Dean L. Urdahl (born August 18, 1949) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 18A, which includes parts of McLeod, Meeker, and Wright counties in the central part of the state just west of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. He is also a retired teacher and coach.[1]
Dean Urdahl | |
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Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 18A district 18B (2003–2013) | |
Incumbent | |
Assumed office January 7, 2003 | |
Preceded by | redrawn district |
Personal details | |
Born | (1949-08-18) August 18, 1949 (age 72) |
Political party | Republican Party of Minnesota |
Spouse(s) | Karen |
Children | 3 |
Residence(s) | Grove City, Minnesota |
Alma mater | St. Cloud State University |
Occupation | educator, author, legislator |
Urdahl graduated from Litchfield High School in Litchfield. His roots run deep in the area: his ancestors helped settle Litchfield Township in 1856. He attended St. Cloud State University, earning a B.S. in social studies.[1] He got his start in politics working on U.S. Representative John Zwach's campaign staff in 1970.[2]
Urdahl was an American history teacher and coach in the New London-Spicer School District from 1971 to 2006. He has served on the Minnesota Education in Agriculture Leadership Council, the Minnesota Commission on Public Service Reform, and on the Minnesota State Board of Nursing. In July 2008, he was appointed as the Minnesota representative to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. In 2012 Urdahl was named co-chair of the Minnesota Civil War Sesquicentennial Task Force. From 2010 to 2012 he chaired the Legacy Division in the Minnesota House. Urdahl was instrumental in obtaining funding for the Minnesota state capitol restoration and was named to serve on the Capitol Restoration Commission his committee established. In 2017-18, he served as chair of the House Capital Investment Committee.[1][3]
Also an author, Urdahl has written a book about former members of the Minnesota Twins baseball team[4] and another about famous Minnesotans.[5] He has written four books of historical fiction set in Minnesota during the Dakota War of 1862.[2][6][7] Urdahl also wrote two historical novels about Minnesota's soldiers in the American Civil War, concentrating on the war's western theater.
Urdahl's major legislative accomplishments include initiating the investment tax credit for livestock, lockdown drills for school security and the restoration/renovation of the Capitol. Numerous bonding proposals and bills relative to his district also are credited to Urdahl.
Urdahl married Karen Frantti in 1971. They have three sons and 11 grandchildren.
Urdahl was first elected in 2002, and has been reelected every two years since.
Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives | |
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92nd Minnesota Legislature (2021-2023)
