House 1997-2002 (District 13A); House 2003-2012 (District 11A); Senate 2013-2022 (District 12); Senate 2023-Present (District 12)
Party when first elected: Republican
Counties Served: Big Stone, Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Wilkin
Elbow Lake High School; Secondary; 1991West Central School of Agriculture, Morris, Minnesota; Secondary; Bemidji State University; B.A.; Political Science and Business Administration, 1995William Mitchell College of Law; J.D.; 2003
Spouse: Single (when first elected); Anna (married while in office) Children: Three children (born while he was in office): Madelyne and Whitney (daughters, twins); Carter Thomas (son) Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
He was the first known blind member of the Minnesota Legislature. He became blind at the age of 14 due to a car accident on his family's dairy farm. (Minnesota had elected a blind person, named Thomas Schall, to the United States Congress. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1915 to 1925 and in the United States Senate from 1925-1935.)On May 17, 2011 he was called upon to act as Speaker Pro Tempore, making him the first known blind person to oversee state House debate in the United States.Special Legislative Concerns: Reinvigorate Minnesota economy to promote more job growth by the private sector, especially rural counties. Create a more efficient government through innovation and reform. Promote private sector job growth and value-added agriculture.Religion provided by Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.
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