Amy Klobuchar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amy Klobuchar
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Official portrait, 2013
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| United States Senator from Minnesota |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2007 Serving with Tina Smith
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| Preceded by | Mark Dayton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| County Attorney of Hennepin County | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office January 5, 1999 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Freeman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michael Freeman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born |
Amy Jean Klobuchar
May 25, 1960 Plymouth, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Political party | Democratic (DFL) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
John Bessler
(m. 1993) |
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| Children | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Jim Klobuchar (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Zola Jesus (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Yale University (BA) University of Chicago (JD) |
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| Signature |  |
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| Website | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amy Jean Klobuchar (born May 25, 1960) is an American politician and lawyer. She has been a United States Senator for Minnesota since 2007. As the "senior" senator, she has served longer than the other senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), which is connected to the national Democratic Party. Before becoming a senator, she was the top lawyer for Hennepin County.
Klobuchar was born in Plymouth, Minnesota. She studied at Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School. She worked as a lawyer in Minneapolis before being elected as the county attorney for Hennepin County in 1998. In this role, she was in charge of most criminal cases in Minnesota's largest county.
She was first elected to the Senate in 2006. She was the first woman elected as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota. She was reelected in 2012, 2018, and 2024. Her political ideas are generally considered to be modern liberal. She has focused on topics like healthcare, protecting consumers, and climate change. In 2019, she ran for president in the 2020 election but later stopped her campaign and supported Joe Biden.
Early Life and Education
Amy Klobuchar was born in Plymouth, Minnesota. Her mother, Rose, was a second-grade teacher. Her father, Jim Klobuchar, was a sportswriter and columnist.
Amy's parents divorced when she was 15. She went to public schools in Plymouth and was the top student at Wayzata High School. She also served as class treasurer and secretary.
In 1982, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Yale University. While at Yale, she worked as an intern for Walter Mondale, who was then the Vice President. Her college paper about the building of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis was later published as a book. After Yale, she went to the University of Chicago Law School and earned her law degree in 1985.
Early Career in Law
After law school, Klobuchar worked as a lawyer for businesses. She was a partner at two law firms in Minnesota. She focused on laws related to telecommunications.
Her first step into politics happened after her daughter was born. She had to leave the hospital very quickly, and her daughter had a health issue. This experience led Klobuchar to speak to the Minnesota State Legislature. She argued for a law that would let new mothers stay in the hospital for 48 hours. Minnesota passed this law, and later, President Bill Clinton made it a federal law for the whole country.
In 1994, Klobuchar planned to run for Hennepin County attorney. However, she had promised to step out of the race if the person who held the job before, Michael Freeman, decided to run again. She kept her promise and supported Freeman.
Hennepin County Attorney Role
Klobuchar was elected Hennepin County attorney in 1998. She won the election by a very small amount. She was reelected in 2002 without anyone running against her.
In 2001, Minnesota Lawyer magazine named her "Attorney of the Year." She also led the Minnesota County Attorneys Association from 2002 to 2003.
During her time as county attorney, Klobuchar focused on being "tough on crime." She aimed for more trials and more convictions. She worked to change state laws to allow more serious charges for people who repeatedly drove while intoxicated.
An analysis by the Vera Institute of Justice found that during Klobuchar's time, the number of people in prison in Hennepin County increased. This was linked to the stricter sentences she sought.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
Senate Elections
2006 Election
In 2005, after Senator Mark Dayton announced he would not run again, Klobuchar became a top choice for the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) nomination. She had planned to run for attorney general but was convinced to run for Senate instead.
She won the DFL nomination and then faced Republican candidate Mark Kennedy in the general election. Klobuchar won with 58% of the votes. She became the first woman elected as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota.
2012 Election
Klobuchar won her second term in the U.S. Senate by a large margin. She defeated Republican state representative Kurt Bills with 65.23% of the votes. She won in almost all of Minnesota's counties.
2018 Election
Klobuchar ran for a third term and was reelected by a significant margin. She defeated Republican nominee Jim Newberger. The election was not considered very close, as Klobuchar had much more support and funding.
2024 Election
In 2024, Klobuchar won her fourth term as U.S. Senator. She won the DFL nomination and then defeated Republican nominee Royce White in the general election.
Her Time in the Senate
Polls have often shown that many Minnesotans approve of Klobuchar's work. She is known for working with politicians from different parties. Walter Mondale, a former Vice President, praised her work in the Senate.
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By the end of 2016, Klobuchar had helped pass more laws than any other senator. In 2017, she called for an investigation into ties between Russia and President Donald Trump. She had already shown interest in U.S.–Russia relations by visiting other countries with Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham.
Klobuchar has generally maintained high approval ratings. In 2019, a poll found her to be one of the most popular senators. She has been successful at getting important laws passed.
There have been some reports about how Klobuchar treats her staff. Some former employees said she could be difficult, while others said she was a good boss and mentor. In response, many former staffers wrote a letter praising her.
