Branden Petersen

Last updated
2010)​
Branden Petersen
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 35th district
In office
January 8, 2013 –October 31, 2015
Children2
Residence Andover, Minnesota
Occupation sales manager, legislator

Branden Petersen (born February 4, 1986) is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represented District 35, which includes portions of Anoka County in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. From 2011 to 2013 he was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 49B.

Contents

Early life and education

Petersen has lived in his district since he was eight years old, playing Little League and Legion Baseball.[ citation needed ] He is a graduate of Coon Rapids High School in Coon Rapids. [1] [2]

Minnesota Legislature

Petersen was elected to the House in 2010. His legislative priorities include funding equity for schools with high needs but insufficient revenue and "value-added" teacher evaluations that measure effectiveness by student progress rather than teacher proficiency. Petersen also believes the state needs to learn to budget and make ends meet in a tougher economy just as his constituents have had to do, calling it "kitchen table budgeting." [3]

Petersen was the chief author of legislation to link teacher evaluations to student achievement for the first time in state history.[ citation needed ] He authored legislation to cut income taxes and coauthored the 21st Century Voter ID bill and a repeal of the Legacy sales tax.[ citation needed ]

Petersen has a 90% rating from Minnesota Majority[ citation needed ] and is one of six members of the House of Representatives to receive a 100% rating from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce in 2011.[ citation needed ] The Anoka County Watchdog has called Petersen Coon Rapids's most conservative House member ever.

On February 21, 2012, Petersen announced his intention to run in the new Senate District 35 encompassing Andover, Ramsey and Anoka. He received endorsements from North Star Tea Party Patriots Chair Walter Hudson, RNC committeewoman Pat Anderson, Rep. Peggy Scott, and Sen. Michelle Benson. He was elected to the Senate in November 2012, defeating DFLer Peter Perovich.

In 2013, he cosponsored a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of Minnesota, which passed the Senate on May 13 with Petersen the only Republican voting for it. [4] Two years earlier he voted in favor of amending the Minnesota constitution to ban same-sex marriage. [5]

Petersen resigned from the Senate on October 31, 2015. [6]

Campaign finance violations

On July 6, 2017, the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board released its findings and orders related to violations Petersen and his campaign committed, including spending $8020 in campaign funds on private expenses, contributions accepted above legal limits, and failure to file timely reports. Petersen expressed remorse and agreed to civil penalties and repayment of funds spent or accepted in violation of the law. [7]

Related Research Articles

Paul Koering is a Minnesota politician who serves on the County Board of Crow Wing County, Minnesota. He is a former member of the Minnesota Senate from Fort Ripley. A Republican, he represented District 12, which includes all or portions of Crow Wing and Morrison counties, including the city of Brainerd. A liquor store owner, funeral car service owner, and small farmer, he served two terms, but was defeated by former Rep. Paul Gazelka in the August 10, 2010, Republican primary election. He was elected to the Crow Wing County Board in 2012 and re-elected unopposed in 2016; he represents the first district which contains the southern portion of Crow Wing County, including Fort Ripley, Roosevelt Township, Oak Lawn Township and the extreme northeast portion of the city of Brainerd.

Denise R. Dittrich is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2005 to 2012, representing District 47A, which included portions of the cities of Coon Rapids and Champlin in Anoka and Hennepin counties, which are part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

John P. Doll is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate who represented District 40, which includes portions of the cities of Burnsville, Savage and Bloomington in Dakota, Hennepin and Scott counties. A Democrat, he was first elected in 2006. He was unseated by Republican Dan Hall in the 2010 general election.

Kathy Tingelstad is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 49B, which primarily includes portions of the cities of Andover and Coon Rapids in Anoka County in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. Prior to the 2002 legislative redistricting, the area was known as District 50B. A Republican, she is also a business consultant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Dibble (politician)</span> American politician

David Scott Dibble is an American politician serving as a member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 61, which includes portions of Minneapolis in Hennepin County.

