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Mark Kennedy on Principles & Values

Republican Representative (MN-6)


Votes for what's best for MN, but with Bush 92% of the time

Q: Do you believe that George Bush is a great president?

KENNEDY: I believe history is going to make that decision. This is a guy who's human, like all of us. Has made mistakes, we've all made mistakes.

Q: And yet you supported the president 92% of the time [with your votes], according to Congressional Quarterly. Are you running as a George Bush Republican?

KENNEDY: I'm running as Mark Kennedy. My votes are based on what's best for Minnesota families.

Q: But 92% of the time, you voted for President Bush.

KENNEDY: I don't where they get those statistics, but they only take one out of 10 votes. But I can tell you there are things I disagree with the president on, whether it be No Child Left Behind that I voted against my first year in Congress, or ANWR. There are things that I agree with him on, that you get prosperity for our kids not by raising taxes but by keeping it low, and that we keep our families safe by being on the offense in the war on terror.

Source: 2006 MN Senate debate, on Meet the Press Oct 15, 2006

4th-generation Minnesotan, 4th-generation in public service

Mark Kennedy is a fourth-generation Minnesota Kennedy, and the fourth generation in his family to serve Minnesota in public office. His parents taught him the Minnesota values of hard work, common sense, faith in God, cooperation to get things done, and a sense of optimism that guide him to this day.

While serving the 6th District in the US House, Mark has shared Minnesotans frustration with the Senate getting bogged down in partisan obstruction and petty politics. Mark seeks to serve Minnesota in the US Senate to replace angry words with bipartisan solutions.

Born in Benson and raised in Murdock and Pequot Lakes, Mark was the first boy in his family to go to college, and never lived in a town of more than 1,000 until then. But because we live in America, Mark married the girl of his dreams (a farmer's daughter he met in 4-H), got an MBA, spent 20 years in business, and was elected to the US Congress. Kennedy can represent the hopes and dreams of Minnesotans, because he has lived them.

Source: Campaign website, www.markkennedy06.com Jan 29, 2006

Great things can happen if we trust the people

Because of the policies Congressman Kennedy supported, our economy recovered from the shocks of 9-11 and is creating millions of new jobs. Married couples no longer pay a tax penalty, seniors have prescription coverage, local school districts have more money for local priorities, traffic congestion is being addressed, farmers face fewer trade barriers, freedom is spreading throughout a Middle East and as a result, America is safer.

Kennedy believes great things can happen if we trust the people and make sure government helps, rather than hinders them as they pursue their dreams. Mark's vision is for a Minnesota that is the best place in the world for small businesses to invest and grow, where education prepares all for the careers of the future, where consumer driven health care is affordable and accessible, where children are safe, veterans are honored, conservation is practiced, transportation is efficient and the world is at peace.

Source: Campaign website, www.markkennedy06.com Jan 29, 2006

Married with four children; serves as church lector

Kennedy received his bachelors' degree from St. John's University and his Masters in Business Administration with distinction from the University of Michigan. Mark and his wife Debbie, a former public school teacher, reside in Watertown. They have four children. Mark is active in his church as a lector and in his community as state chair of the Lion's Club Liberty Day program, a Boy Scout volunteer and a member of Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Farm Bureau and the Knights of Columbu
Source: Campaign website, www.markkennedy06.com Jan 29, 2006

Other candidates on Principles & Values: Mark Kennedy on other issues:
MN Gubernatorial:
Tim Pawlenty
MN Senatorial:
Amy Klobuchar
Ford Bell
Mark Dayton
Michael Cavlan
Norm Coleman
Robert Fitzgerald

2004 Presidential:
Pres.George W. Bush
Sen.John Kerry
Ralph Nader

2008 possibilities:

Sen.Hillary Clinton
Sen.John Edwards
Sen.Russ Feingold
Rudy Giuliani
V.P.Al Gore
Sen.Barack Obama
Sen.John McCain


2006 Senate retirements:
Jon Corzine(D,NJ)
Mark Dayton(DFL,MN)
Bill Frist(R,TN)
Jim Jeffords(I,VT)
Paul Sarbanes(D,MD)
2006 Senate Races:
(AZ)Kyl v.Pederson
(CA)Feinstein v.Mountjoy
(CT)Lieberman v.Lamont v.Schlesinger
(DE)Carper v.Ting
(FL)Nelson v.Harris
(HI)Akaka v.Thielen
(IN)Lugar v.Osborn
(MA)Kennedy v.Chase
(MD)Cardin v.Steele v.Zeese
(ME)Snowe v.Bright
(MI)Stabenow v.Bouchard
(MN)Kennedy v.Klobuchar
(MO)Talent v.McCaskill
(MS)Lott v.Fleming v.Bowlin
(MT)Burns v.Tester
(ND)Conrad v.Grotberg
(NE)Nelson v.Ricketts
(NJ)Menendez v.Kean
(NM)Bingaman v.McCulloch
(NV)Ensign v.Carter
(NY)Clinton v.Spencer
(OH)DeWine vBrown
(PA)Santorum v.Casey
(RI)Chafee vWhitehouse
(TN)Ford v.Corker
(TX)Hutchison v.Radnofsky
(UT)Hatch v.Ashdown
(VA)Allen v.Webb
(VT)Sanders v.Tarrant
(WA)Cantwell v.McGavick v.Guthrie
(WI)Kohl v.Vogeler v.Redick
(WV)Byrd v.Raese
(WY)Thomas v.Groutage
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