2018 Minnesota US Senate Voters Guide

Jeff Johnson (R) vs Tim Walz (D)

Governor | Election | Nov 6, 2018

The Candidates

Jeff Johnson

Jeff Johnson

Republican

Tim Walz

Tim Walz

Democrat

The Issues

Abortion

Mostly ban or mostly legal?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Ban. Believes in sanctity of human life from conception.  Wants a “heartbeat bill,” banning abortions at about 6 weeks of pregnancy.

Tim Walz (D)

Legal. Believes in a woman’s right to choose, & will continue this support as Governor.

Campaign Finance

Require political ads to disclose their largest funders?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Unknown.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Co-sponsored 2012 DISCLOSE Act, requiring full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures.

Support Citizens United decision, allowing unlimited political donations from corporations & unions?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Unknown.

Tim Walz (D)

No. Disagrees with Supreme Court decision that lifts limits on corporations’ & unions’ spending in US elections.

Climate Change

Consider human-caused climate change a serious threat?

Jeff Johnson (R)

No. Says climate is changing naturally and human involvement is debatable.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Sees climate change as real and urgent.

Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

Jeff Johnson (R)

No. Believes that a single country’s efforts to mitigate climate change would have only a “small effect” & “we don’t need to reorder our economy based on climate change.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Supported legislation to restrict carbon emissions. Opposed Trump’s decision to withdraw from Paris Climate Agreement.

Economy

Support Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Chinese steel & other products?

Jeff Johnson (R)

No. Concerned about how Chinese tariffs will affect Minnesota farmers.

Tim Walz (D)

No. Calls the tariffs “rash” & not in “the interests of America’s farmers.”

Education

Increase funding for K-12 education?

Jeff Johnson (R)

No. Says money won’t solve problems. Voted in 2012 against increasing funding for early childhood & education programs for low-income families.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Wants to fully fund pre-K & K-12 education, making Minnesota the “education state.”

Provide vouchers to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Yes. Wants to allow parents vouchers to move their children out of failing schools.

Tim Walz (D)

No. Sees a need to keep funding public schools, “not diverting it into voucher programs.”

Increase state funding for higher education?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Unknown.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Wants to provide 2 years tuition-free education at MN state institutions for families making $125K/year or less.

Gay Rights

Support gay marriage?

Jeff Johnson (R)

No. But supports “contractual unions” for hospital visitation, inheritance or end-of-life decisions.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Has campaigned for “full marriage equality” since 2005.

Guns

Support more restrictive gun control legislation?

Jeff Johnson (R)

No. Opposes expanded background checks. Wants to arm trained professionals in schools & strengthen existing laws, not restrict “rights of law-abiding gun owners” with new laws.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Supports expanded background checks & banning assault-style weapons—not arming teachers (he was a teacher for 20 years).

Health Care

Support or Repeal Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare? Accept ACA’s Medicaid expansion to subsidize low-income participants?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Repeal. Says the ACA “was sold as reform & there was no reform in it.” Wants to move toward “a more free-market system.”

Tim Walz (D)

Support. Opposes attempts to roll back ACA.  Believes single payer type system “is on Minnesota’s horizon,” but need to control immediate costs, improve care, and support MinnesotaCare as best current option. Also supports allowing people to buy into programs like VA system, Medicaid & Medicare.

Let Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion health care?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Unknown.

Immigration

Support DACA, allowing “Dreamers” who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Unknown.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Sees a need to address DACA & protect Dreamers. Wants to provide them with a path to citizenship.

Support path to citizenship for America’s 11 million illegal immigrants?

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Supports a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.

Labor

Enact right-to-work law, eliminating the right of unions to mandate dues for workers they represent?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Yes. Supports making Minnesota a right-to-work state.

Tim Walz (D)

No. Opposes “assaults on our right to collective bargaining,” & wants to push back against right-to-work legislation.

Marijuana

Legalize or decriminalize marijuana?

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Supports full legalization of medical and recreational marijuana for adults.

Minimum Wage

Raise the minimum wage?

Jeff Johnson (R)

No. Says it would lessen options for young & least experienced people.

Jeff Johnson (R)

Yes. Supports $15 minimum wage for Minnesota.

Net Neutrality

Require internet providers to provide equal access to all users?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Unknown.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes.

President Trump

Response to Donald Trump Presidency?

Tim Walz (D)

Sees Trump as “divisive.” Rejects his calling his critics “treasonous.” On key votes, opposed Trump 79.5% as of August 2018.

Renewable Energy

Support government subsidies for renewable energy?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Questions Minnesota’s mandates on producing renewable fuels like ethanol & biodiesel, but promises not to end them if elected.

Tim Walz (D)

Yes. Wants to expand the Renewable Energy Standard, so Minnesota will get at least 50% of its energy from renewables by 2030, up from 21% now.

Voting Rights

Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements, even if they prevent some people from voting?

Jeff Johnson (R)

Yes. Supports requiring voters to show photo ID, although Minnesotans rejected that idea in a 2012 vote.

Tim Walz (D)

No. Strengthen & reauthorize Voting Rights Act. Remove barriers to voting.

Other candidates for governor include Josh Welter (L) & Chris Wright (Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party). Due to limited space, we can’t include their responses, but encourage you to check out their websites.

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