Shawn Savela

Shawn Savela was born in Ely, Minnesota. He graduated from Duluth Central High School. He earned a bachelor's and a graduate degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth in 1990 and 2021, respectively. His career experience includes working as a software consultant and business owner.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m running as the Republican endorsed candidate for Minnesota House District 8B. This district covers central and eastern Duluth, the area I grew up in and moved back to in 2017.

I decided to run as a state representative after watching what happened in the last session. A seventeen billion dollar surplus was completely spent. Then, with the taste of spending still in their mouths, they added another ten billion dollars to the budget, increasing it by 40%. When reading about this I was reminded of an interview with John D. Rockefeller, at one time one of the richest people in the world. The interviewer asked “How much is enough”, and his answer was “A little bit more”. That seems to be the sentiment around spending with the current party that controls of all branches of the Minnesota government.

I grew up in a modest household in rural Duluth, graduating from both Central High School and UMD. My dad was a Boilermaker and my mom worked as a secretary for the City of Duluth. I’ve owned my own small business for 26 years, and have years of experience in planning, negotiations, budgeting, and producing results. I bring both knowledge of a Union household and that of a business owner, and I’ve learned from and appreciated aspects of both. I’ve worked with and am friends with people from almost every race, religion, and creed. I’m also a Teddy Roosevelt Republican – I love the outdoors, clean air and clean water. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone to run for office.

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?

We need to get control of state spending and fraud. Spending an entire $17 billion surplus, then adding another $10 billion to the budget is taking money out of our pockets that we need to live and buy food for our families. I will work to cut spending where appropriate and push to give Minnesota taxpayers a fighting chance in this economy.We need energy diversity - all options on the table. By funneling all of our power to electricity and then sourcing the electricity from only solar and wind, we're creating the potential for an energy crisis and scarcity.

Energy sources should be redundant and abundant. Solar and wind can be the primary source, if possible, but we need systems for backup and to provide extra energy when necessary.

Abundant energy drives down cost to get goods to market, which drives down prices and gives us a chance to have some extra money in our pockets after we've been to the grocery store.Regulations need to be reviewed and reduced where appropriate. We have many regulations that are hurting businesses and preventing job growth.

The "prove it first" bill is preventing mining companies from even attempting to prove they can mine minerals safely and cleanly.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm passionate about intelligent budget and spending. We need people with business background in the House that can understand the impact of taxes, regulations, and endless spending.

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

We need officials that will listen to all of the people in their district and the state. Instead of focusing on special interest groups, the officials should make policy decisions that will benefit the greatest number of people.

An elected official also must be able to empathize with people with different backgrounds and who they may not even agree with. All people who live in the area of representation must know they are not only being heard, but that the official is also actively taking their suggestions into account when making decisions.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I've run my own small business for over 25 years, and I have learned valuable skills. I learned how to create and execute to a budget and plan. I know how to manage scope creep and contain costs. I've also worked closely on many jobs with people from different countries, backgrounds and cultures.

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

My first job was a cook at McDonald's when I was 17, and I was there about four months.

I learned a valuable work ethic there. They had a saying "if you have time to lean, you have time to clean". I've held onto that work ethic my entire career.

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

It's not only beneficial to build relationships with other legislators, but also critical. Without a good working relationship there can be no negotiations and there will be no progress.

Legislators that are far right or far left can make a lot of noise and drum up conflict, but rarely get support for their bills. We need people who are able to work together to get the best legislation possible for the people of this state.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Minnesota Republican Party

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

The government must be fully transparent unless it jeopardizes someone's safety.

Transparency also means introducing bills with enough time for everyone to review them before being voted on. In the last session, the one party in full control introduced and passed a 1,400 page omnibus bill with 10 minutes remaining in the session. Nobody had time to debate or even read what was in the bill. This is unacceptable.

We also need accountability. Minnesota has had hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud in the last year, and this can't continue.