About Bonnie
Hello, I’m Bonnie Westlin. I’m a small business owner with my own family law and mediation practice. I’ve lived in the Northwest Metro for nearly 50 years and have deep ties to this community and the surrounding area. I’ve been a single mom most of my adult life and had to work hard to obtain an education, launch my own business, and care for my family. I’m running for the Minnesota Senate to represent the values, needs, and concerns I’ve heard from the people in my district – I share so many of them.
The recent Dobbs Supreme Court decision that took away federal protection for a woman’s right to choose whether or not to have a child is of great concern to me. Even though we have protections for abortion and reproductive healthcare here in Minnesota, these protections are not guaranteed to stay in place forever. Some Minnesota politicians would like to take this right away from us, which we cannot allow to happen. In the Minnesota State Senate, I will stand up for abortion rights so that each and every Minnesota family can decide if and when to have a child, on your terms, without government interference.
As a single mom, I work hard to provide for my family. I understand the challenges that increased food, gas, housing and other costs bring too many Minnesota families who already struggled to make ends meet. We have seen that often the increase in prices is being driven by wealthy corporations, in Minnesota and across the country, who are using economic challenges from a global pandemic as an opportunity to increase their own profit margins. Wealthy corporations and rich CEOs need to start paying what they truly owe. In the Minnesota State Senate, I will work to limit corporate price gouging and profiteering to ensure that every Minnesotan has a fair chance at success.
Another issue that matters to me is education. Our teachers and our scholars deserve better. Underfunding our schools means they lack critical resources that support learning, such as counselors, school nurses, and educational support professionals. Our public schools should empower every student– white, black or brown– to be well prepared for a life of success at work, at home, and in their communities. In the State Senate, I will work to increase state funding for our public education system, including increasing teacher pay and adding more social workers, school counselors and other professionals to support our children.
Minnesota has a remarkable legacy of healthcare innovation. But as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, quality care is not uniformly accessible in our state. As someone who purchases individual health coverage for myself and my son, I know firsthand how difficult it is to pay high premiums, copays AND meet high deductibles. Our family has experienced the challenges of high drug prices. And Some in our state have died trying to ration expensive, life-saving drugs, including insulin. Let’s be clear: No Minnesotan should die because they can’t afford insulin or other life-saving medications. In the State Senate, I will support enacting the Minnesota Health Plan so every Minnesotan has access to affordable healthcare.
I am energized to get to work on these and so many other vital issues that are priorities for members of our community and across Minnesota. Paul Wellstone often said that politics is about the improvement of people’s lives. And that is why I am running. I will work as hard for your family as I have for my own.
I am asking for your vote on November 8, and together we can move Minnesota forward.