Mark Raymond Kennedy (born April 11, 1957 in Benson, Minnesota), is an American politician. Kennedy has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001. He represented Minnesota's 2nd congressional district during the 107th Congress (2001 – 2003). The reapportionment following the 2000 Census resulted in Kennedy running for and winning the 6th district seat in 2003; the district is one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota. Kennedy will vacate his congressional seat in January, 2007 because he unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate in Minnesota to replace retiring Senator Mark Dayton. William Paul Luther (born June 27, 1945) is an American politician. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Benson is a city located in Swift County, Minnesota. ... Michele Bachmann (born Michele Amble on April 6, 1956) is the Republican Representative-elect of Minnesotas 6th congressional district, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota. ... April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Benson is a city located in Swift County, Minnesota. ... The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District spans the width of the entire southern metro area and contains all of Carver, Scott, Le Sueur, Goodhue and Rice Counties. ... 2001-2003 The first session of this Congress took place in Washington, DC from January 3, 2001 to December 20, 2001 The second session took place in Washington, DC from January 23, 2002 to November 22, 2002 President George W. Bush addressing a joint session of Congress, regarding the September... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Census of year 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ... Minnesotas Sixth Congressional District includes most or all of Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright, Anoka and Washington counties. ... Minnesota currently has 8 congressional districts. ...  Republican hold  Democratic hold  Democratic pickup  Independent hold  Independent pickup Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Mark B. Dayton (born January 26, 1947) is a Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party US Senator from Minnesota who took office in 2001. ...

Biography

Kennedy graduated from Pequot Lakes High School in 1974, and went on to receive his B.A. at St. John's University in 1978 and his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business in 1983. Pequot Lakes High School is a 9-12 high school located a few blocks west of Minnesota State Highway 371 towards the southern end of the city of Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. ... A Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B.) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. ... The College of Saint Benedict (CSB) and Saint John’s University (SJU) are partenered liberal arts colleges located in Collegeville, Minnesota. ... Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a tertiary degree in business management. ... UM also has campuses in Dearborn and Flint. ... An aerial view of Michigans central campus, with the art museum and law quadrangle in the foreground, and the business school in the background prior to the facilities enhancement project. ...

Kennedy and his wife Debbie, a former public school educator, met as State 4-H Ambassadors and recently celebrated their 25th anniversary. They reside in Watertown, Minnesota and have four children: one college graduate, two children in college, and one in high school.^[1] Kennedy has prominently featured his family in his campaign advertisements. As a Republican congressman, Mark Kennedy has a 96% voting record in support of Republican legislation. As of July 2004, Kennedy also had two nephews serving in the military, with one serving in Afghanistan. Kennedy accused Michael Moore of deliberately excluding this information from the film Fahrenheit 9/11 after asking Kennedy if he had a family link to the War in Iraq, a claim that Moore contests.^[2] 4-H in the United States is a youth organization in the United States administered by the Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension System with the mission of empowering youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults. ... Watertown is a city in Carver County, Minnesota, along the South Fork of the Crow River. ... // These are tables of congressional delegations from Minnesota to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American political-activist, a film director, author, social commentator, and political humorist. ... Fahrenheit 9/11 is an award-winning and controversial documentary film by American filmmaker and anti-war activist Michael Moore, which had a general release in the United States and Canada on June 25, 2004 in the run up to that years presidential election. ... There have been three conflicts in the late 20th century and early 21st century called Gulf War, all of which refer to conflicts in the Persian Gulf region: Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) (aka First Gulf War). ...

