On June 11, 2006 Mike Hatch received the democratic endorsement as the party's nominee for Governor of the State of Minnesota. Later that month he presented Judi Dutcher as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor after having been turned down by Patty Wetterling. Wetterling is running for U.S. Congress in Minnesota's Sixth District.
Mike Hatch grew up in Duluth and graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth. He went on to graduate from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1973. He has served the public as Chair of the State DFL party, Commissioner of Commerce, a lawyer who became nationally known for his work representing breast cancer patients, and most recently as Minnesota's Attorney General.
As Attorney General, Mike earned a reputation as a consumer advocate and champion for the rights of senior citizens, especially with regard to the pharmaceutical industry and HMO's.
If elected Governor, Mike says that he will propose spending $100 million of state money for embryonic stem cell research. He has also said that he would restore millions of dollars to the Iron Range which has been redirected to St. Paul over the past few years. The money would be used for its originally intended purpose of developing the economy and improving education in Northern Minnesota.
In his position paper on Accessible Health Care Mike states, "The employer-financed system…is an anachronism created during the 1940's, when wage and price controls forced employers to offer fringe benefits as a loophole around wage freezes." According to the Guiding Principles for Healthcare Reform considered by the Institute of Medicine's Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance, Mike proposes reforms that address pharmaceutical spending, mental health coverage, Group Health Coverage and the Minnesota Health Association, and extensive coverage for children and young adults.
With the advent of the Bush-Pawlenty Attack on the Environment, Mike proposes we hold violators accountable by enforcing environmental laws and regulations, protect Minnesota's wealth of biodiversity and wetlands, and break our oil dependence with renewable energy, including wind power. You can read Mike's position on Energy Independence and other issues at his website.
Attorney General Mike Hatch faces Senator Becky Lourey in the gubernatorial primary on September 12, 2006.
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Comments: 6
Thanks for highlighting this important race. Consumer advocacy has been neglected by Republicans nation-wide. A misplaced loyalty in all things corporate has made things tough for consumers. I like Hatch's support for stem cell research as well.
A woman called into work, crying and saying that Mike Hatch died and that she couldn't come into work. We were all completely baffled knowing that she wasn't political and that though it was sad that Mike Hatch had died, she still had to come into work. Of course, no one at work had heard anything about Mike Hatch dying and so we asked around. No, no one heard anything.
It turns out, that this poor woman was upset and she had called in saying, "my cat died." Say them both out loud, it sounds very similar. Mike Hatch, My cat. funny huh?