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1A. ▌John Burkel (R)B. ▌Deb Kiel (R)2A. ▌Matt Grossell (R)B. ▌Steve Green (R)3A. ▌Rob Ecklund (DFL)B. ▌Mary Murphy (DFL)4A. ▌Heather Keeler (DFL)B. ▌Paul Marquart (DFL)5A. ▌Matt Bliss (R)B. ▌Spencer Igo (R)6A. ▌Julie Sandstede (DFL)B. ▌Dave Lislegard (DFL)7A. ▌Jennifer Schultz (DFL)B. ▌Liz Olson (DFL)8A. ▌Jordan Rasmusson (R)B. ▌Mary Franson (R)9A. ▌John Poston (R)B. ▌Ron Kresha (R)10A. ▌Josh Heintzeman (R)B. ▌Dale Lueck (R)11A. ▌Mike Sundin (DFL)B. ▌Nathan Nelson (R)12A. ▌Jeff Backer (R)B. ▌Paul Anderson (R)13A. ▌Lisa Demuth (R)B. ▌Tim O'Driscoll (R)14A. ▌Tama Theis (R)B. ▌Dan Wolgamott (DFL)15A. ▌Sondra Erickson (R)B. ▌Shane Mekeland (R)16A. ▌Chris Swedzinski (R)B. ▌Paul Torkelson (R)17A. ▌Tim Miller (NR)B. ▌Dave Baker (R)B. ▌Glenn Gruenhagen (R)19A. ▌Susan Akland (R)B. ▌Luke Frederick (DFL)20A. ▌Brian Pfarr (R)B. ▌Todd Lippert (DFL)21A. ▌Barb Haley (R)B. ▌Steve Drazkowski (NR)22A. ▌Joe Schomacker (R)B. ▌Rod Hamilton (R)23A. ▌Bjorn Olson (R)B. ▌Jeremy Munson (NR)24A. ▌John Petersburg (R)B. ▌Brian Daniels (R)25A. ▌Duane Quam (R)B. ▌Liz Boldon (DFL)26A. ▌Tina Liebling (DFL)B. ▌Nels Pierson (R)27A. ▌Peggy Bennett (R)B. ▌Patricia Mueller (R)28A. ▌Gene Pelowski (DFL)B. ▌Greg Davids (R)29A. ▌Joe McDonald (R)B. ▌Marion O'Neill (R)30A. ▌Paul Novotny (R)B. ▌Eric Lucero (R)31A. ▌Kurt Daudt (R)B. ▌Cal Bahr (NR)32A. ▌Brian Johnson (R)B. ▌Anne Neu (R)33A. ▌Jerry Hertaus (R)B. ▌Kelly Morrison (DFL)34A. ▌Kristin Robbins (R)B. ▌Kristin Bahner (DFL)35A. ▌John Heinrich (R)B. ▌Peggy Scott (R)36A. ▌Zack Stephenson (DFL)B. ▌Melissa Hortman (DFL)37A. ▌Erin Koegel (DFL)B. ▌Nolan West (R)38A. ▌Donald Raleigh (R)B. ▌Ami Wazlawik (DFL)39A. ▌Bob Dettmer (R)B. ▌Shelly Christensen (DFL)40A. ▌Mike Nelson (DFL)B. ▌Samantha Vang (DFL)41A. ▌Connie Bernardy (DFL)B. ▌Sandra Feist (DFL)42A. ▌Kelly Moller (DFL)B. ▌Jamie Becker-Finn (DFL)43A. ▌Peter Fischer (DFL)B. ▌Leon Lillie (DFL)44A. ▌Ginny Klevorn (DFL)B. ▌Patty Acomb (DFL)45A. ▌Cedrick Frazier (DFL)B. ▌Mike Freiberg (DFL)46A. ▌Ryan Winkler (DFL)B. ▌Cheryl Youakim (DFL)47A. ▌Jim Nash (R)B. ▌Greg Boe (R)48A. ▌Laurie Pryor (DFL)B. ▌Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (DFL)49A. ▌Heather Edelson (DFL)B. ▌Steve Elkins (DFL)50A. ▌Michael Howard (DFL)B. ▌Andrew Carlson (DFL)51A. ▌Sandra Masin (DFL)B. ▌Liz Reyer (DFL)52A. ▌Rick Hansen (DFL)B. ▌Ruth Richardson (DFL)53A. ▌Tou Xiong (DFL)B. ▌Steve Sandell (DFL)54A. ▌Keith Franke (R)B. ▌Tony Jurgens (R)55A. ▌Erik Mortensen (R-NC)B. ▌Tony Albright (R)56A. ▌Jessica Hanson (DFL)B. ▌Kaela Berg (DFL)57A. ▌Robert Bierman (DFL)B. ▌John Huot (DFL)58A. ▌Jon Koznick (R)B. ▌Pat Garofalo (R)59A. ▌Fue Lee (DFL)B. ▌Esther Agbaje (DFL)60A. ▌Sydney Jordan (DFL)B. ▌Mohamud Noor (DFL)61A. ▌Frank Hornstein (DFL)B. ▌Jamie Long (DFL)62A. ▌Hodan Hassan (DFL)B. ▌Aisha Gomez (DFL)63A. ▌Jim Davnie (DFL)B. ▌Emma Greenman (DFL)64A. ▌Kaohly Her (DFL)B. ▌Dave Pinto (DFL)65A. ▌Rena Moran (DFL)B. ▌Carlos Mariani (DFL)66A. ▌Alice Hausman (DFL)B. ▌Athena Hollins (DFL)67A. ▌John Thompson (D-NC)B. ▌Jay Xiong (DFL) | |
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