Erik Paulsen | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2008 | |
| Chair of theJoint Economic Committee | |
| In office January 11, 2018 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Pat Tiberi |
| Succeeded by | Mike Lee |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMinnesota's3rd district | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Ramstad |
| Succeeded by | Dean Phillips |
| Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Pawlenty |
| Succeeded by | Tony Sertich |
| Member of theMinnesota House of Representatives from the 42B district | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Sidney Pauly |
| Succeeded by | Jenifer Loon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Erik Philip Paulsen (1965-05-14)May 14, 1965 (age 60) Bakersfield, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | St. Olaf College (BA) |
Erik Philip Paulsen (born May 14, 1965) is an American businessman and politician who representedMinnesota's 3rd congressional district in theUnited States House of Representatives from 2009 to 2019. A member of theRepublican Party, he served in theMinnesota House of Representatives from 1995 to 2009 and asmajority leader from 2003 to 2007.
In1994, Paulsen was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives from District 42B, which covered part of suburbanEden Prairie, Minnesota. He was reelected six times and, in addition, he was elected by his fellow house Republicans to serve as majority leader from 2003 until 2007. He won the2008 election to the U.S. House of Representatives in Minnesota’s 3rd congressional district, which covers the western suburbs of theTwin Cities, and succeeded retiring Republican incumbentJim Ramstad. Paulsen represented the district in Congress for five terms. He easily won reelection four times, but was defeated in his2018 reelection bid byDemocratDean Phillips.[1][2] From 2018 until 2019, he served as chair of theJoint Economic Committee.
Born inBakersfield, California,[3][4][5] Paulsen graduated fromChaska High School in Minnesota in 1983.[6] He attendedSt. Olaf College, and received aBachelor of Arts inmathematics in 1987. After college, Paulsen worked as anintern for Republican SenatorRudy Boschwitz from 1989 until Boschwitz was defeated byDemocratic challengerPaul Wellstone in 1990.[6] Paulsen then took a staff position with Republican RepresentativeJim Ramstad inWashington, D.C. He worked on Ramstad's local congressional campaign in 1992 before seeking election to theMinnesota House of Representatives in 1994.[7][8] He succeeded Sidney Pauly.[9]
From 2007 to 2009 Paulsen worked as a part-time business analyst forTarget Corporation while a member of theMinnesota House of Representatives.[6]
Paulsen was elected as member of theRepublican Party. Before entering politics he was a businessman.[10] He served on the Commerce and Labor, Rules and Legislative Administration, Taxes, and Ways and Means committees.[11]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Paulsen | 178,932 | 48.48 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Ashwin Madia | 150,787 | 40.85 | |
| Independence | David Dillon | 38,970 | 10.56 | |
| Write-In | Others | 415 | 0.11 | |
| Total votes | 369,104 | 100.00 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Paulsen (Incumbent) | 161,177 | 58.81 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Jim Meffert | 100,240 | 36.57 | |
| Independence | Jon Olseon | 12,508 | 4.56 | |
| Write-In | Others | 167 | 0.06 | |
| Total votes | 274,092 | 100.00 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Paulsen (incumbent) | 222,335 | 58.1 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Brian Barnes | 159,937 | 41.8 | |
| n/a | Write-ins | 433 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 382,705 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Paulsen (incumbent) | 167,515 | 62.14 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Sharon Sund | 101,846 | 37.78 | |
| Write-in | Others | 224 | 0.08 | |
| Majority | 65,669 | 24.36% | ||
| Total votes | 269,585 | 100 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Paulsen (incumbent) | 223,077 | 56.70 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Terri Bonoff | 169,243 | 43.01 | |
| Write-in | 1,144 | 0.29 | ||
| Total votes | 393,464 | 100 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Dean Phillips | 202,402 | 55.61 | |
| Republican | Erik Paulsen (incumbent) | 160,838 | 44.19 | |
| Democratic (DFL)gain fromRepublican | ||||
In 2017 a group of constituents sought signatures on a petition asking Paulsen to hold public town hall meetings.[17] His campaign primarily held townhalls over the phone with campaign aides screening questions, in addition to business tours and private meetings.[18][19] Paulsen was invited to attend a "With or Without Him" town hall meeting but declined.[20]
On May 30, 2018, Paulsen held three in-person town hall meetings[21] in the 3rd district. During the events he distanced himself fromDonald Trump and congressional leaders.[22]
Paulsen was a member of theRepublican Main Street Partnership,[23] theRepublican Study Committee,[24] theCongressional Arts Caucus,[25] theUnited States Congressional International Conservation Caucus[26] and theClimate Solutions Caucus.[27]
Paulsen opposed theLilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.[28] He voted against the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.[29] Paulsen introduced the Text a Tip Act to the House in 2010. The bill would have allowed users to send tips about crimes to a third party, removing all identifying information about the source before the police received the message.[30] The bill died in committee and was not adopted.[31]
In 2010 Paulsen cosponsored a draft of the Small Business Assistance and Relief Act intended to provide increased lending and aid for small businesses and ease their financial burden.[32][non-primary source needed]
Paulsen supported the special investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and Trump'sdismissal of James Comey.[33] In February 2017 Paulsen voted against requesting Trump's tax returns from the Treasury Department.[34]
FiveThirtyEight found that Paulsen voted with Trump 98% of the time, and was the third-most partisan Republican in the House when compared to his district's voting patterns.[35][36]
Paulsen helped to author the Republican tax reform of 2017, theTax Cuts and Jobs Act.[37]
Paulsen supported continuing theBush-era tax cuts and globalfree trade agreements.[38] He voted for the fiscal 2012 federal budget plan that provided for substantial overhaul of Medicare, including replacement of the traditional program with a premium support payment for private health insurance coverage for Americans under age 55.[39][non-primary source needed]
Paulsen voted against theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act[40] andDodd-Frank.[41]
