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Walter Hudson (Minnesota politician)

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Walter Hudson
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 30A district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byEric Lucero
Personal details
BornDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCarrie
Children2
Residence(s)Albertville, Minnesota, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Phoenix (BS)
Occupation
WebsiteGovernment website Campaign website

Walter Hudson is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Hudson represents District 30A in the northwestern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of St. Michael, Otsego, and Albertville, and parts of Hennepin and Wright Counties.[1][2]

Early life, education and career

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Hudson was born in Detroit, Michigan, to a Black father and a white mother.[3] He received a bachelor's degree in information technology from the University of Phoenix. Hudson served on the Albertville planning commission and the city council from 2014 to 2021.[1]

Hudson has a background in conservative talk radio and hosted the show Closing Argument with Walter Hudson.[3] He has worked for the David Horowitz Freedom Center.[4] He was vice chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Minnesota and active in Minnesota's Tea Party Patriot movement.[5][6][7] He supported Mike McFadden's 2014 campaign for U.S. Senate.[8]

Minnesota House of Representatives

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Hudson was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. He first ran after redistricting and after four-term Republican incumbent Eric Lucero announced he would run for a seat in the Minnesota Senate.[1]

Hudson serves on the Children and Families Finance and Policy and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committees.[1]

Political positions

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Hudson campaigned on promises to ban "the practice of critical race theory in public education", oppose "the sexualization of students via comprehensive sex ed", and abolish abortion.[9] His campaign website claimed the 2020 election had questionable outcomes and said "our election system is fundamentally broken and deeply corrupt".[10] Hudson is an anti-abortion activist and believes that women's right to abortion should be abolished. In 2022, he called for women who travel to other states to receive abortions to be arrested for murder.[11]

Hudson has spoken at anti-vaccine rallies held by the organization Mask Off MN, and during a December 2022 meeting of the group he compared medical professionals recommending COVID-19 vaccines to slave owners.[3][12][13]

In 2015, Hudson said that offenders released on parole should have the right to vote restored to them.[14][15] In 2023, when a bill restoring the right to vote was before the House, he voted against the bill.[16] During a House hearing, Hudson called on legislators to acknowledge the "widespread demonization" of law enforcement and was nearly called out of order for his conduct.[17] In 2023, he opposed a bill that would set up a system to report incidents of discrimination, saying it would infringe on people's right to free speech.[18] He supported legislation aimed at keeping Native American children in foster care in Native American homes.[19]

Hudson opposed legislation creating a state board focused on youth restorative justice, saying it lacked a "well-defined definition" of restorative justice.[20] He opposed the creation of a department focused on children and families, saying it would "replace love and intimacy with ideology and bureaucracy".[21] In 2019, Hudson opposed Governor Tim Walz's proposal to increase the state tax on gasoline.[22] In 2015, he advocated lifting the ban on Sunday liquor sales in the state.[23]

In 2023 Hudson became well-known for his impassioned opposition to a bill, House File 146, that he said would violate the rights of parents in other states whose minor children go to Minnesota for gender-affirming care. A speech on the subject that he posted on his YouTube channel received wide attention.

Donald Trump

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Hudson was a "Never Trump" Republican in 2016, saying Donald Trump's nomination would "have detrimental impacts on the Republican Party of Minnesota for cycles to come".[24] In 2014, he advocated in support of Rand Paul, who was considering a 2016 presidential campaign. Since 2016, Hudson has supported Trump, saying he has "seen no evidence" that Trump is racist or has pushed racially discriminatory policies.[25]

Electoral history

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2022 Minnesota State House - District 30A[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Walter Hudson 12,728 62.65
Democratic (DFL) Sonja Buckmeier 7,570 37.26
Write-in 18 0.09
Total votes 20,316 100.0
Republican hold

Personal life

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Hudson lives in Albertville, Minnesota, with his wife, Carrie, and has two children.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Hudson, Walter - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  2. ^ "Rep. Walter Hudson (30A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  3. ^ a b c Brown, Kyle (December 14, 2022). "Incoming GOP lawmaker compares medical professionals to slave owners". KSTP 5 Eyewitness News.
  4. ^ "Minnesota House District 30A: Walter Hudson faces Sonja Buckmeier". Star News. October 30, 2022.
  5. ^ Simons, Abby (February 19, 2015). "Renewed push to restore felon voting rights clears first hurdle". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  6. ^ Brucato, Cyndy; Grow, Doug; Nord, James (2012-10-16). "Legislative candidates find Tea Party's red-hot rage has cooled considerably". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  7. ^ Grow, Doug (2010-09-24). "Tempest in a Tea Party: Three Minnesota activists explain movement's principles — and anger". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  8. ^ Brucato, Cyndy; Grow, Doug (2014-02-04). "Tuesday's party caucuses: GOP straw polls likely to steal the spotlight". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  9. ^ The Associated Press (2022-12-27). "What Minnesota's most diverse Legislature means for policy". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  10. ^ Ferguson, Dana (2022-11-02). "Nearly 1 in 4 Minnesota GOP legislative candidates questioned 2020 election". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  11. ^ Nelson, Joe (June 26, 2022). "MNGOP-endorsed candidate Walter Hudson calls for murder charges if people in restricted states travel for legal abortion". Bring Me the News.
  12. ^ Lambert, Brian (2022-12-14). "Elected Albertville GOP state rep compares vaccine advocates to slave owners". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  13. ^ Nesterak, Max (2023-01-06). "New Minnesota senator calls COVID-19 vaccines a 'death shot' at Capitol rally". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  14. ^ Simons, Abby. "Renewed push to restore felon voting rights clears first hurdle". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  15. ^ Richert, Catherine (2015-02-19). "Senate panel approves restoring felon voting rights". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  16. ^ Minnesota House of Representatives (February 2, 2023). "Recorded Roll Call Floor Vote H.F. NO. 28 - Passage". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  17. ^ Winter, Deena (2023-03-09). "Bill aimed at stemming tide of PTSD police retirements prompts heated debate about police". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  18. ^ Callaghan, Peter (2023-02-06). "Anti-Asian bias spurs renewed effort to update Minnesota's hate crime law". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  19. ^ Griffith, Michelle (March 9, 2023). "Bill codifying Indian Child Welfare Act language into state law heads to Walz's desk". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  20. ^ Serres, Chris; Sawyer, Liz (May 15, 2023). "Minnesota lawmakers OK 'transformative' juvenile justice package". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  21. ^ Griffith, Michelle (2023-08-07). "Minnesota begins building new children-focused agency". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  22. ^ Hudson, Walter (March 26, 2019). "Readers Write: Transportation costs, President Trump post-Mueller, beer sales". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  23. ^ Richert, Catherine (2015-04-29). "Lobbyists to continue fighting Sunday liquor sales ban". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  24. ^ Brodey, Sam (2016-05-23). "'Never Trump' is toast in the Minnesota GOP. Can the party move on in one piece?". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  25. ^ Jackson, Zoë; Condon, Patrick; Hargarten, Jeff (October 26, 2020). "For Black Minnesota voters, equality is on the ballot". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  26. ^ "2022 Results for State Representative District 30A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
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