Kari Rehrauer

Kari Rehrauer earned a bachelor's and a graduate degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her career experience includes working as a science teacher.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Kari Rehrauer is a dedicated public servant and educator with deep roots in the community. She served four years on the Coon Rapids City Council and spent 20 years as a public school teacher. Now in her first term in the legislature, Rehrauer serves on the Education Finance, Housing, and Veterans & Military Affairs Committees. Rehrauer will always protect our DFL wins including reproductive freedom, 100% carbon‑free electricity, and paid family medical leave. A proven advocate for everyday families, Rep. Rehrauer is working to change the system so regular folks from our farmers to our frontline workers can get ahead.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Fraud- Every public dollar should be used for public good- not to enrich criminals. I am furious that taxpayer dollars were stolen. We must stop fraud before it starts, prosecute those responsible, and protect Minnesotans.Affordability- One full-time job should be enough to afford your life. We must bring back a strong middle class and make healthcare, childcare, and housing affordable.Education- I see counselors assigned over 850 students; I see classrooms packed with over 40 students. This is a crisis mode of operation, and it has become the norm. We must shift back to a state funding model so that every student in Minnesota can get the education that they rightfully deserve.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

In addition to preventing fraud, tackling affordability, and supporting public education, I am interested in a wide range of policy areas.

Minnesotans want a better future for their children and grandchildren. We must continue to ensure that our state policies keep our democracy strong, protect us from federal overreach, and safeguard your rights. They also want our environment preserved, which is why I support mitigating the impacts of climate change. In the Midwest, Minnesota has led the way, and we should continue to do so.

Clean energy initiatives are not only good for the planet; they also are more cost effective. They lower costs in the long term and lower your energy bill. Modernizing our energy also brings in new good-paying jobs.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin where I learned the value of hard work at a young age. As a science teacher in the public schools spanning 20 years, I value public education and believe that it is a foundation of our democracy.

I have spoken with many people in my community who feel that our politics have become too divisive. As a representative I will listen to my constituents and treat people and the office with the respect it deserves. Public servants should work to better the lives of all of their constituents, and to truly care about the people they serve. As a representative I hope to be able to bring people together to build a better community. As a woman, a mom, a teacher, and a union member I am committed to helping build a better future for us all.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

My first job as your representative is to listen to the issues that are important to you and to the rest of the community then to build a coalition of people to solve those issues. I care deeply about our community and have the experience of working on the Coon Rapids City Council getting things done. I know that together we can build a stronger community for us all.I will work to make sure every Minnesotan has access to affordable healthcare, quality public education, safe communities, and high quality jobs where workers rights are upheld.I will work hard to uphold our democracy, sustain our reproductive freedom, value our environment, and ensure a Minnesota that treats everyone with dignity and respect.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a former Earth and life sciences teacher, I am passionate about environmentalism, sustainability, and mitigating climate change. I am also committed to ensuring a high quality public education for all students no matter their zip code, sustaining women’s rights and their reproductive freedom, and as a long time union member, I will continue to support union freedoms, safety on the job, and fair wages and benefits for workers.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Public servants should work to better the lives of all of their constituents, and to care about the people they serve. In recent years we have seen the erosion of decency in our politics and I got into politics because I want to bring respect and dignity back.

My husband said to me “If you want to make a bigger difference, first you need to grow your circle of influence.” I knew I had to take a leadership role so I ran and won a seat on the Coon Rapids City Council. There I learned how to bring people together and how to move important policy forward. Now, I feel confident that I can grow it once again at the state capitol.

Our communities are diverse and everyone has something to add to make a difference. I believe it takes all of us at every level of government to further our democracy. Let’s work together to build a better community for all!

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

First, is to listen to the constituents to understand what their most pressing issues are. Our community is diverse and I need to make sure I’m hearing from people all across our community and helping to give them a voice in our government.

Second is how we turn these issues into action. Being able to take input from many groups and bring diverse groups of people together is how change can happen. I will work to build coalitions of people and resources so that we can build a better community together.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

When I was around eight years old I started helping my Dad with the family business. My parents owned the House of Decorating in Eau Claire, WI, and I went on jobs with my Dad handing him tools, helping to install window coverings, painting walls, laying carpet, and especially cleaning up after the job was finished.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Our state has been rocked both in winter and summer by the changing climate. Much of the resort areas in northern Minnesota were decimated last winter with the lack of snow and cold. Different events had to be postponed or canceled due to our unusually mild winter. Last summer we had extreme drought throughout the state and this year we have had record rainfall leading to millions of dollars in property damage due to flooding. Everyone in our state is feeling the effects of climate change and the extremes that we feel are only projected to worsen. Our farms, businesses and residents are all going to struggle more in the coming years and we can change to make our community better.

The Midwest is the fifth largest producer of greenhouse gasses in the world. That means what we do here in Minnesota will have a large impact. We must continue the transition to become carbon free in our energy sectors, but also in home heating, agriculture, transportation, and more.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I have learned an enormous amount by being on the city council for Coon Rapids. I have expanded my network of people, groups, and resources I can call on to help me with the issues facing our community and our state. Knowing who to call and what resources are available for any particular issue is vital for the ultimate success of a legislator in their ability to achieve the goals of a community..

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Like building relationships and coalitions within a community to get things done, it will also be necessary to build relationships with other legislators because ultimately every bit of legislation requires a coalition of at least half of the other legislators in order to move forward.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

We have endorsements from the 3.14 Action fund, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Climate Cabinet Action, Conservation Minnesota, DFL Environmental Caucus, DFL Rural Caucus, DFL Veterans Caucus, Emily’s List, FairVote, MAPE, Minnesota Building & Construction Trades Council, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, Pro-Choice MN, Stonewall DFL, Women Winning, Save The Boundary Waters, and others. These are always being updated and you can check out our website at kariformn.com for the latest list.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

As a representative, it will be my job to ensure transparency and change laws if we are not achieving it. It will also be my job to request hearings from the different agencies and the people they work with to ensure accountability. My door will always be open to ensure that people have an opportunity to visit and chat with me about what is going on in their world and to hear what is happening in our government.

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