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Congressman Erik Paulsen has consistently taken votes in line with his right-wing agenda, earning a 97.2% Trump score on fivethirtyeight.com, a voting record that does not reflect the views of his constituents. 
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Paulsen has an A- rating from the National Rifle Association and has consistently voted against common-sense gun safety measures including universal background checks. When reviewing Paulsen's speech and actions, it is important not to confuse any expressions of support for gun safety for genuine commitment. Like many other conservatives in moderate districts, Paulsen is adept at engaging moderate voters with speeches that express genuine concern about gun violence in order to get votes while taking few measures to enact real gun reform. For example, although Paulsen came out in favor of a bump stock ban, this legislation is stalled in Congress, and he is not stumping for passage or demonstrating real leadership. 

Read our blog:​
  • Paulsen's Gun Votes Don't Represent the Majority of our District
  • Paulsen's Gun Votes Don't Represent the Majority of our District - Part 2

Watch our video:

Key Votes​:
  • Paulsen voted for the Concealed-Carry Reciprocity Act that allows permit holders from states with weak gun laws to bring guns across state lines. Opposed by Minnesota law enforcement, this dangerous bill would make Minnesotans less safe.​
  • Erik Paulsen voted to allow those deemed mentally incompetent to be able to purchase guns.
  • Erik Paulsen voted for HR 1181, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act that authorize the sale of firearms and ammunition to any veteran deemed mentally incompetent unless that individual is found by a judge to be a danger to himself or others.​​
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Rep. Erik Paulsen's health care votes reflect his priorities: Loyalty to the Trump/Pence agenda and the GOP over his constituents' values and best interests. Although the Republican health care bill was highly unpopular with only 21 percent of Americans surveyed in favor just before the May 2017 vote, the American Health Care Act (AHCA) passed the House by a razor-thin margin with the help of a "Yes" vote from Paulsen. Had the GOP effort not fallen apart on the Senate side, Paulsen and his fellow Republicans would have stripped health care from 24 million people nationwide, including tens of thousands in Minnesota's Third District. The bill allowed insurers to reject coverage for individuals with pre-existing ailments, something Paulsen had claimed in the past he would not support. In fact, Paulsen frequently supports legislation that benefits his for-profit health care industry campaign donors while failing to support expanded access to health care for millions of Americans who struggle to pay medical bills.
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In addition to voting for a bad law in the AHCA, Paulsen was also willing to go along with a rushed legislative process that lacked transparency. He voted in favor of the final version of the AHCA despite the lack of a complete analysis from the Congressional Budget Office and the lack of public hearings in Congress. We can't trust Paulsen to represent our interests in Washington.

