Pam Altendorf
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 20A district
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byRedistricted
Personal details
Born (1972-11-17) November 17, 1972
Political partyRepublican
SpouseKevin
Children5
ResidenceRed Wing, Minnesota
EducationUniversity of Minnesota
Occupation
  • Business Executive
  • Legislator
WebsiteGovernment website Campaign website

Pam Altendorf (born November 17, 1972) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Altendorf represents District 20A in southeastern Minnesota, which includes the cities of Red Wing, Lake City and Cannon Falls, and parts of Dakota, Goodhue, and Wabasha Counties.[1][2]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Altendorf was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. She first ran after legislative redistricting.[1] Altendorf defeated Jesse Johnson in a contested Republican primary. She was characterized as the anti-establishment candidate due to business groups' support of Johnson.[3][4] Altendorf was endorsed by far-right representative Steve Drazkowski, who ran for the district's seat in the Minnesota Senate.[3][4][5]

Altendorf serves on the Climate and Energy Finance and Policy, Education Finance, and Elections Finance and Policy Committees.[1]

Political positions

Altendorf said her top issues while running were medical freedom and election integrity. She has spoken at local anti-vaccine groups' rallies.[6][7] She is pro-life and has said that legislation the Minnesota House passed to codify the right to an abortion would make Minnesota "the most extreme state on abortion laws".[8]

Altendorf has opposed legislation that would create a paid family and medical leave program that would provide partial pay to workers for up to 20 weeks as well as a law that ensured all workers would earn one hour of time off for every 30 hours worked, which she said is "vilifying small businesses... and killing our economy".[9][10] She opposed legislation requiring Minnesota high schools to offer an ethnic studies course, saying it would further divide the country.[11]

Altendorf has claimed that energy and elections bills the Minnesota Legislature passed in 2023 were "truly unconstitutional" and would lead to lawsuits, including a law requiring financial disclosure by groups involved in campaigning.[12] She opposed legislation that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote, saying it would open up elections to "more questioning, more scrutiny, and people feeling like this is not secure".[13] She opposed legislation requiring the state's utilities to move to carbon-free electricity by 2040.[14]

Altendorf supported legislation that would crack down on the use of deepfakes, audio and videos created by artificial intelligence, when they are used to influence elections or used to distribute fake sexual images of someone without their consent.[15]

Electoral history

2022 Republican Primary for Minnesota State House - District 20A[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Pam Altendorf 2,898 51.81
Republican Jesse Johnson 2,695 48.19
Total votes 5,593 100.0
2022 Minnesota State House - District 20A[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Pam Altendorf 10,607 51.79
Democratic (DFL) Laurel Stinson 7,698 37.59
Minnesota Independent Party Roger Kittelson 2,158 10.54
Write-in 18 0.09
Total votes 20,481 100.0
Republican hold

Personal life

Altendorf lives in Red Wing, Minnesota, with her husband, Kevin, and has five children. Her second cousin is Brian Pfarr, who has served in the Minnesota House since 2021.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Altendorf, Pam - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  2. ↑ "Rep. Pam Altendorf (20A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  3. 1 2 Griffith, Michelle (2022-08-08). "Minnesota primaries are tomorrow. Here's what you need to know". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  4. 1 2 "Small but mighty showing for anti-establishment GOP in Minnesota primary". MinnPost. 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  5. ↑ "GOP factions unpredictable spending wars in GOP legislative primaries". MinnPost. 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  6. ↑ Winter, Deena (August 9, 2022). "Action 4 Liberty, right-wingers snag a few wins in Republican primaries". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  7. ↑ Nesterak, Max (2023-01-06). "New Minnesota senator calls COVID-19 vaccines a 'death shot' at Capitol rally". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  8. ↑ Deng, Grace (2023-01-20). "Right to abortion passes Minnesota House, heads to Senate". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  9. ↑ Bakst, Brian; Ferguson, Dana (2023-05-17). "Paid family leave advances at MN Capitol". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  10. ↑ Ferguson, Dana (2023-02-17). "MN House passes paid sick and safe time bill". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  11. ↑ Shockman, Elizabeth (2023-03-24). "Legislators consider bill requiring ethnic studies in Minnesota high schools". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  12. ↑ Ferguson, Dana (2023-02-09). "DFL legislative push prompts threats of lawsuits". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  13. ↑ Bakst, Brian (2023-02-08). "Voter sign-up bill causes partisan split in MN Legislature". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  14. ↑ Griffith, Michelle (January 26, 2023). "Minnesota House passes bill mandating move to carbon-free electricity by 2040". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  15. ↑ Bierschbach, Briana (February 18, 2023). "Minnesota legislators want to crack down on 'deep fake' disinformation". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  16. ↑ "2022 Results for State Representative District 20A Primary". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  17. ↑ "2022 Results for State Representative District 20A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
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