State Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) was elected to replace former Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka on Thursday.
In a press conference announcing the decision, Miller said, “I’m certainly not the only one that could be standing up here today because of the amount of talent we have but I did it because I know I have the opportunity to unite our caucus and at the same time work together with colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate to get things done.”
State Representative Jeremy Munson (R-Lake Crystal) called Miller one of the most liberal Republicans within the Minnesota GOP. In Munson’s Facebook post, he said, “[Miller] is the 3rd most liberal Republican legislator, with a lifetime score of 45 of 100 on the latest Minnesota Legislative Evaluation Assembly scorecard. Only Jim Abler and Jason Rarick are more liberal.”
Munson said he hopes that Miller will represent all of Minnesota. He said he “hope[s] that his shift to representing the whole State of Minnesota as leader will draw the whole caucus further to the right. Rural Minnesota does not align with the metro and does not align with Miller’s liberal district in Winona.”
In a statement, Miller said, “It’s an honor and a privilege to be elected by my peers as Leader. For the last five years, Senate Republicans have worked to advance Minnesota in so many ways. From lowering taxes, historic funding for the education of our students, stabilizing healthcare markets, fixing MNLARS, prioritizing small businesses, and supporting our law enforcement, I’m incredibly proud of the way our majority has improved the lives of every Minnesotan. As we head into a bonding year, we will invest in the top priorities for the state and create a fair and transparent redistricting process for the next election.”
Miller was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 2010, and has been the president of the Senate since 2019. According to the Minnesota Republican Caucus, he was the youngest presiding president at the time of his appointment.
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Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “Jeremy Miller” by Miller for Senate.