Read our blog:
  • Paulsen Ignored His Constituents on Health Care
  • Suffer the Children
Key Votes:​
  • ​Voted for H.R. 596 - Repeal of the Affordable Care Act
  • Voted for H.R. 45 - Repeal of the Affordable Care Act
  • Voted for H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act that would have stripped 24 million people of their health care, made health care unaffordable for millions, and made it possible for insurance companies to eliminate coverage for pre-existing conditions.
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With a 14% approval rating from the League of Conservation Voters in 2017 and a lifetime score of 16%, Erik Paulsen's environmental record can only be described as very poor. When addressing his environmental record Paulsen frequently speaks of his love for the Boundary Waters and National Parks and compares himself to Teddy Roosevelt. It's important to remember that on the majority of environmental votes, Paulsen's record indicates that he favors corporate interests over clean air and water, and that he is willing to take our country backwards by voting to dismantle protections already in place. This assault on the environment is being done in a series of seemingly small actions - death by a thousand cuts - which make it easier for polluting industries and states’ rights extremists to prevail. Here are just a few examples of what Erik Paulsen and the administration have been doing in the past year and a half:
Read our blog:
  • Erik Paulsen: Not smart enough to represent us on the environment, or just beholden to the Koch Brothers?
  • On March 8, 2018 Paulsen voted to ease air pollution restrictions on electric power plants that convert coal into energy. H.R. 119 ​​
  • On March 28, 2017 Paulsen voted for the Superior National Land Exchange Act of 2017 that gave PolyMet Mining 6500 acres in the Superior National Forest. H.R. 3115​​
  • On July 18th, 2017, Paulsen voted to delay the compliance date for ozone standards. H.R. 806
  • Paulsen voted for an amendment to H.R. 3354 that would prevent the EPA from implementing standards to reduce methane pollution from new and modified sources in the oil and gas industry.
  • On Feb 1, 2017, Paulsen voted to repeal an Obama-era rule which restricted the ability of mining companies to dump coal waste in surrounding waterways. H.J.Res 38 Vox
  • On September 13, 2017, Paulsen voted against an amendment to HR 3354 which would have prevented federal public lands from being transferred to private owners even though such a transfer might violate federal law such as the Antiquities Act.
  • On May 18, 2018, Paulsen voted to repeal the Waters of the U.S. Rule put in place by the Obama administration as part of the Clean Water Act. The rule expanded the protection of headwaters, streams and wetlands and made farmers and developers responsible for runoff pollution in streams on their property. ​
  • Paulsen also has a pattern of voting for amendments and bills he knows are not going to pass in order to create the illusion that he is a moderate. In 2016, he voted for an amendment to prevent drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge even though he knew the amendment would fail and the bill would pass. Then he voted for the final bill, HR 2406, which passed.
  • Of equal or more importance is that Paulsen has remained silent while the EPA has moved away from being an advocate for the environment to a role focusing on economic growth. For example, the EPA has buried or removed information about climate change from their website. Time
  • Paulsen failed to object (although other Republicans did) when the President announced his intent to pull out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2017.  
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Americans have serious concerns about Russian interference in our election, and questions about whether Trump obstructed justice by firing FBI Director James Comey. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Erik Paulsen voted against requiring the release of the President's tax returns which would have exposed any Russian interests. Additionally, there have been several measures to protect the Special Counsel's investigation and to prevent Trump from recklessly engaging a nuclear strike, but Paulsen is not a sponsor or co-sponsor of any of these efforts. He is a Trump loyalist who can't be trusted to uphold his responsibilities to be a check on the executive branch of government.
Read our blog:​
  • Paulsen Stands Shoulder-to-Shoulder with Trump
  • Resist Trump / Replace Paulsen
  • Rep. Erik Paulsen's Votes Support the Trump Agenda
Key Votes:​
  • On Monday, February 27, 2017 Paulsen voted against a resolution that sought review of ten years of Trump's tax returns by the House Ways and Means Committee.  
  • On September 7th, 2017, Paulsen voted against H.Res 49 as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, a measure that sought review of ten years of Trump's tax returns.
  • Paulsen IS NOT a sponsor or co-sponsor of any of the following bills. Sponsorship and co-sponsorship are key indicators of support.
    • H.R.669 - Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act
    • H.R.4669 - Special Counsel Integrity Act
    • H.R. 2444 - Trump Special Counsel Act
    • H.R. 5505 - Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act
    • H.R. 3771 - Special Counsel Integrity Act
    • H.R. 5476 - Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act
    • H.R. 540 - Presidential Tax Disclosure Act of 2017
    • H.R. 305 - Presidential Tax Transparency Act
    • H.R. 371 - Presidential Conflicts of Interest Act of 2017
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Paulsen's vote for the GOP tax plan that defunded the government and raised the debt and deficit while awarding the majority of the benefits to those at the top is a clear indication of his priorities. Paulsen continues to participate in a massive propaganda campaign to sell his tax plan, while ignoring the impact of the plan on those who will see tax increases and other negative impacts of the plan such as the growth in economic inequality, the increase in the debt and deficit, and the new threat to important safety nets.The tax bill is particularly hard on Minnesotans due to the cap on state and local tax deductions.
Read our blog:
  • Erik Paulsen's Hypocrisy and the Deficit and Taxes
  • Paulsen Voted Against Us on the Tax Bill
  • Rep. Erik Paulsen's Tax Plan is Robinhood-in-Reverse and puts Nation at Risk
  • Rep. Erik Paulsen is a True Believer of Trickle-Down Economics
  • Paulsen's Party-Line Votes Increase Economic Inequality

Watch our video:

Key Votes:​
  • Paulsen voted for the Tax Cut and Jobs Act that will have the following negative consequences for the American economy:
    • While increasing the GDP in the short term, upward pressure on inflation and interest rates are projected.
    • The TCJA will contribute to growth of the national debt to nearly 100% of the GDP.
    • The TCJA will contribute to an increase in the deficit. In 2018 the projected deficit is $804 billion, $139 billion more than the $665 billion shortfall of 2017.
    • Although Paulsen claimed that the corporate tax cuts would trickle down to workers, instead of increasing wages and benefits corporations have engaged in stock buybacks to benefit their shareholders
    • The tax plan raises taxes on some middle class Americans and penalizes high tax states.
    • The GOP Tax plan is likely to cause a decrease in charitable giving as more Americans will take the standard deduction and will not be able to deduct charitable giving. 
  • ​Paulsen voted to repeal the Medical Device Tax that was a source of funding for the Affordable Care Act. While a full repeal was unsuccessful, a suspension of the tax has been in effect since 2016.
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Since Aji Pai killed net neutrality in 2017, Paulsen's constituents have been, in earnest, trying to determine his views about net neutrality. Paulsen's record indicates that he favors corporate profits over consumer protections, and we think his reluctance to clearly state his views on this topic is telling. As someone who has taken more than $200,000 in donations from the Internet Service Providers industry, we are waiting to see how these donor dollars will influence Paulsen's actions. While Paulsen stated in letter to a constituent that net neutrality issues should be solved through legislation, he has not sponsored, nor is he a co-sponsor of any legislation addressing net neutrality.  
Key Votes:
  • Paulsen IS NOT a sponsor or co-sponsor of ANY legislation related to net neutrality.
  • Paulsen voted to roll-back internet privacy protections designed to protect the confidential information of consumers. S.J.Res. 34
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Paulsen's record indicates that he is willing to vote for legislation that interferes with women's reproductive rights and right to fair pay in the work place. 
Watch the Video:
Key Votes:
  • Paulsen voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that put in place protections against pay discrimination, claiming that the law would lead to frivolous lawsuits.
  • Paulsen voted against H.R. 11, a measure that would extend the recovery of back pay for unlawful employment discrimination. 
  • Paulsen has voted with the GOP's efforts to reduce women's health care choices by defunding Planned Parenthood.
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Not affiliated with any candidate or candidate's committee.
  • Home
  • Why We're Replacing Paulsen
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  • Paulsen's Voting Record
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