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| ==2006 re-election== | ==2006 re-election== | ||
| ===Term-limit pledge=== | ===Term-limit pledge=== | ||
| Gutknecht is running for re-election in 2006 despite his 1994 pledge, when he was first elected, that he would never serve more than 12 years. He said then: "If I ever break this contract, throw me out."<ref name=USAToday> Accessed ] ]</ref><ref> MyDD Accessed ] ]</ref> | Gutknecht is running for re-election in 2006 despite his 1994 pledge, when he was first elected, that he would never serve more than 12 years. He said then: "If I ever break this contract, throw me out."<ref name=USAToday> Accessed ] ]</ref><ref> MyDD Accessed ] ]</ref>The pledge mirrored the call for 12 year congressional term limits in the 1994 ]. In 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that term limits were unconstitutional. <ref name=USAToday /> Guknecht voted for a ] to limit Congressional terms to 12 years but it was defeated on a largely party line vote<ref name=RCallVote> ''Clerk of the House of Representatives'' ], ]</ref> | ||
| ===Challenge to petitions=== | ===Challenge to petitions=== | ||
Revision as of 18:40, 24 August 2006
| Gilbert William "Gil" Gutknecht, Jr. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 1st district | |
| In office 1995 - present | |
| Preceded by | Tim Penny |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Mary Catherine Keefe |
Gilbert William "Gil" Gutknecht, Jr. is an American politician. Gutknecht has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995, representing Minnesota's First Congressional District (map).
Early life, education, and career prior to Congress
Gutknecht was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He graduated from high school in 1969 and was the first member of his extended family to attend college, graduating with a degree in business from the University of Northern Iowa in 1973.
After college, Gutknecht was a school supplies salesman for the same company for 10 years. He went to auction college in 1978 and conducted his first real estate auction in 1979.
In 1983, he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he served until 1994. He was the Republican floor leader for three years.
Gutknecht is married to Mary Catherine Keefe. The couple has three grown children and has lived in Rochester, Minnesota for more than 30 years, where they are members of Pax Christi Catholic Church.
U.S. House of Representatives
Opponents
Past opponents for Gutknecht's 1st District seat, beginning with Gutknecht's first election, are:
- 1994 - John Hottinger (DFL - Mankato)
- 1996 - Mary Rieder (DFL - Winona)
- 1998 - Tracy Beckman (DFL - Bricelyn)
- 2000 - Mary Rieder (DFL - Winona)
- 2002 - Steve Andreasen (DFL - Rochester)
- 2004 - Leigh Pomeroy (DFL - Mankato)
Congressional positions
Gutknecht serves as chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Operations Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry; vice chairman of the Science Committee; and as a member of the Government Reform Committee.
In August 2002, Gutknecht voiced his support for expansion plans by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad, despite opposition from many constituents in Mankato and Rochester who were concerned about noise and traffic problems.
He was the only Minnesota Republican to vote against the Central American Free Trade Agreement. He cited the sugar beet growers in his district as one reason to oppose the trade bill, which passed 217-215.
He also sponsored legislation that would have legalized drug imports from other countries, despite opposition from the Food and Drug Administration. It passed the House but the provision fell from the final version, largely based on White House opposition and an administration report critical of imports.
In January 2006, Gutknecht further opposed GOP leaders when he called for new elections for all leadership posts except the speaker. He said Republicans needed to win back the trust of the American people in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal.
In mid-2006, after returning from Iraq, Gutknecht said that the U.S should partially withdraw troops from that country.
2006 re-election
Term-limit pledge
Gutknecht is running for re-election in 2006 despite his 1994 pledge, when he was first elected, that he would never serve more than 12 years. He said then: "If I ever break this contract, throw me out."The pledge mirrored the call for 12 year congressional term limits in the 1994 Contract with America. In 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that term limits were unconstitutional. Guknecht voted for a Constitutional Ammendment to limit Congressional terms to 12 years but it was defeated on a largely party line vote
Challenge to petitions
Gutknecht has always chosen to submit filing petitions when running for Congress to highlight his fiscal conservatism, instead of paying a $300 election filing fee. Gutknecht was the only major party candidate in Minnesota to submit filing petitions this year.
In early August of 2006, Louis Reiter of Elgin, Minnesota, filed papers with the state Supreme Court seeking to disqualify Gutknecht from having his name appear on the September 12 2006 primary ballot. The filing was prepared by DFL election attorney Alan Weinblatt, and argues that all candidates are subject to a time limit for petitions, and that most of the petition signatures were gathered before the July 4-July 18 2006 period that the lawsuit claims is applicable. Gutknecht filed the petitions on July 5 2006, the first day possible for such filings. He had never previously been challenged on this point. The Minnesota Supreme Court heard the case on August 22 2006 and denied the attempt to disqualify Gutknecht the same day.
Primary and general election
Gregory Mikkelson, of Lake Crystal, Minnesota, also has filed as a candidate for the Republican nomination for the 1st District seat and will face Gutknecht in the primary on September 12, 2006.
Democrat Tim Walz is unopposed in his party's primary. He will face the winner of the Republican primary, in November.
References
- ^ USATODAY.com - Term-limit pledges get left behind Accessed August 12 2006
- Weak Republicans pick expediency over principle - Term Limits MyDD Accessed August 22 2006
- Term Limits Constitutional Ammendment Clerk of the House of Representatives March 29, 1995
- "Court to hear challenge of Gutknecht: The secretary of state says the lawsuit over petition signatures has no merit, but other elections law experts see some validity", Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 16 2006
- Martiga Lohn and Brian Bakst, "Bid to scrub Gutknecht from ballot fails", Associated Press, August 22, 2006
External links
- Official House website
- Official campaign website
- Associated Press profile
- Voting record maintained by the Washington Post
- "Gutknecht Caught Attempting To Edit Misplaced Pages Bio", Associated Press, August 17 2006
See also
| Preceded byTim Penny | U.S. Representative from the 1st Congressional District of Minnesota 1995-present |
Succeeded byincumbent |
| Minnesota's current delegation to the United States Congress | |
|---|---|
| Senators |
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| Representatives (ordered by district) |
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