Tom Bakk

Tom Bakk
Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate
Assumed office
January 8, 2013
Preceded by Dave Senjem
Minnesota Senate Minority Leader
In office
January 4, 2011  January 7, 2013
Preceded by Dave Senjem
Succeeded by David Hann
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 3rd district
6th (2003–2013)
Assumed office
January 7, 2003
Preceded by redrawn district
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 6A district
In office
January 3, 1995  January 6, 2003
Preceded by David Peter Battaglia
Succeeded by district redrawn
Personal details
Born (1954-06-08) June 8, 1954
Virginia, Minnesota[1]
Political party Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
Spouse(s) Laura
Children 4
Residence Cook, Minnesota[1]
Alma mater Mesabi Community College (A.A.)
University of Minnesota Duluth (B.A.)
Occupation legislator
Religion Lutheran

Thomas M. "Tom" Bakk (born June 8, 1954) is a Minnesota politician and the Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 3, which includes portions of Cook, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis counties in the northeastern part of Minnesota. He is a retired labor official.[1]

Education

Bakk completed his secondary education at Cook High School in Cook, Minnesota, and went on to receive an A.A. from Mesabi Community College and a B.A. from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Minnesota House of Representatives

Bakk represented District 6A in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.[1]

Minnesota Senate

Bakk was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2002, and was re-elected in 2006, 2010 and 2012. He is the chair of the Senate's Rules and Administration Committee and also serves on the Taxes Committee, which he chaired from 2007 to 2010. He previously served on the Rules and Administration subcommittees for Committees and Conference Committees.[1]

After the 2010 election, Bakk was elected by his caucus to serve as the minority leader during the 2011–2012 session.[2] He was the first DFLer to serve as minority leader since party identification returned to the Minnesota Legislature in 1973. After the DFL regained a majority in the 2012 election, Bakk was elected by his caucus to serve as majority leader, a position he assumed when the Legislature convened on January 8, 2013.[3]

2010 Minnesota gubernatorial campaign

Bakk at a DFL gubernatorial debate in November 2009

Bakk campaigned in the 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial election. He led in early fundraising among the DFL candidates, raising $146,000 in 2008. He began 2009 with a little more than $131,000. He ended his campaign in March 2010.[4]

Electoral history

Minnesota Senate 3rd district election, 2012[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DFL Tom Bakk (incumbent) 28,427 64.59
Republican Jennifer Havlick 15,509 35.24
Minnesota Senate 6th district election, 2010[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DFL Tom Bakk (incumbent) 21,728 62.94 -8.39pp
Republican Jennifer Havlick 12,742 36.91 +8.50pp
Minnesota Senate 6th district election, 2006[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DFL Tom Bakk (incumbent) 25,275 71.33 -0.93pp
Republican Jennifer Havlick 10,065 28.41
Minnesota Senate 6th district election, 2002[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DFL Tom Bakk 24,934 72.26
Independence Tom Norman 9,467 27.44

Personal life

Bakk and his wife, Laura, have four children.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bakk, Thomas M. "Tom"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  2. Shaw, Charley (November 4, 2010). "Tom Bakk elected Senate minority leader". Politics in Minnesota. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  3. "Bakk chosen as Minnesota Senate majority leader". Duluth News Tribune. November 8, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  4. Scheck, Tom (March 20, 2010). "Sen. Bakk drops out of race for governor". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  5. "Results for State Senator District 3". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  6. "State Senator District: 06". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  7. "State Senator District 06". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  8. "State Senator District 06". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 25, 2013.

External links

Minnesota Senate
New district
Senator from the 3rd district
6th (2003–2013)

2003–present
Incumbent
Minnesota House of Representatives
Preceded by
David Peter Battaglia
Member of the House of Representatives
from the 6A district

1995–2003
District redrawn
Party political offices
Preceded by
Dave Senjem
Minority Leader of the Minnesota Senate
2011–2013
Succeeded by
David Hann
Preceded by
Dave Senjem
Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate
2013–present
Incumbent
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