Amy Jean Klobuchar, the third term senior senator from Minnesota, stood before chanting crowds and braved frigid temperatures on the 10th of February to make formal what many have long anticipated, her candidacy for the president of the United States of America. She is the first woman elected to the senate from the state of Minnesota, and if successful in her bid, will become the first woman to ascend to the highest office of the land.
The Democrat senior senator boasts an impressive resume. As the older of two girls born to Rose Katherine and John Klobuchar, Amy went to Yale University for her undergraduate studies and later the University of Chicago for Law from which she graduated in 1985. She was a partner at two law firms before being elected to serve as Hennepin County’s attorney in 1998 through 2006.
Amy was seen as the DFL (Democratic Farmer-Labor Party) favorite to succeed Mark Dayton who in 2005 announced he will not seek reelection for his senate seat. After securing the DFL nomination, she comfortably defeated her opponent in the general election by a margin of 20 points and became the first woman elected to the senate from the State.
In the following decade as a senator, Amy passed more legislation than any other senator. This is due to her willingness to compromise and work across the aisle in an era mired by divisive partisanship. “Oftentimes I’ll stand my ground,” she once said. “But if I can find common ground to get something done, I do.” This ‘can-do’ attitude coupled with her centrist record on issues is among the many reasons strategist see her as the candidate with the most national appeal and the best chance to take on President Trump in the general election in 2020.
During her announcement speech on Sunday, the democratic hopeful shared some of the issues she will be championing as president. The list includes rejoining the Paris Climate Accord, automatic voter registration once persons are eligible, and bolstering online data privacy in the age of big data. She also champions common sense gun control measures and supports an amendment to the constitution overturning Citizen United v. FEC.
The senator’s choice to hold an outdoor candidacy announcement event on a snowy sunday afternoon in Minnesota was calculated. For one It showed toughness and resolve in the face of discomfort, and strategically, it was a metaphorical tip of the hat to voters in contested early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire for whom such weather is fact of life. To be frank, Senator Klobuchar’s chances are seen as slim compared to some of the other powerhouse democratic candidates that have entered the race. But in this age of extreme polarization between the two main parties, a pragmatic, centrist voice might not be so bad, in fact, it might be just what the doctor ordered.
Within the Somali community in Minnesota, Klobuchar is very well liked. She is known to attend Somali festivals, visit Somali malls and occasionally wears the traditional Somali clothing. Senator Klobuchar’s connections runs deep in the Somali community and rightfully so, she is a known voice for the issues in the community and as of recent, she lobbied the extension of temporary protected status (TPS) for thousands of Somalis who live in Minnesota.
Concerns had been raised that the Trump administration would cancel the temporary protected status (TPS) program for Somalis because of Trump’s anti-immigrant policies and the decision to end TPS status for more than 428,250 others. But the DHS granted them permission to stay temporarily, owing to the “ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary conditions” in Somalia.
After the announcement was made that TPS was extended for Somalis, Klobuchar said “The Somali community in Minnesota—the largest in the country— has contributed so much to the cultural and economic vitality of our state. Conditions in Somalia remain dire, and the Administration recognized this and extended Temporary Protected Status for Somalia,”
As she runs to become the first Female president of the United State of America, senator Amy Klobuchar is going to need much more than the support of the Somali community, she will need to win in a crowded democratic primary that lean left and then appeal to independents in the general election who perhaps voted for Trump in the 2016 election.
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