidential candidate[edit]

United Arab Emirates comments[edit]

Elections[edit]

2020[edit]

Presidency[edit]

Amy Klobuchar (D) presidential primary results in 2020

2018[edit]

General election for U.S. Senate Minnesota

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Minnesota

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Minnesota

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

2012[edit]

Full history[edit]

Presidential preference[edit]

2020[edit]

2016[edit]

Campaign donors[edit]

Comprehensive donor history[edit]

2018[edit]

2012[edit]

Cost per vote[edit]

2006[edit]

Personal Gain Index[edit]

PGI: Change in net worth[edit]

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric[edit]

Analysis[edit]

Ideology and leadership[edit]

Like-minded colleagues[edit]

Lifetime voting record[edit]

Congressional staff salaries[edit]

National Journal vote ratings[edit]

2013[edit]

2012[edit]

2011[edit]

Voting with party[edit]