State of Minnesota Archives: on Foreign Policy
Al Franken:
OpEd: Campaign website devoid of views on foreign policy
Ever since 1972, when presidential candidate George McGovern ran on the theme, "Come Home, America," whenever the public is asked where they would like to cut federal spending, the one area that gets bipartisan support is foreign aid. Under President
Obama, it's fair to say that our foreign policy now is pretty much what McGovern was proposing, but strong arguments can be made both for and against ending our role as world cop.When we live in a world where a handful of terrorists could soon send a
note with some authenticity to the White House saying, "Surrender today or we will nuke New York," or some other city, shouldn't somebody who wants to be a U.S. senator be thoroughly screened about their views on foreign policy?
Check out the campaign
web sites of Franken and McFadden. Look under issues. Neither one has a word to say about foreign policy. Not one.
One would think a gratuitous sentence or two describing their visions for America's role in the world would be merited.
Source: Morrison County Record OpEd on 2014 Minnesota Senate race
Aug 28, 2014
Jason Lewis:
China is responsible for this pandemic
China is responsible for this pandemic. From day one, the Chinese Communist Party intentionally deceived the world on the extent and severity of the virus. And now there is growing evidence that the virus didn't just start in China but was
unintentionally let out of a lab in Wuhan. If this is indeed the case, China is responsible for every single life lost because of the virus and every dollar spent fighting this virus.
Source: 2020 Minnesota Senate campaign website LewisForMN.com
Jul 8, 2020
Jason Lewis:
2013: GOP support of Israel shows "dual loyalties"
They do control the Republican Party right now. The Republican Party is essentially a neoconservative party that believes [in] unending support for Israel.
A blind loyalty towards Israel is the linchpin of being a good Republican. And when you get those sort of dual loyalties, what happens when it's not in America's best interest?
Source: Law & Crime e-zine on 2020 Minnesota Senate race
Sep 19, 2019
Jim Newberger:
Prevent MN from implementing policies set by UN Agenda 21
As a legislator, Newberger has dug a graveyard-full of verbal gaffes. Newberg's written record is even more embarrassing. Behold one of the dumbest, weirdest bills Newberger has introduced during four years in the Minnesota House:
A bill [in the Minnesota legislature] was meant to prevent Minnesota from "implementing policies set by United Nations Agenda 21." What's Agenda 21? Ask your easily frightened uncle.
This non-binding resolution calls on countries to take steps toward alleviating poverty and asks them to protect important stuff, like oceans. Or, as radio host Alex Jones explained it, it's a "eugenics death cult" that will "take over the world."
The 25-minute jag Jones needs to connect the scattered, invisible-to-the-sheeple's-eye dots is torturous, and seems to have hypnotized poor Jim Newberger.
Source: City Pages on 2018 Minnesota Senate race
Aug 16, 2017
Jim Newberger:
Support American Exceptionalism
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Support American Exceptionalism"?
A: Support.
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Minnesota Senate candidate
Mar 15, 2018
Mark Dayton:
Relax the Cuban embargo
I think that the current U.S. policy on the Cuban embargo should be relaxed especially for agricultural products, food and medicine and, people-to-people exchange programs.
Source: Minnesota Newspaper Association Election Questionnaire
Jul 2, 2000
Mike McFadden:
Inaction abroad sends message that US will do nothing
Q: What is your opinion of U.S. policy regarding Russia and the Ukraine?A: I'm very disappointed in the current administration in terms of their foreign policy. I think they've put the U.S. in a place where we are in a less safe, more dangerous
position today that when they got elected into office. Let's look at Benghazi. A US ambassador was murdered. We had an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. We did nothing. Then we drew a red line in the sand in Syria. They crossed it. We did nothing.
So no one should be surprised by what Putin did in the Ukraine.
Q: Do you advocate a more muscular US policy in this situation?
A: I advocate a more clear policy. I would have started in Benghazi. I would have sent a very strong message that we're
going to protect our embassies. We find ourselves in a situation in the Ukraine. I would have immediately kicked Russia out of the G-8. I would consider taking the 2018 World Cup from them immediately. I'm a big proponent of economic sanctions.
Source: Minneapolis Post on 2014 Minnesota Senate race
May 12, 2014
Mike McFadden:
OpEd: Campaign website devoid of views on foreign policy
Ever since 1972, when presidential candidate George McGovern ran on the theme, "Come Home, America," whenever the public is asked where they would like to cut federal spending, the one area that gets bipartisan support is foreign aid. Under President
Obama, it's fair to say that our foreign policy now is pretty much what McGovern was proposing, but strong arguments can be made both for and against ending our role as world cop.When we live in a world where a handful of terrorists could soon send a
note with some authenticity to the White House saying, "Surrender today or we will nuke New York," or some other city, shouldn't somebody who wants to be a U.S. senator be thoroughly screened about their views on foreign policy?