Political Views

Kennedy has been a strong supporter of American policy in Iraq and President George W. Bush.^[3] Kennedy voted for President George W. Bush's position more often than any other Minnesota representative in 2001, 2002, and 2004.^{[citation needed]} Kennedy's voted with the Bush Administration's policy 98% of the time in 2004 and 87% in 2005.^[4] He has introduced legislation to amend the U.S. Constitution to allow the President of the United States a line-item veto.^[5] He supports keeping American troops in Iraq until the war on terrorism is over.^[6] He declined to provide any responses to the 2004 National Political Awareness Test run by Project Vote Smart. Kennedy is considered to be the second most conservative member of the Minnesota delegation in the 109^th Congress, scoring 96% conservative by a conservative group^[7] and 6% progressive by a liberal group.^[8] Minnesota Congressional Districts shows the scores for the entire delegation. George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In government, the line-item veto is the power of an executive to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill, usually budget appropriations, without vetoing the entire legislative package. ... Project Vote Smart (PVS) is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. ... This article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ... The 109th United States Congress is the current meeting of the United States legislature, composed of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. ... Progressivism is a term that refers to a broad school of contemporary international social and political philosophies. ... Minnesota currently has 8 congressional districts. ...

Abortion

Mark Kennedy refers to himself as "One hundred percent pro-life."^[9] He voted in favor of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act. He voted against the Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment, and both opposed and voted to sustain President Bush's veto on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.^[10] It has been suggested that Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1995 be merged into this article or section. ... Signing ceremony at the White House, April 1, 2004. ... The word veto comes from Latin and literally means I forbid. ... The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act was the first bill ever vetoed by United States President George W. Bush, more than five years after his inauguration. ...

2006 U.S. Senate campaign

See also: Minnesota U.S. Senate election, 2006

Kennedy ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democrat-Farm-Labor Senator Mark Dayton. Kennedy won the Republican primary on 12 September 2006 and faced-off against Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate and Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar. All recent public polling has shown Kennedy trailing Klobuchar in their Election Day match-up, usually by double-digit margins. Also in the race are Independence Party candidate Robert Fitzgerald and Green Party candidate Michael Cavlan. Kennedy eventually lost to Klobuchar in the election by a double-digit margin. As of November 7, 2006, Klobuchar won. The 2006 Minnesota U.S. Senate election will take place on November 7, 2006. ... Mark B. Dayton (born January 26, 1947) is a Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party US Senator from Minnesota who took office in 2001. ... Portal:Currentevents September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) is a political party in the US state of Minnesota. ... Amy Jean Klobuchar (born May 25, 1960 in Plymouth, Minnesota) is the county attorney of Hennepin County, Minnesota and the senator-elect in Minnesota (see 2006 Minnesota United States Senate election). ... Candidates Mark Kennedy, Amy Klobuchar and Robert Fitzgerald debate on Novemeber 5, 2006 The 2006 Minnesota U.S. Senate election took place on November 7, 2006. ... More than one country has a day called Election Day. ... The Independence Party of Minnesota (often abbreviated MNIP, IP or IPM), formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) and Republican Party. ... Robert Fitzgerald is a candidate for the open US Senate seat being vacated by retiring US Senator Mark Dayton. ... This article is about the green parties around the world. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy one of the guidelines for inclusion on Wikipedia on one of the following topics: If you are familiar with the subject matter, please expand the article to establish its notability, citing reliable sources. ...

CPA Controversy

One of Kennedy's recurring campaign themes is that if elected, he'd be the only Certified Public Accountant serving in the United States Senate.^[11] On 18 August 2006 the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party released copies of an affidavit Kennedy signed annually while serving in Congress stating that he would not use the designation of CPA that could "lead a person to believe" that he holds and active certificate in Minnesota, and agreed to use the word "inactive" adjacent to his CPA title.^[12] No legal charges have been filed against Kennedy, but the title "CPA" is regulated by the Minnesota Board of Accountancy when used within the state. Kennedy began working as a CPA in 1979 but became inactive shortly thereafter.^[13] Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA. In most U.S. states, only CPAs who are licensed are able to provide to the... August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) is a political party in the US state of Minnesota. ...

