Political Action Committee

The SPAC PAC is designed to identify, endorse, and support state and local candidates for office across the East Metro that support pro-business public policies. The SPAC PAC gives members of the business community access to and the ability to learn about candidates for city, county, and state offices.

A note about financial disclosure:

The SPAC PAC is a separate legal entity, independent of the St. Paul Area Chamber and is registered with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. All financial contributions (donations) and expenditures are reported at the state and local level and are publicly disclosed and available.

How are endorsements made?

Decisions about how to use SPAC PAC funds are made by a vote of our Board of Directors. Board members serve three-year, staggered terms, with new members starting in January each year.

Candidate endorsements are based on the following criteria:

As a non-partisan organization, the SPAC PAC supports candidates who meet our objectives, regardless of party affiliation;
Any endorsed candidate must understand and seek to advance the concerns and interests of the St. Paul Area/East Metro business community;
Any endorsed candidate must be electable; and
The candidate's campaign position or previous voting record will be used as a determining factor.

Why is it important?

Acting alone, it can be extremely difficult for an individual business to make a political impact. The business community needs a way to help elect candidates who advocate for policies essential for economic growth.

The primary focus is on local elections, where even a contribution that’s small by our measure can make a huge difference. Many municipal campaigns raise a few thousand dollars so a donation from the SPAC PAC in the $250 to $600 range – which is often the maximum allowed – is a big help to those candidates. The more money we raise, the more pro-business candidates we can support across the east metro. Our endorsement helps with visibility, credibility, and connections, which is why candidates on both sides of the aisle ask for our endorsement.

How to contribute:

We know how important it is to have the voice of business represented at every level of government. To make that happen and continue our success, we need investors to contribute to our collective efforts.

Financial donations can be made by personal credit card online HERE. or by sending a personal check to SPAC PAC, 401 Robert Street North, Suite 150, Saint Paul MN 55101.

SPAC PAC contributions are not tax deductible and all contributions must be from personal funds or from a qualified Political Action Committee. Corporate contributions are prohibited by law.

See the 2022 PAC Endorsed Candidates Below:

Joe Atkins- Dakota County Commissioner, Dist. 2
Bill Droste- Dakota County Commissioner, Dist. 4
Trista MatasCastillo- Ramsey County Commissioner, Dist. 3
Rafael Ortega- Ramsey County Commissioner, Dist. 5
Karla Bigham- Washington County Commissioner, Dist. 4
Andrea Date- Washington County Commission, Dist. 5
Stan Karwoski- Washington County Commission, Dist. 2
Marylee Abrams- Mayor, Maplewood
Anne Burt-Mayor, Woodbury
Brenda Dietrich, Mayor, IGH
Luke Hellier- Mayor, Lakeville
John Maczko- Mayor, Mendota Heights
Dan Roe- Mayor, Roseville

For more information about races on the ballot, visit the East Metro Voter Guide, an online tool for candidates for office in local East Metro elections to share their positions with voters.

Members of the 2022 SPAC PAC Board

Marc Cove (Chair), First Resource Bank
Elizabeth Emerson, Goff Public
Tom Freeman, Faegre Drinker
Ted Koeppl, SEEK Careers/Staffing
B Kyle, St. Paul Area Chamber
Leslie Rosedahl, Rosedahl Public Affairs
Chelsea Thompson, K2&CO

For more information about how you can get involved with the SPAC PAC, please contact:

Amanda Duerr, Vice President of Public Affairs or any of our SPAC PAC board members.
651.265.2788 | Email