Collin Peterson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Collin Peterson
Official portrait, 2012
Chair of the House Agriculture Committee
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Mike Conaway
Succeeded by	David Scott
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Bob Goodlatte
Succeeded by	Frank Lucas
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 7th district
In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Arlan Stangeland
Succeeded by	Michelle Fischbach
Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 10th district
In office January 4, 1977 – January 5, 1987
Preceded by	Roger L. Hanson
Succeeded by	Cal Larson
Personal details
Born	Collin Clark Peterson (1944-06-29) June 29, 1944 (age 81) Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Minnesota State University, Moorhead (BA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1963–1969
Unit	Army National Guard

Collin Clark Peterson (born June 29, 1944) is an American accountant and politician. He served as a representative for Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives for 30 years, from 1991 to 2021. He was a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, which is the Minnesota branch of the Democratic Party.

Peterson was also the chairman of the United States House Committee on Agriculture twice. This committee deals with laws about farming and food. He was known for being one of the most experienced members of Congress from Minnesota. After leaving Congress, he became a lobbyist, which means he works to influence government decisions.

Early Life and Education

Collin Peterson was born in Fargo, North Dakota. He grew up on a farm in Baker, Minnesota. He went to Minnesota State University Moorhead and earned a bachelor's degree.

Early Political Career

Before joining the U.S. House of Representatives, Peterson was a member of the Minnesota Senate. He represented a district in northwestern Minnesota from 1977 to 1986. He won his first election in 1976 and was re-elected in 1982 by a very small number of votes.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Running for Office

Collin Peterson ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Minnesota's 7th congressional district several times. He first ran in 1984 but lost. He tried again in 1986 and lost by only 121 votes. In 1988, he lost in the primary election, which is when parties choose their candidates.

Finally, in 1990, Peterson ran for the fourth time and won. He defeated the person who had held the seat for a long time, Arlan Stangeland. Stangeland had faced some issues, which helped Peterson win.

Winning Re-election

After his first win, Peterson had some close elections. In 1992 and 1994, he won by very small margins. However, in 1996 and 1998, he won by much larger percentages.

In the 2000s, Peterson usually won his elections easily. He was very popular in his district. He was even considered as a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2000 but chose to stay in the House.

Later Elections and Challenges

In 2010, Peterson won his election, but with a smaller lead than usual. In 2012, he won again.

Around 2013, some Republicans tried to get Peterson to retire. They used different tactics like TV ads and following him around. Peterson said these actions made him even more determined to run again. He officially announced he would run in 2014 and won against Torrey Westrom.

Peterson continued to win in 2016 and 2018, even though his district was becoming more supportive of Republican presidential candidates. For example, in 2016, Donald Trump won Peterson's district by a large margin. This made Peterson one of the few Democrats representing a district that strongly supported the Republican presidential candidate.

2020 Election and End of Service

In November 2020, Collin Peterson was defeated by Republican Michelle Fischbach. This ended his 30 years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives. His loss was one of the biggest for any sitting representative that year.

Committee Work in Congress

In Congress, representatives work in different committees that focus on specific topics. Collin Peterson was very involved with the Committee on Agriculture. He was the chairman of this committee from 2019 to 2021, and also from 2007 to 2011. As chairman, he led the committee's work on laws related to farming, food, and rural areas.

He also served on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, which deals with issues important to military veterans.

Political Views

Collin Peterson was known for being a moderate Democrat, meaning his views were often in the middle, not strictly liberal or conservative. He was one of the founders of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of Democrats in the House who are more conservative. He often voted differently from many members of his own party.

For example, he was considered conservative on some social issues. He supported laws that would ban certain types of medical procedures related to pregnancy choices. He also supported the death penalty and laws about respecting the flag.

On issues like gun rights, Peterson was a strong supporter of gun ownership. He received high ratings from gun rights organizations.

When it came to economic issues, he was sometimes seen as fiscally conservative, meaning he was careful with government spending. However, he also voted against some free trade agreements. He was critical of the "No Child Left Behind Act," a law about education, saying it wasn't fair to students in rural areas.

Peterson also had unique views on international trade. In 1998, he even suggested that a part of Minnesota called the Northwest Angle should be allowed to vote on joining Canada. This was a way to draw attention to fishing rules between the U.S. and Canada.

On healthcare, Peterson voted against the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in 2010. He later voted to repeal it in 2016 but voted against Republican efforts to repeal it in 2017.

He was also one of the few Democrats who voted against the impeachment of President Donald Trump in 2019.

Personal Life

Collin Peterson lives in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. He is a licensed private pilot and often flew his own plane to travel around his large district. He also played in a rock and country band called the "Second Amendments" with some Republican colleagues.