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Kennedy, Mark

CANDIDATE DETAILS

Affiliation


	2002-00-00	->

Name

Mark Kennedy

Address

Watertown, Minnesota , United States

None

Website

[Link]

Born

April 11, 1957 (67 years)

Contributor

Barack O-blame-a

Last Modifed

BrentinCO
Apr 13, 2019 04:37pm

Tags

Married - Catholic - Christian - Straight -

Info

Called by House colleagues "one of the most effective freshman we've seen in a long time" and "someone who does his homework," Congressman Mark Kennedy has quickly made his mark in Congress.

To those who know him, this is not a surprise. Growing up the third of seven children, Mark Kennedy has always been determined to succeed. Whether it was competing in 4-H, becoming the first man in the Kennedy family to attend college, or passing the Certified Public Accountant's exam on the first try, Mark Kennedy sets goals and achieves them.

Never was that truer than when he decided to run for Congress in 2000. Challenging a popular fourth-term incumbent in a vast 28-county rural district, Mark won by 155 votes. Despite predictions by experts that he couldn't win, he did it the old-fashioned way: shaking hands, walking in parades, and listening all across Minnesota.

In just his first term in office, Mark Kennedy delivered a record of accomplishment for Minnesota. An important provision from the first bill he introduced as a member of Congress, providing grant money for rural ambulance services, was signed into law by President Bush. He obtained $3 million in long-overdue funding for a key road project. And he passed legislation through the House of Representatives protecting the educational records of students and families.

He supported the largest tax relief in a generation, including elimination of the marriage penalty, was instrumental in passing the greenest Farm Bill ever, helped craft the House-passed prescription drug bill, was a strong supporter of our efforts to win the war on terrorism, and was a staunch advocate for transportation.

After Congressional redistricting in 2002, he found himself in a new district, the redrawn 6th , stretching approximately one hundred miles, from the Sauk River on the west to the St. Croix River on the east. The district covers all of Benton, Sherburne and Wright Counties and most of Anoka, Stearns and Washington Counties. He took a calculated risk and decided to run in the new 6th District, 87% of which he had never represented.

Up against a multi-millionaire candidate in the new district, Mark Kennedy won re-election 57%-35% by focusing on his record of accomplishment and his vision for the future. It's no wonder the National Republican Congressional Committee has called him a "dragon slayer" for winning two such difficult elections.

A fourth-generation Minnesotan, Mark continues his family's century-long tradition of public service to Minnesota that began with his great-grandfather's stint as a county commissioner in the 1890's.

Congressman Kennedy was born in Benson, Minnesota in 1957 and grew up in Murdock and Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. He received a Bachelors degree in Accounting from St. John's University in Collegeville, MN and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan.

Following college, he embarked on a successful 20-year business career that found him helping run four of America's most respected companies. Congressman Kennedy is also a Certified Public Accountant.

He currently resides in Watertown, Minnesota with his wife Debbie, and their four children: Charles, Emily, Sarah and Peter.

Community service is an important part of Congressman Kennedy's life. He is a Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor and a member of: the Watertown Lion's Club, the Tri-County Toastmasters, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, and the Farm Bureau. Congressman Kennedy is an active member of his church, Immaculate Conception in Watertown. He also regularly attends the House of Representatives Weekly Prayer Breakfast.

Congressman Kennedy serves on the Financial Services Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the House.

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