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Jim Oberstar's Ratings and Endorsements

Vote Smart displays all known interest group ratings for each candidate and official, regardless of issue or bias.

Keep in mind that ratings done by special interest groups often do not represent a non-partisan stance. In addition, some groups select votes that tend to favor members of one political party over another, rather than choosing votes based solely on issue concerns. Nevertheless, they can be invaluable in showing where an incumbent has stood on a series of votes in the past one or two years, especially when ratings by groups on all sides of an issue are compared. Website links, if available, and descriptions of the organizations offering performance evaluations are accessible by clicking on the name of the group.

With rare exceptions, Vote Smart displays interest group ratings as a 0-100 percentage. While many interest groups use percentages as ratings to begin with, please note that Vote Smart has translated some ratings to a percentage from a different rating system for consistency and ease in understanding. Please visit the group's website, email us at ratings@votesmart.org or call our Voter Information Hotline at 1-888-VOTESMART for more specific information.

22%
2009-2010
0%
2007-2008
0%
2007-2008
100%
2005-2006
100%
2005-2006
33%
2003
33%
2003
8%
2009-2010
9%
2009
9%
2009
25%
2007-2008
25%
2007-2008
22%
2005-2006
22%
2005-2006
36%
2003-2004
36%
2003-2004
33%
2003
33%
2003
32%
2001-2002
32%
2001-2002
39%
1999-2000
39%
1999-2000
20%
2009-2010
33%
2007-2008
33%
2007-2008
33%
2004
33%
2004
33%
2003
33%
2003
33%
2002
33%
2002
27%
1999-2000
27%
1999-2000
27%
1997-1998
27%
1997-1998
25%
1997
25%
1997
26%
1995-1996
26%
1995-1996
29%
1991-1992
29%
1991-1992
0%
2008
0%
2008
3%
2007
3%
2007
3%
2007
3%
2007
5%
2009
13%
2005-2006
13%
2005-2006
0%
2009
0%
2009
21%
2009
16%
2007
45%
2007
16%
2007
45%
2007
38%
2005
61%
2005
15%
2005
38%
2005
61%
2005
15%
2005
15%
2004
15%
2004
55
2003
55
2003
55
2003
55
2003
55
2003
55
2003
29
2002
29
2002
29
2002
29
2002
29
2002
29
2002
25%
2001
25%
2001
24%
2000
24%
2000
10%
2010
7%
2009-2010
7%
2009-2010
8%
2009-2010
8%
2009-2010
11%
2009-2010
11%
2009-2010
11%
2009-2010
11%
2009-2010
8%
2009-2010
8%
2009-2010
7%
2009-2010
7%
2009-2010
5%
2009
5%
2009
0%
2009
10%
2009
0%
2009
10%
2009
22%
2007-2008
22%
2007-2008
22%
2007-2008
22%
2007-2008
40%
2007
40%
2007
41%
2006
41%
2006
13%
2005
13%
2005
57%
2004
0%
2004
57%
2004
0%
2004
25%
2003
25%
2003
35%
2002
35%
2002
11%
2001
11%
2001
26%
2000
26%
2000
29%
1999
29%
1999
20%
1998
20%
1998
30%
1997
30%
1997
35%
1995-1996
35%
1995-1996
35%
1995-1996
35%
1995-1996
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