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Sandra Pappas

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Sandra Pappas
Democratic Party
Minnesota State Senate District 65
Tenure
1991 - Present
Term ends
2027
Years in position
35
Prior offices:
Minnesota House of Representatives
Years in office: 1985 - 1991
Compensation
Base salary
$51,750/year
Per diem
$86/day
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 8, 2022
Education
Bachelor's
Metropolitan State University, 1986
Graduate
Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, 1994
Personal
Birthplace
Hibbing, MN
Religion
Jewish
Profession
Government
Contact
Official website
Official Facebook
Campaign website
Campaign Facebook
Campaign X
Campaign Instagram
Personal Facebook
Personal LinkedIn

Sandra Pappas (Democratic Party) (also known as Sandy) is a member of the Minnesota State Senate, representing District 65. She assumed office in 1991. Her current term ends on January 5, 2027.

Pappas (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Minnesota State Senate to represent District 65. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Pappas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Pappas served as president of the Senate from 2013 to 2017. Pappas is a former Senate president pro tempore.

Pappas served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1986 to 1991. In 1997, she was a candidate for Mayor of St. Paul.

In November 2025, Pappas announced she would not run for re-election to the Minnesota State Senate District 65 in 2026.[1]

Biography

Sandra Pappas was born in Hibbing, Minnesota. Pappas attended the University of Minnesota from 1967 to 1969. She earned a B.A. from Metropolitan State University in 1986, and an M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1994. Pappas' professional experience includes being an executive director for Forward Global Women, a communications specialist for West 7th Communications Center, and an organizer for the Community Programs in the Arts. She has also taught political science at Metropolitan State University and worked for the Noble Birth Resource Center and Retail Store. Pappas has been affiliated with the National Association of Jewish Legislators, World Without Genocide, the World Hellenic inter-Parliamentary Association, and Forward Global Women.[2][3]

Committee assignments

2025-2026

Pappas was assigned to the following committees:

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2023-2024

Pappas was assigned to the following committees:

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}

2021-2022

Pappas was assigned to the following committees:

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}

2019-2020

Pappas was assigned to the following committees:

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}

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Minnesota committee assignments, 2017
• Capital Investment
• Judiciary
• Rules and Administration

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Pappas served on the following committees:

2013-2014

At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Pappas served on the following committees:

Minnesota committee assignments, 2013
• Capital Investment
• Commerce
• Finance
• Rules and Administration
• State and Local Government, Chair

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Pappas served on the following committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Pappas served on the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2026

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2026

Sandra Pappas did not file to run for re-election.

2022

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Minnesota State Senate District 65

Incumbent Sandra Pappas defeated Paul Holmgren in the general election for Minnesota State Senate District 65 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sandra Pappas
Sandra Pappas (D) Candidate Connection
 
80.1
 
20,228
Image of Paul Holmgren
Paul Holmgren (R)
 
19.6
 
4,960
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
58

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 25,246
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 65

Incumbent Sandra Pappas defeated Sheigh Freeberg and Zuki Ellis in the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 65 on August 9, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sandra Pappas
Sandra Pappas Candidate Connection
 
65.6
 
4,842
Image of Sheigh Freeberg
Sheigh Freeberg
 
22.6
 
1,672
Image of Zuki Ellis
Zuki Ellis
 
11.8
 
872

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 7,386
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 65

Paul Holmgren advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 65 on August 9, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Paul Holmgren
Paul Holmgren
 
100.0
 
931

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 931
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

To view Pappas' endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

2020

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Minnesota State Senate District 65

Incumbent Sandra Pappas defeated Paul Holmgren in the general election for Minnesota State Senate District 65 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sandra Pappas
Sandra Pappas (D) Candidate Connection
 
81.5
 
31,552
Image of Paul Holmgren
Paul Holmgren (R) Candidate Connection
 
18.2
 
7,064
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
113

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 38,729
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 65

Incumbent Sandra Pappas defeated Laverne McCartney Knighton in the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 65 on August 11, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sandra Pappas
Sandra Pappas Candidate Connection
 
63.7
 
7,484
Image of Laverne McCartney Knighton
Laverne McCartney Knighton
 
36.3
 
4,270

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 11,754
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 65

Paul Holmgren advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 65 on August 11, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Paul Holmgren
Paul Holmgren Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
902

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 902
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

To view Pappas' endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

2016

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Minnesota State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 9, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 31, 2016.

Incumbent Sandra Pappas defeated Jason Delmont in the Minnesota State Senate District 65 general election.[4][5]

Minnesota State Senate, District 65 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Sandra Pappas Incumbent 81.07% 27,743
     Republican Jason Delmont 18.93% 6,479
Total Votes 34,222
Source: Minnesota Secretary of State


Incumbent Sandra Pappas ran unopposed in the Minnesota State Senate District 65 Democratic primary.[6][7]

Minnesota State Senate, District 65 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Sandra Pappas Incumbent (unopposed)


Jason Delmont ran unopposed in the Minnesota State Senate District 65 Republican primary.[6][7]

Minnesota State Senate, District 65 Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jason Delmont  (unopposed)

2012

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2012

Pappas won re-election in the 2012 election for Minnesota State Senate District 65. She defeated Marcus Walker in the Democratic primary on August 14 and defeated Rick Karschnia (R) in the general election on November 6.[8][9]

Minnesota State Senate, District 65, General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngSandra Pappas Incumbent 82% 27,365
     Republican Rick Karschnia 18% 5,998
Total Votes 33,363
Minnesota State Senate, District 65 Democratic Primary, 2012
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngSandra Pappas Incumbent 76.8% 2,505
Marcus Walker 23.2% 756
Total Votes 3,261

2010

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2010

Pappas won re-election to the 65th District seat in 2010. She had no primary opposition. Rick Karschnia ran for the seat on the Republican ticket and Amy Smith ran for the Independence Party. The general election took place on November 2, 2010.

Minnesota State Senate, District 65 (2010)
Candidates Votes Percent
Green check mark transparent.png Sandra Pappas (DFL) 13312 71.92%
Rick Karschnia (R) 3490 18.86%
Amy Smith (I) 1680 9.08%
Write-In 27 0.15%

2006

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2006

On November 7, 2006, Pappas won re-election to the 65th District Seat in the Minnesota State Senate, defeating opponents Lori Windels (R) and Bill Dahn (I).[10]

Minnesota State Senate, District 65 (2006)
Candidates Votes Percent
Green check mark transparent.png Sandra Pappas (DFL) 14,866 75.92%
Lori Windels (R) 3,308 16.89%
Bill Dahn (I) 1,361 6.95%
Write-In 47 0.24%

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Sandra Pappas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pappas' responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, Sandy grew up in Robbinsdale and has lived in Saint Paul since 1977. Sandy is married to Neal Gosman, a Vietnam veteran, community media worker, and currently treasurer of AFGE Local 899 at the MSP Airport. Their three daughters grew up on West 7th and the West Side. They attended Saint Paul Public Schools and graduated from Saint Paul Central High School. Sandy and Neal have 29 grandchildren and one great-grandson. When Sandy was 12, her parents divorced and Sandy’s single mother relied on public assistance to care for her family. Sandy helped raise and support her two younger siblings, including time as a union worker at a local grocery store. Sandy started at the University of Minnesota on scholarship but left early to work. While pregnant with her third child, Sandy first ran unsuccessfully for elective office as a proponent of neighborhood power, progressive politics and a woman’s right to choose. Two years later she was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. One of her first achievements was a bill supporting workers’ rights to fair process during employer-mandated drug testing. Sandy earned a B.A. in public policy at Metropolitan State University. She later was awarded a fellowship to gain a master’s degree in public administration at the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University. She was elected in 1990 to the Minnesota Senate.
  • I envision a community where every woman controls her own reproductive health and everyone has access to quality health care ity, accessible, low cost healthcare and prescription drugs. Our reproductive rights are under attack more than e I will fight to protect those rights for women and families and to ensure that all families have access to healthcare.
  • All workers have a right to collectively bargain and should receive family wages, earned sick time, family leave, a secure pension & have a safe workplace.
  • We deserve to live in a community where all of our residents feel safe. This includes communities of color, who deserve to be treated as someone to protect rather than someone from which the city needs to be protected. It also includes safety from gun violence in the home, in schools, and in public places.
Investing in our infrastructure; criminal justice reform; universal early childhood education; protecting our reproductive rights.
I was thirteen when John F Kennedy was assassinated.
I was fortunate to have a union job as a supermarket cashier from age 16 to 19 during highschool and into college. For three years.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Candidate Connection

