Kurt Zellers

Kurt Zellers
Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
In office January 4, 2011 – January 7, 2013
Preceded by	Margaret Kelliher
Succeeded by	Paul Thissen
Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives
In office June 23, 2009 – January 4, 2011
Preceded by	Marty Seifert
Succeeded by	Paul Thissen
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 34B district 32B (2003–2013)
Incumbent
Assumed office March 3, 2003
Preceded by	Rich Stanek
Personal details
Born	(1969-10-16) October 16, 1969 Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Kimberly Zellers
Children	Reagan William
Alma mater	University of North Dakota
Religion	Lutheranism

Kurt Zellers (born October 16, 1969 in Grand Forks, North Dakota) is a politician from Minnesota. He served as the 57th Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013 and as the Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2009 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 34B in Hennepin County in the northwestern Twin Cities metropolitan area. He is a candidate in the 2014 Minnesota gubernatorial election.

Early life, education, and career

Zellers was born and raised on a farm in Grand Forks. He received his B.S. degree in political science from the University of North Dakota, where he was a member of the football team. He worked as communications director for U.S. Senator Rod Grams from 1994 to 2000, and as Communications Director for the Minnesota House Republican Caucus from 2000 to 2003 before being elected to the House himself. After his election, he took a position as a senior account executive with a Minneapolis public relations firm.^[1][2]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Zellers was first elected in a special election on February 25, 2003. The seat had become vacant when Representative Rich Stanek resigned after being appointed Minnesota's Commissioner of Public Safety by Governor Tim Pawlenty. Zellers has been reelected in every election since then.^[1]

Zellers became an assistant majority leader in 2003 and, after House control was won by the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) in the 2006 elections, continued as an assistant minority leader. During the 2009-10 legislative biennium, he was a member of the House Commerce and Labor Committee and the Taxes Committee. He also served on the Commerce and Labor Subcommittee for the Labor and Consumer Protection Division, and on the Finance Subcommittee for the Transportation and Transit Policy and Oversight Division.^[1]

On June 23, 2009, Zellers was elected by the House Republican Caucus to succeed Representative Marty Seifert as Minority Leader. Seifert had stepped down to focus on a potential campaign for governor. On November 6, 2010, Zellers was selected by his caucus to serve as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives for the 2011 to 2012 legislative session.^[3]

2014 Minnesota gubernatorial campaign

On June 23, 2013, Zellers announced his candidacy in the 2014 Minnesota gubernatorial election.^[4] He is among the growing number of Republicans challenging Governor Mark Dayton, including businessman Scott Honour, former State Representative Jeff Johnson, and State Senator Dave Thompson.

References

External links

• Kurt Zellers at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
• Rep. Kurt Zellers official Minnesota House of Representatives website
• Kurt Zellers official gubernatorial campaign website
• Minnesota Public Radio Votetracker: Rep. Kurt Zellers
• Project Vote Smart - Rep. Kurt Zellers Profile

v t e Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives Territorial (1849–1858) Furber Ames Ludden Day Taylor Norris Gardner Furber Watrous State (since 1858) Bradley Coggswell Benson Sherwood Benson Armstrong Wakefield Farmer Davidson J. Merriam Hall Kinyon Gibbs Gilman Fletcher Gibbs W. Merriam Graves Champlin Lee Van Sant Jones Dare Dowling Babcock Clague L. Johnson Rockne Dunn Rines Flowers Parker Nolan J. Johnson Swenson Munn G. Johnson Barker Hall Hartle A. Johnson Chilgren Duxbury Dirlam Sabo Searle Norton Sieben Jennings Norton Vanasek Long Anderson Carruthers Sviggum Anderson Kelliher Zellers Thissen

v t e Minnesota House Minority Leaders Halstead Prifrel Chilgren Cina Hartle Langen Duxbury Cina Sabo Dirlam Savelkoul Searle Sherwood Jennings Norton Schreiber Dempsey Sviggum Pugh Entenza Anderson Kelliher Seifert Zellers Thissen Daudt