Check out the campaign
web sites of Franken and McFadden. Look under issues. Neither one has a word to say about foreign policy. Not one.
One would think a gratuitous sentence or two describing their visions for America's role in the world would be merited.
Source: Morrison County Record OpEd on 2014 Minnesota Senate race
Aug 28, 2014
Mike McFadden:
Crisis in Ukraine came about due to Obama's indecisiveness
Mike McFadden (R-MN) released the following statement on the crisis in Ukraine: "I continue to be extremely frustrated with the lack of a clear foreign policy direction from the current administration, which has cost our country credibility on the world
stage. It began when we failed to respond to the attack on our embassy in Benghazi and it continued when the President backed down from his "red line" in Syria. We have reached a point where countries don't fear us and our allies don't trust us," said
McFadden. "Nowhere else is this more evident than with the standoff on the Crimean peninsula. This crisis in Ukraine would not be happening if the White House had a discernible foreign policy vision or strategy.
But they don't. The only thing clear to the world here is our indecisiveness. And that's a recipe for serious trouble."
Source: 2014 Minnesota Senate campaign website, MikeMcFadden.com
Mar 5, 2014
Paula Overby:
Oppose American Exceptionalism
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Support American Exceptionalism"?
A: Oppose--There is nothing exceptional about America except our diversity. I certainly support an expansion of diversity in our government and our institutions.
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Minnesota Senate candidate
May 13, 2018
Steve Carlson:
Pull out of the United Nations
I agree with Trump on pulling out of the United Nations and their activities regulating national economies centrally. [On climate change], I want to see MUCH more science on the actual linkages we observe between small measured changes and specific
changes in the climate. It appears small changes in water temperature, may raise the water levels on the seashores. This does not mean we subordinate our economy to the United Nations.
Source: CBS-4 Minnesota on 2020 Alabama Senate race
Jul 24, 2018
Royce White:
Called for 2M Uyghurs to be freed from concentration camps
In 2021, The BIG 3 resumed playing after Covid-19 lockdowns cancelled their season in 2020. On week one of the season,
White appeared at a game in a t-shirt that read "Free The Uyghurs." After a game-winning basket, White did a post-game interview on CBS with John Sally, where he called for 2 Million Uyghurs to be freed and released from concentration camps.
Source: 2024 Minnesota Senate campaign website RoyceWhite.us
Jul 2, 2024
Royce White:
Israel is the lynchpin of the New World Order
After stating that "nobody has a general problem with Jews" in a tweet during the fall of 2022, he added, "There is a group of Jewish elite, that tends to be secular in belief and corrupt in political practice." Since the outbreak of the
Israel-Hamas war on October 7, Royce has also opposed his own party's "unwavering support for Israel," calling Israel "the lynchpin of the New World Order."
Source: Times of Israel on 2024 Minnesota Senate race
May 21, 2024
Angie Craig:
I will work to strengthen our relationship with Israel
Craig, meanwhile, has been a strong supporter of Israel. When Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke before a joint session of Congress last year, an address given three months before Hamas attacked Israel, Omar and other Democratic lawmakers boycotted
his speech in protest of Israeli policies. But Craig posted on X, "Hell YES, I will attend President Herzog's address to Congress... I will continue to work with Democrats and Republicans to strengthen our relationship with Israel."
Source: MinnPost on 2026 Minnesota Senate race
Sep 4, 2024
Tina Smith:
Voted for partial arms embargo on Israel
In an interview with anti-Israel news host Mehdi Hasan, Smith said that her vote to impose a partial arms embargo on Israel "was an opportunity to stand up for our values." She argued that the United States should not be "complicit" in the actions of
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that Israel's conduct during the ongoing war in Gaza is "antithetical" to American values and possibly in violation of US policy regarding use of military arms.
Source: The Algemeiner on 2026 Minnesota Senate race
Mar 24, 2025
Lisa Demuth:
Our precious metals means not relying on Russia & China
Minnesota has a chance to bolster our country's supply of precious metals which would grow our economy across the
Iron Range and boost our national security so we no longer have to rely on adversaries like Russia and China.
Source: 2026 Minnesota Gubernatorial campaign website LisaForMN.com
Dec 28, 2025
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026