Senate Television Ads

Kennedy has hired media consultant Scott Howell to produce television advertisements for his campaigns. Howell is currently consulting to three Midwestern U.S. Senate races where his clients are conservative Republican men opposing Democratic women endorsed by EMILY's List (Minnesota, Michigan and Missouri).^{[14] [15]} Scott Howell is one of the most influential conservative political operatives in the United States. ... EMILYs List is a political action committee (PAC) in the United States that aims to help elect pro-abortion Democratic women to office. ... Candidates Mark Kennedy, Amy Klobuchar and Robert Fitzgerald debate on Novemeber 5, 2006 The 2006 Minnesota U.S. Senate election took place on November 7, 2006. ... The Michigan United States Senate election of 2006 will be held on November 7, 2006. ... Note: Early on the morning of November 8th, Republican incumbent Jim Talent conceded defeat to Democrat Claire McCaskill. ...

As of 25 September, 2006, Kennedy has aired 12 television ads in Minnesota media markets since 26 July 2006. Their subjects have ranged from his support for the line-item veto, his votes in Congress on pension plans, his opposition to No Child Left Behind, gas prices, being a CPA, his "political independence", and his family. Most of his early ads were positive in nature, heavily featured his family, and used some self-deprecating humor.^[16] On 16 September 2006, Kennedy "began running one of the first major negative television advertising campaigns of the season", launching a second attack ad on 25 September 2006. ^{[17][18][19][20]} The Kennedy campaign has spent significant energy "working the referee" during the election campaign, frequently accusing the Star Tribune newspaper of bias toward Klobuchar, who is the daughter of a former staff member of the "Strib." StarTribune staff have consistently denied any such bias, and point to similar reporting regarding Kennedy from the crosstown rival St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper. September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 26 is the 207th day (208th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 158 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Signing ceremony at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio. ... September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-St. ... The St. ...

Controversy and criticism

Accuracy of Congressional Testimony

On October 15, 2003, he read from a circulating Internet hoax while giving testimony on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of an Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill.^[21] The hoax article, a comparison between Germany after World War II and the then-current situation in Iraq, had been disproven weeks before the date of testimony by snopes.com. ^[22][23] The theme of Mr. Kennedy's speech was that the situation in Iraq in 2003 was the same as Germany in 1945. Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... The Urban Legends Reference Pages (also known as snopes. ...

Electoral history

Kennedy (left) with President George W. Bush (right) and Congressman Gil Gutknecht looking on (center).

• 2006 Race for U.S. Senate
  • Amy Klobuchar (D), 58%
  • Mark Kennedy (R), 38%
  • Robert Fitzgerald (I), 3%

• 2004 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - 6th District
  • Mark Kennedy (R) (inc.), 54%
  • Patty Wetterling (DFL), 46%
• 2002 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - 6th District
  • Mark Kennedy (R) (inc.), 57%
  • Janet Robert (DFL), 35%
  • Dan Becker (I), 7%
• 2000 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - 2nd District
  • Mark Kennedy (R), 48%
  • David Minge (DFL) (inc.), 48%

Mark Kennedy and George W. Bush This image is from Mark Kennedys House site and is in the public domain. ... Mark Kennedy and George W. Bush This image is from Mark Kennedys House site and is in the public domain. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Gilbert William Gil Gutknecht, Jr. ... Amy Jean Klobuchar (born May 25, 1960 in Plymouth, Minnesota) is the county attorney of Hennepin County, Minnesota and the senator-elect in Minnesota (see 2006 Minnesota United States Senate election). ... Robert Fitzgerald is a candidate for the open US Senate seat being vacated by retiring US Senator Mark Dayton. ... Patty Wetterling in 2006 Patty Wetterling (born November 2, 1949) is a U.S. advocate of childrens safety, particularly focused on protecting children from abduction and abuse. ... David R. Minge (born March 19, 1942), is an American politician. ...

References

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ...

External links

• Official website
• Senate Campaign Website
• OnTheIssues
• 2006 Minnesota CD 6 Candidate List from VIS
• Voting record maintained by the Washington Post