Mike Hatch
Mike Hatch is an American politician, currently the attorney general of Minnesota. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he announced in October 2005 his intention to run for the DFL nomination for the 2006 Minnesota gubernatorial election. Hatch also ran in party primaries in 1990, against then-governor Rudy Perpich, and 1994, against John Marty.
In 2005 he helped negotiate discounted hospital fees for uninsured patients in the state. As of June 2005, 58 out of 140 Minnesota hospitals (which take in about 75% of the patients in the state) have agreed to the plan. Uninsured families that earn less than US$125,000 per year will now pay reduced rates—in many cases the best rates available if they had been insured. Signatories so far include Fairview Health Services and the Mayo Clinic. Hennepin County Medical Center and HealthPartners are two of the largest hospital systems that have not yet agreed, but they are expected to do so in the near future.
Hatch is a 1966 graduate of Duluth East High School. In 1970, he earned his Bachelor's Degree in political science (with honors) from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Minnesota in 1973. Before being elected attorney general, Hatch was a lawyer in private practice and the chairman of the State DFL Party.
Hatch and his wife Patti, an elementary school teacher, have three daughters.
Electoral history
- 2002 Race for state Attorney General
- Mike Hatch (DFL) (inc.), 55%
- Tom Kelly (R), 41%
- 1998 Race for state Attorney General
- Mike Hatch (DFL), 48%
- Charlie Weaver (R), 44%
- Jim Mangan (Reform), 6%
External links
- Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch
- Unhatching Mike Hatch (MN GOP)
- Campaign 2006: Mike Hatch (Minnesota Public Radio)
References
- Josephine Marcotty (June 2, 2005). More hospitals agree to discounts for uninsured. Star Tribune.
- Mike Hatch biography provided by the Office of the Attorney General