Judith H. Dutcher (born November 27, 1962) is an American attorney and former politician who served as the Minnesota State Auditor from 1995 to 2003 as both a Republican and Democrat (DFL).
She won the Republican Party nomination for Auditor, and in November 1994, became the first pregnant woman ever elected to statewide office in the United States.
[1] She was given a speaking slot at the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, and supported Vice President Al Gore and Senator Joe Lieberman.
Dutcher decided not to seek reelection to the auditors office, and rejected calls from the Independence Party of Minnesota to run under their banner.
In the final stage of the campaign, Dutcher made headlines for a political gaffe in which she responded to then KSAX-TV reporter Corey Poppe's question on E85 ethanol by saying "What's E85?"
Hatch attributed part of his loss to that remark, noting that he lost heavily in southern Minnesota counties where E85 production facilities are located.