Rebecca Otto
Encyclopedia
Rebecca Otto is the State Auditor
of the U.S. state of Minnesota
. She is affiliated with the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
(DFL). She also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives
from 2003 – 2005 and on the Forest Lake
School Board. Before entering politics, she was a science teacher and previous to that a business owner. She lives on a farm near Marine on St. Croix
with her husband, Shawn Lawrence Otto
, a filmmaker. She is the third woman to serve as State Auditor
, the first female DFLer to be elected to the post, and the first Democrat to be re-elected.
. However, the seat opened after Holsten was appointed to the office of Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources by Governor Tim Pawlenty
. Despite a heavily Republican tilt to the district, Otto defeated Matt Dean
in the special election.
Later in 2003, Otto and her husband were indicted by a grand jury
for allegedly distributing false campaign material, a misdemeanor
. She replied that the charges, filed by then House Speaker Steve Sviggum
, a Republican, were politically motivated and baseless. She was supported by a number of individuals, including former Republican Governor Arne Carlson
, who signed a letter criticizing the indictment. In December 2003, the indictment was criticized by the judge as improper, the charges were dismissed by the court, and part of the law was stricken as unconstitutional. The charges, however, impacted her campaign and she lost her re-election bid in 2004.
Otto declared her candidacy for State Auditor
in March 2005 and ran against incumbent Patricia Anderson
. She won the DFL endorsement and after discovering hundreds of millions of dollars in financial errors made by Anderson, she won the general election in 2006 by the largest margin of victory over an incumbent in 112 years (since 1894). Former Governor Carlson, who had crossed party lines to support her during her legal ordeals, also switched his support from Anderson to Otto in the 2006 election. She was also endorsed by two other former state auditors of both parties, Mark Dayton
and Judi Dutcher
. In 2010, she won re-election in a rematch against Anderson, surviving the Republican tidal wave while also fighting off two minor party candidates who took votes on her left.
Minnesota State Auditor
The Minnesota State Auditor is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. State of Minnesota. The State Auditor is charged with overseeing more than $20 billion spent annually by local governments in Minnesota...
of the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. She is affiliated with the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
(DFL). She also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
from 2003 – 2005 and on the Forest Lake
Forest Lake, Minnesota
Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 18,375 at the 2010 census. It is located on Minnesota's 94th largest lake .Interstate 35 and U.S...
School Board. Before entering politics, she was a science teacher and previous to that a business owner. She lives on a farm near Marine on St. Croix
Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota
Marine on St. Croix is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 689 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Minnesota State Highway 95 serves as a main...
with her husband, Shawn Lawrence Otto
Shawn Lawrence Otto
Shawn Lawrence Otto is an author, filmmaker, political strategist, speaker, science advocate, and screenwriter and co-producer of the movie House of Sand and Fog.-Bio:...
, a filmmaker. She is the third woman to serve as State Auditor
Minnesota State Auditor
The Minnesota State Auditor is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. State of Minnesota. The State Auditor is charged with overseeing more than $20 billion spent annually by local governments in Minnesota...
, the first female DFLer to be elected to the post, and the first Democrat to be re-elected.
Political career
Otto initially led a successful school levy campaign in Forest Lake, and then was elected to the Forest Lake school board with broad support. In her first race for the Minnesota state house in 2002, she was defeated by incumbent Mark HolstenMark Holsten
Mark William Holsten is an American politician in Minnesota. Holsten, a Republican, served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1993 to 2002. He represented district 56A until November 2002 and, after redistricting, won election in 52B but was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Natural...
. However, the seat opened after Holsten was appointed to the office of Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources by Governor Tim Pawlenty
Tim Pawlenty
Timothy James "Tim" Pawlenty , also known affectionately among supporters as T-Paw, is an American politician who served as the 39th Governor of Minnesota . He was a Republican candidate for President of the United States in the 2012 election from May to August 2011...
. Despite a heavily Republican tilt to the district, Otto defeated Matt Dean
Matt Dean
Matthew T. "Matt" Dean is a Minnesota politician, a member and the current Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives. He represents District 52B, which includes all or portions of the cities of Birchwood, Dellwood, Grant, Hugo, Mahtomedi, Marine on St...
in the special election.
Later in 2003, Otto and her husband were indicted by a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
for allegedly distributing false campaign material, a misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
. She replied that the charges, filed by then House Speaker Steve Sviggum
Steve Sviggum
Steven A. "Steve" Sviggum is a Minnesota politician, a member of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, and a former Speaker and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Republican, he represented District 28B in the southeastern part of the state...
, a Republican, were politically motivated and baseless. She was supported by a number of individuals, including former Republican Governor Arne Carlson
Arne Carlson
Arne Helge Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and the 37th Governor of the state of Minnesota.-Early years, education and family:...
, who signed a letter criticizing the indictment. In December 2003, the indictment was criticized by the judge as improper, the charges were dismissed by the court, and part of the law was stricken as unconstitutional. The charges, however, impacted her campaign and she lost her re-election bid in 2004.
