Gadisa Berkessa
Democrat | Minnesota
Candidate Profile*
Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
EDUCATION
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Bachelor, 2008-2012
Arizona State Univesity, Arizona, Masters, 2019-2021
WORK & MILITARY
Automation Company, Project Manager(Engineer)
AFFILIATIONS
Church, Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
None
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Senate Senator for District 31
ENDORSEMENTS*
LIBERAL (5)
AFSCME Council 5
*SEIU Minnesota State Council Service Employees International Union
DFL Senior Caucus
DFL Senate District 31
314 Action Fund
OTHER (1)
Friends of the Boundary Waters Action Network
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (5)
AFSCME Council 5
DFL Senior Caucus
Education Minnesota
314 Action Fund
SEIU
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE*
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Disagree
Funding should support access to essential healthcare, including contraception, screenings, and preventive care.
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
rape, incest, danger to their life or health, or a serious fetal condition.
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Neutral
Disagree as written: I value human life, but legal protections must also respect the health, and medical challenges of the pregnant person.
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Disagree
I support IVF and allowing patients, with their medical providers, to make decisions about unused embryos.
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Disagree
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I support raising the minimum wage and adjusting it for inflation so working people can afford basic necessities. People who work full time should be able to support their families. I also support helping small businesses adapt.
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Agree
Agree. Small businesses, entrepreneurship, and private property are essential to a strong economy. Government should support fair competition, protect workers and consumers, and make it easier to start and grow a business.
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
1. Prevent fraud: Strengthen oversight, verify payments, and hold those who misuse public funds accountable. 2. Review program results: Improve or end ineffective programs while protecting services that deliver measurable benefits. 3. Reduce duplication: Streamline overlapping programs and unnecessary administrative costs. 4. Improve purchasing: Use competitive bidding and closely monitor contracts, costs, and performance. 5. Increase transparency: Make spending and audit findings accessible
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
As a Christian, I value religious freedom. Government should neither impose religion nor favor one faith over another. Everyone should be free to practice their faith or no faith and our laws should protect everyone equally.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Neutral
Agree, with qualifications. Businesses serving the public should provide equal access without discrimination. Religious freedom should also be protected, including reasonable accommodations that do not deny others essential services or equal treatment. Churches should remain free to make decisions about their religious practices.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
B. Government-funded health insurance should be available to everyone who wants it, alongside private options. Everyone deserves affordable, quality care, and families should have a choice in their coverage.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Disagree
Disagree as written. We can assess healthcare costs using anonymous, aggregated data. People’s private medical information should be protected, and no one should be judged by the cost of treating their illness.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Agree
Agree. We should take military threats, cyberattacks, and intellectual property theft seriously while pursuing diplomacy and fair trade. Our concerns are with the Chinese government’s actions, and we must reject discrimination against Chinese Americans.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes. The relationship is important for regional security, diplomacy, and protecting civilians. I support Israel’s right to exist in security, Palestinian rights and self-determination, and a lasting peace. Our partnership should uphold human rights, international law, and accountability.
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Agree
I support policies that allow undocumented residents to report crimes and seek help without fear of deportation. Local police should focus on community safety, and anyone who commits a crime should be held accountable regardless of immigration status.
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Disagree
States and communities should guide local schools, with federal support for students with disabilities, low-income students, and equal access to education.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Disagree
I support strict transparency and safeguards against foreign influence. Educational partnerships should protect academic independence, student privacy, and national security.
VALUES
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.
Agree
Parents should have a central role in their child’s care and education, working with teachers and healthcare providers.
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Choose not to answer
Choose not to answer as it is written. I don't understand why we are even comparing transitioning with Child abuse. They are two different things.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Agree
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Disagree
I would consider specific proposals only with strong consumer protections, funding for addiction treatment, and clear benefits for our communities.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian, and my faith guides me to serve others with compassion, honesty, and humility. I put those values into practice. I believe every person deserves dignity and respect, regardless of their background or beliefs.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Agree
Eligible citizens should be able to vote without a photo ID. I support secure elections and reliable voter verification while ensuring that seniors, people with disabilities, and voters without photo identification can exercise their right to vote.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Disagree
I support addressing documented historical injustices and their lasting effects. Remedies should be tied to specific harms, with clear eligibility and accountability.
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Neutral
Sports, shelters, prisons, and other facilities involve different considerations. I support policies that protect safety, privacy, dignity, and fair competition, with rules suited to each setting rather than a blanket exclusion.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Agree
We should act now to reduce emissions, protect clean air and water, and prepare for extreme weather while keeping energy affordable.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear power provides dependable electricity around the clock. I support a balanced energy mix that includes nuclear, wind, solar, and storage, along with investments in the electric grid to meet growing demand reliably and affordably.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Moderate
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No, I have never been penalized for sexual misconduct in civil or criminal court.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No, I have never been convicted of a felony.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?
To protect public safety, support victims, ensure fair treatment and due process, and hold people accountable. It should also help people rehabilitate and successfully return to their communities, reducing repeat offenses.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Agree
I support strong enforcement against exploitation, accountability for online platforms, and tools that help families protect children while respecting privacy.
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Agree
Our legal system must uphold the Constitution and equal rights. No religious law should override civil law. People of every faith should remain free to practice their religion within those protections.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
support responsible gun ownership alongside background checks, safe storage requirements, and measures to keep firearms away from people who pose a serious danger to themselves or others, with due process protections. We should also strengthen enforcement against illegal gun trafficking and invest in suicide prevention and community violence prevention.
