My Point of View by Peggy Bennett

I want to take this opportunity to thank the people of District 27A for electing me to be your state representative. I am honored and humbled by the trust that you have put in me. I do not take that trust lightly, and I will work hard to be the best representative I can be for our district.

It was gratifying for me to see that I was elected not just by Republican votes but also by a very large number of independent and Democratic votes. There are probably a number of reasons for this, but it’s my hope that it is primarily because people saw me for who I am — just Peggy, a longtime teacher who cares about people, who sticks with her principles, who believes common sense should be common, who believes in spending people’s money wisely and who feels it is important to put people before politics.

I am sorry that people had to get so much negative advertising this election. Our mailboxes were absolutely inundated with outside literature this year. From the beginning, I felt it important to stay positive, be truthful and speak to the issues. I held to that standard with my campaign. That you voted for me sends a message that nasty politics don’t work. Thank you!

I believe that this election has made it clear that everyone — no matter what party — sees the need for those in our government to fix what is broken and work for the people to get things accomplished; to find solutions for the critical issues of our area and our state — jobs, education, long-term care, property taxes, roads and bridges, and health care costs, among others.

It is not going to be easy to make headway with a split Senate and House. Though I will always stay true to my conservative principles, I will continually strive to build working relationships with all sides and to find common ground so that we can accomplish the things our state and district need in order for people to flourish.

One thing I do not look forward to is having to vote for things that I do not agree with or that are not good for the people of our district in the huge omnibus bills. These bills contain many different items all lumped together as one. To get something that is good for one’s district, one often has to vote for things that are not good at the same time.

I don’t think that’s right. I believe that Minnesota should go back to one-issue bills so that it is clear what legislators are voting for, and I will push for that as a legislator.

I want you to know that I am not representing just Republicans, Democrats, third-party members or independents. I am representing all the people of District 27A. Your issues are important to me, and I want to work hard to make sure everyone’s voice is heard.

When decisions need to be made, I will seek out people who are connected with that issue. I also encourage people to contact me and will be receptive to your thoughts, questions, and input. It has always been important to me to weigh all sides of an issue before making a decision and I need you to be able to do that well.

If you would like to contact me or get on a list to receive my legislative updates, please feel free to do so. You can email me at rep.peggy.bennett@house.mn.

Thank you again, people of District 27A. I look forward to serving you as your state representative!

 

Albert Lea first-grade teacher is the representative-elect for House District 27A. She takes the oath of office at noon Jan. 6.