Otto declared her candidacy for State Auditor
Minnesota State Auditor
The Minnesota State Auditor is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. State of Minnesota. The State Auditor is charged with overseeing more than $20 billion spent annually by local governments in Minnesota...
in March 2005 and ran against incumbent Patricia Anderson
Patricia Anderson
Patricia "Pat" Anderson is a Minnesota politician and current national committeewoman for Minnesota to the Republican National Committee. She served as the 17th State Auditor of Minnesota, from 2003 to 2007. Prior to this, she was mayor of Eagan, Minnesota for four years after serving as a city...
. She won the DFL endorsement and after discovering hundreds of millions of dollars in financial errors made by Anderson, she won the general election in 2006 by the largest margin of victory over an incumbent in 112 years (since 1894). Former Governor Carlson, who had crossed party lines to support her during her legal ordeals, also switched his support from Anderson to Otto in the 2006 election. She was also endorsed by two other former state auditors of both parties, Mark Dayton
Mark Dayton
Mark Brandt Dayton is an American politician, the 40th and current Governor of the state of Minnesota. Dayton previously served as United States Senator from Minnesota from 2001 to 2007 in the 107th, 108th, and 109th Congresses...
and Judi Dutcher
Judi Dutcher
Judith H. Dutcher is an attorney and former politician who served as the Minnesota State Auditor from 1995 – 2003 as both a Republican and Democrat . She was the first woman to serve as Minnesota State Auditor....
. In 2010, she won re-election in a rematch against Anderson, surviving the Republican tidal wave while also fighting off two minor party candidates who took votes on her left.
Awards and honors
- 2010 Elected by her nonpartisan peers to the Executive Committee of the National State Auditors Association, and in line to become president of the organization in 4 years.
- 2010 Received the Distinguished Service Award from the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association, for her work overhauling state fire laws. Otto is the sixth person and first Constitutional Officer to receive the group's high honor.
- 2009 Honoree of the National Women's History MonthWomen's History MonthWomen's History Month is an annual declared month worldwide that highlights contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. March has been set aside as this month in the United Kingdom and in the United States...
, alongside Hillary Clinton, Sally RideSally RideSally Kristen Ride is an American physicist and a former NASA astronaut. Ride joined NASA in 1978, and in 1983 became the first American woman—and then-youngest American, at 32—to enter space...
, Jane GoodallJane GoodallDame Jane Morris Goodall, DBE , is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National...
, and other "Women taking the lead to save our planet," the 2009 theme, for her environmental leadership.
- 2009 Recipient of the The National State Auditors Association "Excellence in Accountability Award" for her special project "Best Practices Review: Reducing Energy Costs in Local Government"
Electoral history
- 2010 MN State Auditor
- Rebecca Otto (DFL) (inc.), 48.39%
- Patricia AndersonPatricia AndersonPatricia "Pat" Anderson is a Minnesota politician and current national committeewoman for Minnesota to the Republican National Committee. She served as the 17th State Auditor of Minnesota, from 2003 to 2007. Prior to this, she was mayor of Eagan, Minnesota for four years after serving as a city...
(R), 47.13% - Annie Young (G), 2.67%
- Kenny Kalligher (GR), 1.75%
- 2006 MN State Auditor
- Rebecca Otto (DFL), 52%
- Patricia AndersonPatricia AndersonPatricia "Pat" Anderson is a Minnesota politician and current national committeewoman for Minnesota to the Republican National Committee. She served as the 17th State Auditor of Minnesota, from 2003 to 2007. Prior to this, she was mayor of Eagan, Minnesota for four years after serving as a city...
(R) (inc.), 41% - Lucy Gerold (IP), 5%
- Dave Berger (G), 2%
- 2004 MN State House Seat 52B
- Matt DeanMatt DeanMatthew T. "Matt" Dean is a Minnesota politician, a member and the current Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives. He represents District 52B, which includes all or portions of the cities of Birchwood, Dellwood, Grant, Hugo, Mahtomedi, Marine on St...
(R), 51.59% - Rebecca Otto (DFL) (inc.), 48.32%
- Matt Dean
- 2003 MN State House Seat 52B (Special Election)
- Rebecca Otto (DFL), 54.30%
- Matt DeanMatt DeanMatthew T. "Matt" Dean is a Minnesota politician, a member and the current Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives. He represents District 52B, which includes all or portions of the cities of Birchwood, Dellwood, Grant, Hugo, Mahtomedi, Marine on St...
(R), 43.47%
- 2002 MN State House Seat 52B
- Mark HolstenMark HolstenMark William Holsten is an American politician in Minnesota. Holsten, a Republican, served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1993 to 2002. He represented district 56A until November 2002 and, after redistricting, won election in 52B but was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Natural...
(R) (inc.), 58.75% - Rebecca Otto (DFL), 41.17%
- Mark Holsten