Jeff Johnson (R)
Tim Walz (D)
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For more detailed information on candidate
positions visit their respective pages at
votesmart.org
To volunteer, visit
• johnsonforgovernor.org
• walzflanagan.org
Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?
Ban. Believes in sanctity of human life
from conception. Wants a “heartbeat
bill,” banning abortions at about 6
weeks of pregnancy.
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?
Unknown.
Yes. Co-sponsored 2012 DISCLOSE Act,
requiring full disclosure of independent
campaign expenditures.
Campaign Finance: Support Citizens United
decision, allowing unlimited political
donations from corporations & unions?
Unknown.
No. Disagrees with Supreme Court
decision that lifts limits on corporations’
& unions’ spending in US elections.
Climate Change: Consider climate change a
critical threat?
No. Says climate is changing naturally
and human involvement is debatable.
Yes. Sees climate change as real and
urgent.
Climate Change: Should government limit
the levels of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere?
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.”
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?
No. Concerned about how Chinese
tariffs will affect Minnesota farmers.
No. Calls the tariffs “rash” & not in “the
interests of America’s farmers.”
Education: Increase funding for K-12
education?
No. Says money won’t solve problems.
Voted in 2012 against increasing
funding for early childhood &
education programs for low-income
families.
Yes. Wants to fully fund pre-K & K-12
education, making Minnesota the
“education state.”
Education: Provide vouchers to parents to
send their children to private schools with
public money?
Yes. Wants to allow parents vouchers
to move their children out of failing
schools.
No. Sees a need to keep funding public
schools, “not diverting it into voucher
programs.”
Education: Increase state funding for higher
education?
Unknown.
Yes. Wants to provide 2 years tuition-
free education at MN state institutions
for families making $125K/year or less.
Gay Marriage: Support gay marriage?
No. But supports “contractual unions”
for hospital visitation, inheritance or
end-of-life decisions.
Yes. Has campaigned for “full marriage
equality” since 2005.
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2018 MINNESOTA GOVERNOR’S RACE
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Jeff Johnson (R)
Tim Walz (D)
Gun Control: Support more restrictive gun
control legislation?
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.
Yes. Supports expanded background
checks & banning assault-style
weapons—not arming teachers (he was
a teacher for 20 years).
Healthcare: Support or Repeal Affordable
Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare? Accept
ACA's Medicaid expansion to subsidize low-
income participants?
Repeal. Says the ACA “was sold as
reform & there was no reform in it.”
Wants to move toward “a more free-
market system.”
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.
Healthcare: Let Planned Parenthood
receive public funds for non-abortion
health care?
Unknown.
Yes. Voted against defunding Planned
Parenthood.
Immigration: Support DACA, allowing
“Dreamers” who arrived illegally as children,
then grew up in the US, to achieve legal
status if meet certain conditions?
Unknown.
Yes. Sees a need to address DACA &
protect Dreamers. Wants to provide
them with a path to citizenship.
Immigration: Support path to citizenship for
America’s 11 million illegal immigrants?
Unknown. Advocates stopping MN’s
refugee resettlement program now.
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?
Yes. Supports making Minnesota a
right-to-work state.
No. Opposes “assaults on our right to
collective bargaining,” & wants to push
back against right-to-work legislation.
Marijuana: Legalize or decriminalize
marijuana?
Supports medical marijuana but
opposed to legalizing recreational.
Yes. Supports full legalization of medical
and recreational marijuana for adults.
Minimum Wage: Raise the minimum wage?
No. Says it would lessen options for
young & least experienced people.
Yes. Supports $15 minimum wage for
Minnesota.
Net Neutrality: Require internet providers to
provide equal access to all users?
Unknown.
Yes.
President Trump: Response to Donald Trump
Presidency?
“I like what he is trying to do. I like the
direction he is trying to take the
country.”
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?
Questions Minnesota’s mandates on
producing renewable fuels like ethanol
& biodiesel, but promises not to end
them if elected.
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.
Taxes: Support President Trump’s tax cuts?
Support Trump tax cuts, would lower
Minnesota taxes.
No. Opposed 2017 tax cuts. Says 86
million middle class families will see
taxes increase while top 1% get 83% of
benefit. Cutting MN taxes means
cutting programs.
Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules
such as voter ID requirements, even if they
prevent some people from voting?
Yes. Supports requiring voters to show
photo ID, although Minnesotans
rejected that idea in a 2012 vote.
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.
Created by the Campus Election Engagement Project, a nonpartisan effort to help college & university
administrators, faculty, & student leaders engage their schools in the election. Key sites consulted included
Votesmart.org, OntheIssues.org, FactCheck.org, Politifact.com, & public candidate statements. For guides to local
races, see Vote411.org from the League of Women Voters & Ballotready.org.
