Samantha Vang | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theMinnesota House of Representatives from the 38B district 40B (2019-2022) | |
| Assumed office January 8, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Debra Hilstrom |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1993 or 1994 (age 31–32) Minneapolis,Minnesota, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Residence(s) | Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Gustavus Adolphus College |
Samantha Vang (born 1993/1994)[1] is anAmerican politician serving in theMinnesota House of Representatives since 2019. A member of theMinnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Vang represents District 38B in the northwesternTwin Cities metropolitan area, which includes parts of the cities ofBrooklyn Center andBrooklyn Park inHennepin County.[2]
Vang was born and raised in northMinneapolis. Her parents areHmong refugees fromThailand.[1] She graduated fromRobbinsdale Armstrong High School and fromGustavus Adolphus College, with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and communications.[2]
Vang was elected to theMinnesota House of Representatives in2018, after the retirement of incumbentDebra Hilstrom, and has been reelected every two years since.[3]
In 2021–22, Vang served as vice chair of the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee,[4] co-chaired the People of Color and Indigenous Caucus, and co-founded the Minnesota Asian Pacific Caucus.[5] Vang chairs the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee, and sits on the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, Higher Education Finance and Policy, and Legacy Finance Committees.[2]
In the aftermath of theshooting of Daunte Wright by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Vang's hometown and constituency, she spoke out on the need to enforce the oversight ability of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board in Minnesota, and the need to terminate thestatute of limitations for civil suits against law enforcement.[6]
Vang has introduced two bills into the legislature proposing an end tocommercial turtle harvesting in Minnesota: one in 2019, which did not make it into the final 2019 Fish and Game bill in the Senate, and one in 2021.[7] She also authored a bill in 2021 that would allow cities to impose bans on any pesticide the Minnesota Department of Agriculture designated as "pollinator-lethal".[8]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Samantha Vang | 10,512 | 72.76 | |
| Republican | Robert Marvin | 3,903 | 27.02 | |
| Write-in | 32 | 0.22 | ||
| Total votes | 14,447 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL)hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Samantha Vang (incumbent) | 11,370 | 62.79 | |
| Republican | Charlotte Smith | 4,574 | 25.26 | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | Mary O'Connor | 2,147 | 11.86 | |
| Write-in | 16 | 0.09 | ||
| Total votes | 18,107 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL)hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Samantha Vang (incumbent) | 7,753 | 72.73 | |
| Republican | Robert Marvin | 2,892 | 27.13 | |
| Write-in | 15 | 0.14 | ||
| Total votes | 10,660 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL)hold | ||||
Vang resides inBrooklyn Center, Minnesota.[2]