Summary
Current Position: US Representative of MN District 1 since 2022
Affiliation: Republican
District: primarily rural district built on a strong history of agriculture, though this is changing rapidly due to strong population growth in the Rochester combined statistical area. The district is also home to several of Minnesota’s major mid-sized cities, including Rochester, Mankato, Winona, Austin, Owatonna, Albert Lea, Red Wing, New Ulm, Worthington, and Lake City.
Upcoming Election:
Finstad previously served as an area director for the Minnesota Farm Bureau and as the agricultural policy advisor to U.S. Representative Mark Kennedy. In 2002, he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he served three terms.
President Donald Trump appointed Finstad as the USDA Rural Development director for Minnesota. He served until shortly after Trump left office in 2021. In addition to his government service, Finstad operates a family farm.
OnAir Post: Brad Finstad MN-01
News
About
Source: Government
Congressman Brad Finstad was elected to Congress in a special election on August 9, 2022, and was sworn in three days later with his family by his side as he took the Oath of Office to proudly represent Minnesota’s First District.
Brad is a fourth-generation farmer and resident of the New Ulm area. He and his wife, Jackie, met on the school bus in second grade and they are now the proud parents of seven children. A graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Agriculture Education and an emphasis in Rural Leadership Development, Brad and Jackie now operate an agriculture business in New Ulm while working alongside extended family to run their generational family farm.
Brad is proud to have served as State Director for USDA Rural Development in Minnesota where he worked to support infrastructure improvements, business development, homeownership, community services such as schools, public safety, health care, and high-speed internet access in rural areas. He previously served three terms in the Minnesota Legislature. In 2017, he was appointed Minnesota’s State Director of USDA Rural Development and held executive positions with the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and the Center for Rural Policy and Development.
Personal
Full Name: Brad Finstad
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Jaclyn; 3 Children: Greta, Thomas, Jake
Birth Date: 05/30/1976
Home City: New Ulm, MN
Source: Vote Smart
Education
BS, Agricultural Education, University of Minnesota
Political Experience
Representative, United States House of Representatives, Minnesota, District 1, 2022-present
Former Agricultural Advisor, Representative Mark Kennedy
Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Minnesota, District 1, 2022
Representative, Minnesota State House of Representatives, 2002-2008
Assistant Minority Leader, Minnesota State House of Representatives, 2008
Professional Experience
Experience, Agriculture Consultant
Executive Director, Minnesota Turkey, 2021-2022
State Director, USDA Rural Development, 2017-2021
Chief Executive Officer, Center for Rural Policy and Development, 2008-2017
President, Frontier Labs MN, 2010-Present
Offices
Washington, D.C.
1605 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2472
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00AM-5:00PM ET
Rochester
2746 Superior Dr. NW, Suite 100
Rochester, MN 55901
Phone: (507) 577-6140
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00AM-5:00PM
New Ulm
110 N. Minnesota St., Suite 5
New Ulm, MN 56073
Phone: (507) 577-6151
Hours: Wednesday & Thursday, 9:00AM-5:00PM
(Other times by appointment)
Contact
Email: Government
Web Links
Politics
Source: none
Finances
Source: Open Secrets
Committees
Committee on Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture (Chairman)
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology
Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Military Personnel
- Subcommittee on Readiness
Congressional Caucuses
- Republican Study Committee
- Main Street Caucus
- Congressional Western Caucus
- Congressional Biofuels Caucus
New Legislation
Issues
Source: Government page
More Information
Services
Source: Government page
District
Source: Wikipedia
Minnesota’s 1st congressional district extends across southern Minnesota from the border with South Dakota to the border with Wisconsin. It is a primarily rural district built on a strong history of agriculture, though this is changing rapidly due to strong population growth in the Rochester combined statistical area. The district is also home to several of Minnesota’s major mid-sized cities, including Rochester, Mankato, Winona, Austin, Owatonna, Albert Lea, Red Wing, New Ulm, Worthington, and Lake City. It is represented by Republican Brad Finstad.
From early statehood until after the 2000 census, the district covered only southeastern Minnesota. During the 20th century, it was generally considered solidly Republican, but it became more of a swing district in the late 20th to early 21st century. In 2004, John Kerry received 47% of the vote in the district. In 2006, Republican Representative Gil Gutknecht lost to Democrat Tim Walz. In March 2017, Walz announced that he would not run for reelection to Congress, and instead would run for governor of Minnesota. On paper, the district leans Republican, with a CPVI of R+7, but some recent elections have been among the closest in the nation, won by less than a single percentage point in both 2016 and 2018.[5] In the 2022 general election, Republican Brad Finstad defeated the Democratic nominee by 11.5 points. His margin of victory was the largest of any candidate in the district since 2012 and the best showing for a Republican since 2004.
Wikipedia
Bradley Howard Finstad (born May 30, 1976) is an American politician, farmer, and agricultural consultant serving as the U.S. representative for Minnesota’s 1st congressional district since 2022. Finstad represents a large section of southern Minnesota situated along the border with Iowa. A member of the Republican Party, Finstad served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2003 until 2009.
Finstad previously served as an area director for the Minnesota Farm Bureau and as the agricultural policy advisor to U.S. representative Mark Kennedy. In 2002, he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he served three terms. In 2017 President Donald Trump appointed Finstad as the USDA Rural Development director for Minnesota. He served until shortly after Trump left office in 2021.[1] In addition to his government service, Finstad operates a family farm.[2]
Finstad was elected to represent Minnesota’s 1st congressional district in a 2022 special election, to finish the term of the late Jim Hagedorn.