During her 2020 presidential campaign, Klobuchar missed more votes in the Senate than usual.
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On January 6, 2021, Klobuchar was at the U.S. Capitol when supporters of President Trump entered the building. As a leader on the Senate Rules Committee, she helped guide the Senate's work during this event. She supported certifying the election results. After the event, she called for investigations into what happened.
Klobuchar was the first speaker at Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021.
Her Role in the Democratic Party
Klobuchar has supported Democratic presidential candidates. In 2008, she supported Barack Obama. In 2016, she was an early supporter of Hillary Clinton.
Since 2015, Klobuchar has led the U.S. Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee. This committee helps guide the Democratic Party's plans and connect with people.
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Committee Assignments
Klobuchar serves on several important committees in the Senate. These committees deal with different areas of government work.
Current Committees (119th Congress)
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (She is the Ranking Member, meaning the top Democrat on this committee)
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Committee on Rules and Administration
- Committee on the Judiciary
- Joint Committee on Printing (Vice Chairman)
- Joint Committee on the Library (Chairman)
- Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies - 2024 (Chairman)
- Joint Economic Committee
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Caucus Memberships
Klobuchar is also part of several groups in Congress called caucuses. These groups focus on specific topics.
- Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption (co-chair)
- Rare Disease Caucus (co-chair)
2020 Presidential Campaign
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Some news organizations had suggested Klobuchar might become the first female president or be chosen for the U.S. Supreme Court.
On February 10, 2019, Klobuchar announced she was running for president in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. She often used humor during her campaign to stand out.
On January 19, 2020, The New York Times newspaper supported Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren for president.
On March 2, 2020, Klobuchar stopped her campaign and supported Joe Biden for president. In May 2020, it was reported that Biden considered her as a possible running mate for Vice President. However, in June, Klobuchar said that Biden should choose a woman of color for that role.
Political Views
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Amy Klobuchar's political views are generally in line with modern American liberalism. She supports women's rights, LGBT rights, and supports the Affordable Care Act (a healthcare law). She was also critical of the Iraq War.
According to GovTrack, Klobuchar helped pass more laws than any other senator by the end of 2016. By December 2018, she had sponsored or co-sponsored 111 laws that were passed.
In 2023, a group called the Lugar Center ranked Klobuchar among the top senators for working with both political parties.
Personal Life and Family
In 1993, Amy Klobuchar married John Bessler, who is a lawyer and a professor. They have one daughter.
Klobuchar is a member of the United Church of Christ. She is also a cousin of the musician Zola Jesus.
In September 2021, Klobuchar shared that she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in February 2021. She had surgery and radiation treatment, and by August, her doctors said she was cancer-free. In July 2024, she announced she was still cancer-free after a small surgery and brief radiation treatment.
Klobuchar's grandparents came to the United States from Slovenia and Switzerland. Her grandfather on her father's side was a miner in Minnesota.
Awards and Recognition
Klobuchar has received many awards during her career.
- In 2001, Minnesota Lawyer named her "Attorney of the Year."
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving gave her an award for helping pass Minnesota's first felony DWI law.
- Working Mother magazine named her a "Best in Congress" in 2008 for her work helping working families.
- In 2012, she received the Sheldon Coleman Great Outdoors Award.
- She also received the Agricultural Retailers Association's 2012 Legislator of the Year Award.
- She received a Friend of CACFP award for her work on the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act.
- In 2014, she received the Friends of Farm Bureau Award.
- The American Bar Association gave her the Congressional Justice Award in 2015 for protecting vulnerable people.
- In 2015, the National Consumers League honored her for her work on consumer safety and fair marketplaces.
- In 2016, she received the Goodwill Policymaker Award for her commitment to nonprofit organizations.
- In 2017, she received the Arabella Babb Mansfield Award and was chosen as the Mary Louise Smith Chair in Women and Politics.
- In 2021, she received the Award for Distinguished Public Service from the Association of American Publishers.
- In 2024, The American Legion gave her the Distinguished Public Service Award.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2013
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Amy Klobuchar's signature
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Female senators of the 110th Congress, Klobuchar standing, second from the right, January 2007
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Klobuchar's father, Jim, and supporters campaigning for Klobuchar as U.S. senator, Tower, Minnesota, July 4, 2012
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Klobuchar with Lindsey Graham and John McCain in Latvia in 2016
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Klobuchar speaking at the inauguration of Joe Biden
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Klobuchar with Chuck Schumer and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the US Capitol, June 7, 2023
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Klobuchar standing with Donald Trump and JD Vance during the second inauguration of Donald Trump, January 20, 2025
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Klobuchar with Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a visit by a delegation of Democratic U.S. senators to Israel, February 2023
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Klobuchar (center) with her husband and daughter at her campaign announcement
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Klobuchar at Twin Cities Pride Parade in 2018
See also
In Spanish: Amy Klobuchar para niños
