Cornish, Tony
House 2003-2012 (District 24B); House 2013-2017 (District 23B)
Party when first elected: Republican
Counties Served:
Blue Earth, Faribault, Le Sueur, Waseca, Watonwan
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
5/3/1951
Birth Place:
,
Birth County:
Birth Country:
Date of Death:
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Lutheran-Missouri Synod
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Good Thunder
Occupation (when first elected):
Conservation Officer, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
EDUCATION
Vernon Center Elementary School; Elementary School;
Garden City High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1969
Minnesota Military Academy; Postsecondary;
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Military:
United States Army National Guard (Officer, Captain, Company Commander-Tank Company, 12 years);
19?? to ?
Municipal Government:
Amboy, Minnesota (Police Officer);
1975 to 1977
County Government:
Blue Earth County, Minnesota (County Deputy Sheriff);
1977 to 1980
State Agency:
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (Conservation Officer/Game Warden);
07/1980 to 01/06/2003
Municipal Government:
Lake Crystal, Minnesota (Chief of Police);
2007 to 2012
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Single (divorced before he was first elected)
Children:
Three children: (2 sons, 1 daughter)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He was raised on a farm. He was one of nine children.
He is the Uncle of former Governor Jesse Ventura's wife, Terry. (Session Weekly, February 21, 2003)
Religion provided by Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.
Body:
House
District:
23B
Elected:
11/8/2016
Residence:
Vernon Center
Term of Office:
1/2/2017 to 11/30/2017
(unfinished term)
Counties Represented:
Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Waseca, Watonwan
Occupation:
Retired 32-year Peace Officer
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Environment & Natural Resources Policy and Finance
Minutes
[He was a member in 2017 only.]
-
Public Safety & Security Policy and Finance (Chair)
Minutes
[Through November 9, 2017]
-
Ways & Means
Minutes
[He was a member in 2017 only.]
Reason for unfinished term:
Resigned
Body:
House
District:
23B
Elected:
11/4/2014
Residence:
Vernon Center
Term of Office:
1/5/2015 to 1/1/2017
Counties Represented:
Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Waseca, Watonwan
Occupation:
Retired 32-year Peace Officer
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Environment & Natural Resources Policy & Finance
Minutes
-
Mining & Outdoor Recreation Policy
Minutes
-
Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy & Finance (Chair)
Minutes
-
Ways and Means
Minutes
Body:
House
District:
23B
Elected:
11/6/2012
Residence:
Vernon Center
Term of Office:
1/7/2013 to 1/4/2015
Counties Represented:
Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Waseca, Watonwan
Occupation:
Retired 32-year peace officer
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources Policy
Minutes
-
Judiciary Finance and Policy
Minutes
-
Public Safety Finance and Policy
Minutes
Body:
House
District:
24B
Elected:
11/2/2010
Residence:
Good Thunder
Term of Office:
1/3/2011 to 1/6/2013
Counties Represented:
Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
Occupation:
Chief of Police, Lake Crystal
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance: Legacy Funding Division
Minutes
-
Judiciary Policy and Finance
Minutes
-
Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance (Chair)
Minutes
-
Ways and Means
Minutes
[He was a member until February 22, 2011.]
Body:
House
District:
24B
Elected:
11/4/2008
Residence:
Good Thunder
Term of Office:
1/5/2009 to 1/2/2011
Counties Represented:
Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
Occupation:
Retired Game Warden/Chief of Police, Lake Crystal
Party:
Republican
Special Session Bills Authored: 2010 2nd Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Environment Policy and Oversight
Minutes
-
Environment Policy and Oversight: Game, Fish and Forestry Division
Minutes
-
Finance: Public Safety Finance Division
Minutes
-
Public Safety Policy and Oversight
Minutes
Body:
House
District:
24B
Elected:
11/7/2006
Residence:
Good Thunder
Term of Office:
1/1/2007 to 1/4/2009
Counties Represented:
Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
Occupation:
Retired Game Warden/Chief of Police, Lake Crystal
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Game, Fish and Forestry Division
Minutes
-
Finance
Minutes
-
Finance: Public Safety Finance Division
Minutes
-
Public Safety and Civil Justice
Minutes
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Whip
Body:
House
District:
24B
Elected:
11/2/2004
Residence:
Good Thunder
Term of Office:
1/3/2005 to 12/31/2006
Counties Represented:
Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
Occupation:
Retired Peace Officer
Party:
Republican
Special Session Bills Authored: 2005 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources
Minutes
-
Local Government
Minutes
-
Public Safety Policy and Finance
Minutes
Body:
House
District:
24B
Elected:
11/5/2002
Residence:
Good Thunder
Term of Office:
1/6/2003 to 1/2/2005
Counties Represented:
Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
Occupation:
Conservation Officer, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Party:
Republican
Special Session Bills Authored: 2003 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Agriculture Policy
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Policy
Minutes
-
State Government Finance
Minutes
Leadership Position:
Assistant Majority Whip
Articles & Books About
District Files
2003 (24B)
2004 (24B)
2005 (24B)
2007 (24B)
2008 (24B)
2009 (24B)
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.