Leo T. Foley was an American politician who was a member of the Minnesota Senate representing District 49 from 1997 to 2003, and District 47 from 2003 to 2011, which includes portions of Anoka and Hennepin counties in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Democrat, he was first elected to the Senate in 1996, and was re-elected in 2000, 2002 and 2006. Prior to the 2002 legislative redistricting, the area was known as District 49. He was unseated by Republican Benjamin Kruse in the 2010 general election.

Richard "Rick" Olseen is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate, representing District 17, which includes portions of Anoka, Chisago and Isanti counties in the northeastern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Democrat, he was first elected to the Senate in 2006. He was unseated by Republican Sean Nienow in the 2010 general election; he had previously unseated Nienow in the 2006 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Severson</span> American politician

Daniel Mark "Doc" Severson is an American Republican politician. He is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 14A, which includes portions of Benton and Stearns counties in the north central part of the state. He is a retired U.S. Navy fighter pilot, business owner, and substitute teacher. As of 2022, Severson is a current candidate for the District 4 School Board Member of the Lee County School District in Florida.

Thomas M. Hackbarth is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represented District 31B, which included portions of Anoka County in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Abeler</span> American politician

James J. Abeler II is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 35 in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. He formerly represented District 35A in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Mark William Buesgens is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 35B, which includes portions of Scott County in the southern Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Republican, he is an educator by profession, and is currently the business manager for the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists in Saint Paul.

Robert B. "Rob" Eastlund is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 17A, which includes portions of Anoka, Chisago and Isanti counties in the east-central part of the state just north of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Republican, he is also a business owner and property manager.

Michael Beard is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, who retired in 2014. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represented District 55A, which includes portions of Scott County in the southwestern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Communities in the district include Shakopee, Jackson Township, and Louisville Township. He is also a local businessman and newspaper publisher. He is now also co-chair of a coal energy advocacy group, Coalition for a Secure Energy Future and serves as Scott County Commissioner, District 3.

Lyle J. Koenen is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 17, which included portions of Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Renville, and Swift counties in the southwestern part of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Lillie</span> American politician

Leon Michael Lillie is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 43B, which includes portions of Ramsey and Washington counties in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. He is also an airline employee.

Karla Bigham is an American politician and member of the Minnesota Senate, representing District 54. She is also a former Washington County Commissioner and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Newton (politician)</span> American politician

Gerald F. "Jerry" Newton is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota State Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 37, which includes portions of Anoka County in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. He is also a former grocery store owner, college professor, and career soldier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt Bills</span> American politician

Kurt P. Bills is an American educator and former politician. He has taught and coached high school since 1994. He served on the Rosemount City Council from 2008 to 2010. He then served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2011 to 2012. In 2012, he received the Republican nomination for United States Senate and ran against Democratic incumbent Amy Klobuchar. Klobuchar was reelected by a margin of 35%. Bills never left the classroom during his stint in politics, choosing to teach at least one class even while running a statewide race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Kriesel</span> American politician

John M. Kriesel is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 57A, which includes portions of Dakota and Washington counties in the southeastern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Republican, he is a motivational speaker, veteran service officer, and a contributor on KFAN-FM 100.3 radio during the "Power Trip Morning Show."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Freiberg</span> American politician

Mike Freiberg is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 45B in the central Twin Cities metropolitan area.

References

  1. ↑ "Petersen, Branden - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present".
  2. ↑ http://www.leg.mn/archive/LegDB/Articles/15365SessionWeeklyProfile.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  3. ↑ http://www.leg.mn/archive/LegDB/Articles/15365SessionWeeklyProfile.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  4. ↑ "In historic vote, Minnesota Senate approves same-sex marriage". Star Tribune .
  5. ↑ Mannix, Andy (August 2013). "Thank Republicans for Gay Marriage in Minnesota". Time.
  6. ↑ Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (September 24, 2015). "Sen. Branden Petersen, pro-gay-marriage GOPer, resigning". Pioneer Press . Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Findings, Conclusions, and Order in the Matter of the Staff Review of the Branden (Petersen) for Senate committee" (PDF). July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.