Early life and education
Finstad was born in New Ulm, Minnesota, on May 30, 1976.[3][4] A fourth-generation resident of the area, he grew up on his family’s farm in Brown County, Minnesota, which his family has operated for several generations.[1] He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural education from the University of Minnesota.[5]
Early political career
After graduating from college, Finstad joined the human resources department of Christensen Family Farms in Brown County, Minnesota. He later briefly worked as an area director for the Minnesota Farm Bureau before joining the staff of Congressman Mark Kennedy, serving as an agricultural advisor.
Finstad was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2002 and took office in 2003. During his final term in the legislature, he served as assistant minority leader. He also served on the Rural Health Advisory Committee under Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty.[6] He left the House in 2009.
From 2008 to 2017, Finstad was CEO of the Center for Rural Policy and Development, a nonprofit policy research organization based in St. Peter, Minnesota. He also worked for an agricultural research and consulting company. In November 2017, President Donald Trump appointed Finstad as Minnesota state director of USDA Rural Development.[7] Finstad left this position after Trump left office in 2021.
Finstad next joined the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association as interim executive director.[8] He left this position in 2022.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2022 special
After Congressman Jim Hagedorn died in office, Finstad announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination to serve the rest of Hagedorn’s term in the 2022 Minnesota’s 1st congressional district special election.[9][10][11] In the May 24 special Republican primary election, Finstad defeated state representative Jeremy Munson and seven other candidates to win the nomination[12] with 38.1% of the vote to Munson’s 36.9%, Jennifer Carnahan‘s 8.0%, and Matt Benda’s 7.2%, with several other candidates splitting the rest of the vote.[13] Finstad won the August 2022 special election by around 4 points against Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) nominee Jeff Ettinger, former CEO of Hormel and a first-time candidate.
2022
Winning a second primary against Munson, Finstad defeated Ettinger again in the November 8 general election,[12] with 53.9% of the vote to Ettinger’s 42.3%.[14]
Tenure
Finstad was sworn in by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on August 12, 2022.[15] Later that day he voted against the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.[16]
Caucus memberships
Committee assignments
For the 118th Congress:[18]
Political positions
Federal debt ceiling
Finstad was among the 71 House Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.[19] He voted to provide Israel with support following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[20][21]
Vote to defund vice president
On November 8, 2023, Finstad joined 100 other Republicans voting in favor of an amendment to a large appropriations bill that would prohibit funding for the Office of Vice President Kamala Harris.[22][23]
Personal life
Finstad is Roman Catholic.[24] He and his family own Frontier Testing MN, a company that tests soil for farmers. The company had 11 employees[25] in December 2019, but by April 2020, the company had grown to 33 employees,[26] for which it needed more than $150,000 of now-forgiven PPP loans. By February 2021, his company employed 43 employees[27] and needed $170,000 to pay them. Those loans were also forgiven. The company has since returned to 11 employees.
References
- ^ a b “Trump Administration Appoints Brad Finstad to Serve as State Director for USDA Rural Development in Minnesota”. Rural Development. November 29, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
- ^ “Farmer and ex-legislator Finstad declared winner of Hagedorn seat”. Roll Call. August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
- ^ “Finstad, Brad – Legislator Record – Minnesota Legislators Past & Present”. www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ “Brad Finstad”.
- ^ “Brad Finstad”. www.acg.org. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ “GOVERNOR PAWLENTY APPOINTS NINE TO THE RURAL HEALT”. www.leg.mn.gov. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
- ^ “Trump Administration Appoints Brad Finstad to Serve as State Director for USDA Rural Development in Minnesota”. Rural Development. November 29, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ “Brad Finstad; MTGA; Minnesota Turkey; MTRPC”. www.minnesotaturkey.com. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ Hanley, Ashley (March 7, 2022). “Farmer, Former State Representative & Trump USDA Appointee Brad Finstad to Run for Congress”. KTOE. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ “Republicans Jeremy Munson, Brad Finstad join the scrum for 1st District special election”. Rochester Post Bulletin. March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ Former Hormel Foods CEO joins Minnesota congressional race, Associated Press (March 10, 2022).
- ^ a b Matthew Stolle, Finstad wins GOP congressional special election primary; Ettinger wins DFL primary, Post Bulletin (May 25, 2022).
- ^ Minnesota First Congressional District Special Primary Election Results, The New York Times (2022).
- ^ “Minnesota Election Results”. Bloomberg. November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
- ^ Tribune, Jessie Van Berkel Star. “Minnesota’s newly elected GOP U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad sworn in”. Star Tribune. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
- ^ “Finstad sworn in on another contentious day in Congress”. MinnPost. August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
- ^ “Candidates”. RMSP PAC. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ^ “Brad Finstad”. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ “Republicans and Democrats who bucked party leaders by voting no”. June 2023.
- ^ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). “House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (October 25, 2023). “Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session”. Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Anthony Adragna, “The House did not pass a push to defund Kamala Harris’ office — but 106 Republicans voted yes.”, Politico, 11/8/2023.
- ^ Clerk of US House of Representatives, Legislative Information, HR 4664, Collins of Georgia Part B Amendment No. 44 , 1:21PM, Roll Call 633.
- ^ Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress (PDF) (Report). Pew Research Center. January 3, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ “Frontier Labs MN – Merry Christmas from all of us at Frontier Labs MN! | Facebook”. www.facebook.com. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
- ^ “FRONTIER LABS MN LLC — Tracking PPP”. ProPublica. June 1, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
- ^ “FRONTIER LABS MN LLC — Tracking PPP”. ProPublica. June 1, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
External links
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN
