Kim Kotonias McLaughlin

A VOICE FOR ALL

Iron Range Rooted. Ready to Deliver for the Northland.

Friends & Neighbors,

My name is Kim [Kotonias] McLaughlin.

I’m a proud Iron Range native, long-time public servant, and lifelong believer in our Northland communities.

I was born and raised in Chisholm in a hardworking union family and close-knit community.

Growing up on the Range, I learned the values of integrity, respect, hard work, and showing up for neighbors.

More than 30 years ago, my husband Paul and I chose the Northland as the place to build our life and raise our daughter, Katie.

A first-generation college graduate, I’m now a business manager and former auditor with the Minnesota State Colleges and University system.

I’m humbled to be a local elected official, serving in my 10th year on the Hibbing School Board.

My career and public service have been all about working to make government work for the people.

I’m running to be a strong voice for the Northland in St. Paul.

Our area needs a State Senator who brings experience in public service and local elected office, who puts people over politics, and who is dedicated to working together - all of us - to deliver results that move the Northland forward.

I’m running to represent you in the Minnesota Senate because, right now, the Northland faces real challenges,

and there are real opportunities in front of us.

The questions our region faces? They’re not political questions. They are people questions:

  • Can families afford to live here?

  • Will our kids and grandkids have opportunities here?

  • Can seniors stay here and age with dignity and access to care?

  • Will the Northland be a vibrant place where future generations can thrive?

These questions deserve real solutions, and that’s exactly what I’ll be fighting for in St. Paul.

Together, we’ll work for…

Strong Public Education

Public education creates opportunity - and I know that firsthand.

As a first-generation college graduate and proud product of Northland schools - from Chisholm High School to HCC and UMD - the opportunity to receive a great education changed my life for the better.

My husband Paul and I chose to return to the Range 30 years ago, knowing that our daughter would also get a great education in the community we love.

Now serving in my 10th year on the Hibbing School Board - and as a delegate from our region to the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA) - I have a strong, firsthand understanding of the challenges facing our local school districts.

I believe every young person deserves access to a strong public education, regardless of zip code, and I will keep fighting to support the Northland’s schools.

Accountability & Trust in Government

Trust is the foundation of public service - and trust must be earned.

I have built my entire career on public trust, financial oversight, and transparency.

As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), I now serve as a business manager for MN North after having served our state college system as an internal auditor for 18 years.

I have the skills and experience to ensure your tax dollars deliver real results. I have spent my career working for transparency and improved efficiency in government systems.

This commitment to integrity and accountability is grounded in my family history; my immigrant grandparents taught me that integrity, hard work, and shared responsibility are the foundation of community.

I believe government must be transparent, fiscally responsible, and focused on delivering concrete results for the people it serves. That’s why all the work I’ll do and every vote I cast in St. Paul belongs to you, the people.

Economic Development & Job Creation

Protecting and creating good-paying jobs is at the heart of my commitment to the Northland.

Our communities were built by hard-working people - and we need leadership that fights to keep opportunity here at home while we work together to create new opportunities for future generations.

I believe in standing up for the workers who keep our communities strong and in supporting the industries that power our regional economy.

Together, we will strengthen local businesses, invest in workforce development, support our unions, and ensure the next generation has the opportunity to build a life and career right here at home.

My commitment to labor is personal. I was a proud, dues-paying member of MAPE for 18 years, and I grew up in a working-class union home in Chisholm. I watched my father work at the local gas station and travel the Range in sales.

At an early age, I learned the value of a living wage. Those lessons have shaped who I am, and they continue to drive me to fight for Northland families every day.

Accessible & Affordable Healthcare

Every person and family in the Northland deserves access to high quality, affordable healthcare close to home.

Growing up in a multi-generational home in Chisholm - where my mother worked at the local school and my grandparents lived with us - I learned early the importance of respecting and caring for our elders and looking out for our neighbors.

Communities in greater MN face increasing challenges when it comes to healthcare access - from provider shortages to gaps in emergency medical services to behavioral healthcare. These issues have an impact on families, seniors, the workforce, and entire communities.

I will fight for healthcare affordability and will work to strengthen rural healthcare, to close critical gaps in rural emergency medical services, and to create pathways to attract and retain healthcare providers, so that the Northland’s families and seniors can receive the care they need to thrive right here at home.

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