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Legislative Retirements - Previous
Historical Notes on Legislative Retirements
Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library
Legislative retirements, vacancies, and members seeking other offices. See also retirements from the current biennium.
2019-2020 • 2017-2018 • 2015-2016
2019-2020
Legislative retirements at the end of the 2019-2020 biennium
Legislative vacancies during the 2019-2020 biennium
House members seeking Senate seat in 2020
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Mary Kunesh-Podein |
House |
DFL |
41B |
Star Tribune Morning Hot Dish - 1/14/2020 |
House members seeking another office in 2020
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
OFFICE |
NOTES |
| Laurie Halverson |
House |
DFL |
51B |
Dakota County Commissioner in district 3 |
Press Release - 4/27/2020 |
House members defeated in the 2020 primary election
Senate members defeated in the 2020 primary election
2017-2018
Legislative retirements at the end of the 2017-2018 biennium.
Return to top.
Legislative vacancies during the 2017-2018 biennium
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Tony Cornish |
House |
R |
23B |
He resigned effective 11/30/17. Mankato Free Press - 11/21/2017 |
| Michelle Fischbach |
Senate |
R |
13 |
She resigned from the Minnesota Legislature on 5/25/2018 and took the oath of office for lieutenant governor on the same day. As the last elected presiding officer of the Senate, Senator Fischbach ascended to the position of lieutenant governor when Lt. Governor Tina Smith resigned on 1/2/2018 to become a United States senator. She filed to run as lieutenant governor on 6/5/2018. |
| Tony Lourey |
Senate |
DFL |
11 |
He resigned on January 3, 2019, just a few days shy of the end of the 2017-2018 biennium. |
| Joyce Peppin |
House |
R |
34A |
She resigned from the legislature effective 7/2/2018. She had announced her intention to retire from the legislature on 5/30/2018. |
| Paul Rosenthal |
House |
DFL |
49B |
He resigned from the legislature effective 9/5/2018. He had announced his intention to retire from the legislature on 6/6/2018. |
| Paul Thissen |
House |
DFL |
61B |
He was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court and resigned from the legislature effective 4/20/2018. He had announced his intention to retire from the legislature on 1/3/2018. |
| Dan Schoen |
Senate |
DFL |
54 |
He resigned effective 12/15/17. Star Tribune - 11/21/2017 |
House member seeking Senate seat in 2018
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Jeff Howe |
House |
R |
13A |
Filed to run in Senate District 13. |
House members seeking higher office in 2018
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Peggy Flanagan |
House |
DFL |
46A |
Filed to run as lieutenant governor. She gave a House floor retirement speech on 5/20/2018. |
| Debra Hilstrom |
House |
DFL |
40B |
Filed to run as attorney general. She lost the primary. |
| Erin Maye Quade |
House |
DFL |
57A |
Filed to run as lieutenant governor. She lost the primary. |
| Jason Metsa |
House |
DFL |
6B |
Filed to run in the 8th U.S. Congressional District. He lost the primary. |
| Erin Murphy |
House |
DFL |
64A |
Filed to run as governor. She lost the primary. |
| Jim Newberger |
House |
R |
15B |
Filed to run for U.S. Senate. He gave a House floor retirement speech on 5/20/2018. |
| Ilhan Omar |
House |
DFL |
60B |
Filed to run in the 5th U.S. Congressional District. |
House member defeated in the 2018 primary election
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Bob Loonan |
House |
Republican |
55A |
|
House member suspending campaign in 2018
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Jim Knoblach |
House |
R |
14B |
Minnesota Public Radio - 9/21/2018 |
Senate members seeking higher office in 2018
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Bobby Joe Champion |
Senate |
DFL |
59 |
Filed to run in the 5th U.S. Congressional District. He suspended his campaign on 6/11/2018 and will remain in the Senate. |
| Karin Housley |
Senate |
R |
39 |
Filed to run for U.S. Senate. |
| Carla Nelson |
Senate |
R |
26 |
Filed to run in the 1st U.S. Congressional District. She lost the primary and will remain in the Senate. |
| Patricia Torres Ray |
Senate |
DFL |
63 |
Filed to run in the 5th U.S. Congressional District. She lost the primary and will remain in the Senate. |
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2015-2016
Legislative retirements at the end of the 2015-2016 biennium.
Special circumstances
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Bob Barrett |
House |
Republican |
32B |
The Supreme Court ruled on September 8, 2016 that Rep. Bob Barrett was ineligible to run in the November election because he did not reside in his district. Minnesota Statute 204B.13 prescribes a February special election under these circumstances. |
Defeated in the primary election in 2016
House members seeking Senate seat in 2016
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Jason Isaacson |
House |
DFL |
42B |
Filed to run in Senate District 42. |
| Carolyn Laine |
House |
DFL |
41B |
Filed to run in Senate District 41. |
| Jerry Newton |
House |
DFL |
37A |
Filed to run in Senate District 37. |
| Dan Schoen |
House |
DFL |
54A |
Filed to run in Senate District 54. |
| Erik Simonson |
House |
DFL |
7B |
Filed to run in Senate District 7. |
Senate members seeking higher office in 2016
| LEGISLATOR |
BODY |
PARTY |
DISTRICT |
NOTES |
| Terri Bonoff |
Senate |
DFL |
44 |
Filed to run in the 3rd U.S. Congressional district. |
Legislative vacancies during the 2015-2016 biennium
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