Meet Tina

I have been honored to serve as your Senator since January 2018 and I’m proud of the work we’ve done together since then. I moved to Minnesota the summer of 1984 with my new husband Archie. My first job in Minnesota was at General Mills. Archie and I moved to St. Louis Park, had our two sons Sam and Mason (who are now married!), and found our life in Minnesota. A few years later I started my own business, and at the same time got more active in my community volunteering. I loved it. That work led me to become a leader at Planned Parenthood, Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Minneapolis, and then Chief of Staff for Governor Dayton. When Mark asked me to run with him as Lt. Governor, I never looked back, and I loved serving all Minnesotans, where I saw every day the spirit, creativity, and hard work that makes Minnesota so amazing.

In my first year in the Senate, I worked hard across party lines to get things done for Minnesotans. I’m not afraid to stand up for what I think is right for Minnesota, and I’m willing to work with anyone who wants to work with me to move good ideas forward. I’ve helped write a number of pieces of legislation that have been passed into law, including one that expands resources for career and technical education, another that increases funding for states and tribes to address the opioid crisis, and the bipartisan Farm Bill that supports farmers and ranchers across the state.

The first thing I did in the Senate was to introduce legislation that takes on the big pharmaceutical companies to help lower the cost of prescription medicine. I helped write bipartisan legislation that was signed into law to expand and improve treatment and prevention for the opioid epidemic, and my legislation to expand mental health services into schools and communities was signed into law. I also worked across the aisle to pass a law expanding career and skills training, and introduced legislation to expand access to child care.

Food and agriculture is at the heart of Minnesota’s economy, which is why I fought for a spot on the Senate Agriculture Committee. We worked hard to pass and sign into law a bipartisan Farm Bill that supports farmers and ranchers across the state. The Farm Bill included several provisions I authored to expand broadband in rural areas, strengthen conservation programs, and help new farmers get going.

And I’m just getting started. In November of 2018, you raised your voice to elect me to the Senate — together we achieved a 10 point victory. I’m grateful to everyone in Minnesota who put their faith in me, and every single day I work hard to make sure your voice is heard in the United States Senate.

Prior to being your Senator, I served as chief of staff and lieutenant governor alongside Governor Dayton, and I’m proud of what we accomplished together: we balanced the state budget, expanded investments in education, including free, all-day kindergarten for every Minnesota family. We raised Minnesota’s minimum wage, expanded family medical leave for state employees, invested in agricultural research, and passed marriage equality in Minnesota. We got a lot done. But there’s so much more to do.

I began my career at General Mills and after a few years, I started my own small business and grew it successfully, all while volunteering in our community – often with a kid or two in tow. I left the private sector when I had the opportunity to expand health care access for women, joining Planned Parenthood as an executive. Today I’m proud to be the only U.S. Senator to have worked for Planned Parenthood. I left Planned Parenthood when I was called into public service, serving as chief of staff to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and then serving alongside Governor Dayton.

As we look ahead to the important election in 2020, listening to you, listening to Minnesotans – your stories, goals, and dreams for the future – is at the core of our campaign. It’s the best way to make sure I’m fighting for you in the Senate every day. I look forward to hearing from you along the way.