Sandra Pappas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pappas' responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

I was born in Hibbing, MN, grew up in Robbinsdale but have lived in St Paul (currently downtown) since 1977 with my husband, Neal Gosman, of 44 years. We have 3 daughters and 28 grandchildren, all living in northern Israel. I am currently Executive Director of a non-profit I co-founded called Forward Global Women. I attended the University of Minnesota but completed my BA in Public Policy at Metropolitan State University and have a mid-career Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. I am currently the Minority Lead on the Capitol Investment Committee and I serve on the Judiciary Committee, the Rules Committee, the Pension Commission and the Capitol Area Architectural Board. I was Senate President from 2013-2016.
  • I have been a champion for children, women, workers, students, immigrants and consumers.
  • I am working to address racial inequities in housing, education, jobs, criminal justice and public safety.
  • My seniority and leadership experience will enable me to pass progressive legislation.
I am passionate about criminal justice reform, putting the Equal Rights Amendment into the Minnesota Constitution, requiring all employers to provide paid sick days and creating a pension program for low wage workers.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Hillary Clinton

all strong, intelligent, accomplished women
honesty , transparency and accessibility
Persistent

Hard working
Respectful
Kind
Creative
Thoughtful

Curious
participate in passing sound public policy for the common good
communicate to and advocate for your constituents
Putting the Equal Rights Amendment into the Minnesota constitution
Establishing a Pension program for Low Wage Workers
The assassination of President John F Kennedy. I was 13.
A supermarket cashier, 3 years
Wonderwoman
A Jewish song from services - Oseh Shalom - Make Peace
My parent's divorce when I was a teenager, my Dad lost his job & stopped paying child support and my mother went on public assistance
no, not necessary
Addressing racial inequities
An independent non-partison commission

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Sandra Pappas campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2022Minnesota State Senate District 65Won general$61,934 $61,580
2020Minnesota State Senate District 65Won general$60,595 N/A**
2016Minnesota State Senate, District 65Won $43,085 N/A**
2012Minnesota State Senate, District 65Won $35,752 N/A**
2010Minnesota State Senate, District 65Won $38,133 N/A**
2006Minnesota State Senate, District 65Won $37,807 N/A**
2002Minnesota State Senate, District 65Won $14,307 N/A**
2000Minnesota State Senate, District 65Won $32,004 N/A**
1996Minnesota State Senate, District 65Won $33,563 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in Minnesota

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2025.

  • Legislative Evaluation Assembly of Minnesota — Legislators are scored on their support for the organization's principles, which it defines as "provid[ing] a basis for a constitutionally limited government established to sustain life, liberty, justice, property rights and free enterprise."
  • Minnesota AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on labor issues.
  • Minnesota Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
  • The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2024.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2023.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2022.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2021.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2020.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2019.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2018.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2017.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2016.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2015.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2014.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2013.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2012.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Minnesota State Legislature in 2011.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Pappas and her husband, Neal Gosman, have three children.

See also

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Minnesota State Senate District 65

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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ ‘’KSTP ABC 5 (Minneapolis, Minnesota)’’, "Sen. Sandy Pappas to retire after 42 years in Minnesota Legislature’’, November 6, 2025
    2. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 18, 2020
    3. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 8, 2022
    4. ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing Search," accessed August 25, 2016
    5. ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "General election results, 2016," accessed December 19, 2016
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings," accessed June 3, 2016
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Minnesota State Primary: Tuesday, August 9, 2016," accessed August 9, 2016
    8. ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2012 State General Election Candidate Filings," accessed June 25, 2012
    9. ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Minnesota State Canvassing Report - State Primary - Tuesday, August 14, 2012," accessed April 23, 2014
    10. ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Official Results General Election - Nov. 7, 2006," accessed May 15, 2014

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    -     		Minnesota State Senate District 65
    1991-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    -     		Minnesota House of Representatives
    1985-1991    		 Succeeded by
    -


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