In 2009 Paulsen expressed opposition to apublic health insurance option and instead supported a Republican alternative plan.[42] At an April 7, 2010, Republican rally in Minneapolis, Paulsen described the Affordable Care Act as a "government takeover of health care," a claim thatMinnesota Public Radio said "isn't correct."[43]
Paulsen voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.[44][45] In January 2017 he voted for the budget reconciliation provision to begin the process of ACA repeal.[46]
On May 4, 2017, Paulsen voted to repeal thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and for theAmerican Health Care Act.[47]
In February 2018 Paulsen sponsored legislation to repeal caps on Medicare outpatient services such as physical therapy.[48]
Paulsen introduced legislation to combat opioid abuse by educating seniors about non-opioid alternative pain treatments and ways to safely dispose of addictive painkillers.[49]
Paulsen was a longtime proponent of immigration reform and supported granting temporary legal status to those who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children,[50] saying he supported "ensuring that young people who came to the United States through no fault of their own and have done nothing wrong are able to be valuable contributors to our country."[51]
In May 2018 Paulsen joined House Democrats in signing a "discharge petition" to force the House to vote on a series of immigration bills, including one that would provide permanent legal status to those who came to the country illegally as children.[52]
Paulsen did not support building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, citing its projected multi-billion-dollar cost.[53]
Paulsen had a lifetime rating of 16% from the League of Conservation Voters.[54] He called for an end to Minnesota's ban on buildingnuclear power plants, saying that "trying to meet our energy needs without using nuclear energy is a little bit like trying to row a boat with one oar."[55] Along with 95% of Republicans and 17% of Democrats, he voted against theAmerican Clean Energy and Security Act, which would have imposed a cap-and-trade system.[56]
Paulsen voted against allowing copper-sulfide mining in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.[57]
In 2010 Paulsen voted against a bill repealing the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.[58] In 2017 he voted for an amendment that would have defunded transition-related healthcare for transgender soldiers in the military.[59]
From 2007 through 2018 Paulsen received $21,150 in campaign contributions from theNRA Political Victory Fund (NRA), which gave him an "A" rating.[60][61] As of June 2016 he had voted 13 times against bringing gun safety bills to the House floor.[62]
In February 2018 Paulsen said he would support a ban on bump stocks, strengthened background checks, a lifting of the ban on federal research for gun violence, and gun violence restraining orders.[63]
In May 2018 Paulsen co-sponsored the Jake Laird Act, which provides grants to encourage states to adopt gun violence restraining order laws. Gun violence restraining orders enable local law enforcement to seize and retain firearms from people who are determined to be an imminent danger to themselves or others.[64]
In December 2017 Paulsen voted for the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017,[65] which allows people with a concealed carry permit in one state to legally travel with hidden guns to any other state.
On February 13, 2013, Paulsen introduced theNational Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 627; 113th Congress), a bill that would direct theSecretary of the Treasury to mint and issuegold,silver, andhalf-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of theNational Park Service (NPS).[66][67] The coins would all have a surcharge attached, the money from which would be given to theNational Park Foundation.[67]
Paulsen strongly supported a bill that would make it easier fornonbank financial institutions such asmoney service businesses to provideremittance payments internationally.[68] He argued that the bill would make it easier for American immigrants "supporting their extended families overseas" to help their relatives, while still "providing the necessary safeguards to ensure their money reaches its intended destination."[69]
On November 21, 2013, Paulsen introduced theStop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 2013 (H.R. 3610; 113th Congress), a bill that would require each state, within three years, to have in effect legislation that: (1) treats a minor who has engaged or attempted to engage in a commercial sex act as a victim of a severe form oftrafficking in persons, (2) discourages the charging or prosecution of such an individual for aprostitution or sex trafficking offense, and (3) encourages the diversion of such individual tochild protection services.[70] The bill was scheduled to be voted on in the House on May 20, 2014, under asuspension of the rules.[71]
With Democratic U.S. SenatorAmy Klobuchar, Paulsen led an effort to repeal an excise tax on medical devices imposed by thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The bill passed the House one vote shy of a veto-proof majority.[72] A two-year suspension of the tax was included in a 2015 year-end funding bill.[73][74][75]
Also in 2015 Paulsen authored a bill to provide tax incentives to encourage food donations[76] and wrote a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act that requires theDepartment of Defense to return all military working dogs to the United States after completing their service.[77] TheAmerican Humane Association strongly advocated passage of this provision.[78]
During college at St. Olaf, Paulsen met his wife Kelly. As of 2014, the Paulsens have four daughters and lived inEden Prairie. He isLutheran.[6] Paulsen serves as a board member of the Eden Prairie A Brighter Day Foundation, Habitat for Global Learning, Habitat for Technology and the Southdale YMCA. He is a member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders and the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, and volunteers for Learning Exchange.[79]
Paulsen has participated in the inaugural two-year class of the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, the German Marshall Memorial Fellowship, the Young Leaders Forum of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and the American Council of Young Political Leaders.[80] He has been granted anAspen Institute Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, and aMarshall Memorial Fellowship from the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
Erik Paulsen, "A" Rated and NRA-PVF Endorsed
| Minnesota House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives 2003–2007 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMinnesota's 3rd congressional district 2009–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theJoint Economic Committee 2018–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chair of theTuesday Group 2013–2015 Served alongside:Charlie Dent,Adam Kinzinger | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
 | ||
