2020 Candidates

Amy Klobuchar

The senator from Minnesota is campaigning as a Midwestern pragmatist who gets things done.

Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the presidential race on March 2, 2020. This page is no longer being updated.

Who is Amy Klobuchar?

59 years old

Born in Plymouth, Minn.; lives in Minneapolis and Washington

Former Hennepin County attorney; elected to the Senate in 2006

Klobuchar’s signature issues

Ms. Klobuchar, running as an experienced moderate, has emphasized throughout her presidential campaign that a bipartisan approach is the Democrats’ best chance at winning the White House.

In May, she released a $100 billion plan to combat drug and alcohol addiction and improve mental health care — an issue deeply personal to her.

Several weeks later, she unveiled a list of more than 100 actions she would take in her first 100 days as president if elected. The list addressed issues such as voting rights, prescription drugs and antitrust enforcement. She has also released a detailed infrastructure plan and a plan to help seniors.

Three questions about Amy Klobuchar

1. I didn’t watch the Kavanaugh hearings. What happened?

Ms. Klobuchar drew attention during the Senate confirmation hearing for Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee.

Ms. Klobuchar asked him whether he had ever blacked out drinking. “Have you?” he shot back, to which she calmly replied, “I have no drinking problem, Judge.”

Justice Kavanaugh later apologized to Ms. Klobuchar, whose father struggled with alcoholism.

2. Does Ms. Klobuchar actually get things done?

Ms. Klobuchar often focuses her attention on issues that can attract bipartisan support, like many of the ones she addressed in her “first 100 days” plan. In general, she has staked out more moderate positions than some of her Democratic competitors on broad issues like climate change and health care.

Her bipartisan approach to politics — she takes pride in being able to “disagree without being disagreeable” — has won her praise from colleagues on both sides of the aisle and helped her pass dozens of bills through Congress.

3. What do Minnesotans think of her?

She is hugely popular in Minnesota and coasted to victory last November in a state that President Trump nearly won in 2016. She is betting that her brand of “Minnesota nice” politics will make her a compelling candidate, particularly to voters in Iowa and other key Midwestern swing states.

Ms. Klobuchar also loves reminding voters that she kicked off her presidential campaign amid a snowstorm in Minneapolis in front of supporters sporting snow pants and ski goggles who turned out by the thousands.