{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Bud Heidgerken | image = | state_house = Minnesota | state = Minnesota | district = 13A | term = 2003 - 2009 | preceded = | succeeded = Paul Anderson | party = Republican | birth_date = {{birth date and age |1943|9|27}} | birth_place = Freeport, Minnesota, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = St. John's Prep<br />St. Cloud State University | occupation = educator, business owner, legislator | spouse = Ann Blommel | children = 4 }}
'''Bud Heidgerken''' (September 27, 1943) is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Republican, he represented District 13A, which includes portions of Kandiyohi, Pope and Stearns counties in the west central part of the state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10765|title = Heidgerken, Bud - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present}}</ref>
Heidgerken was first elected in 2002, and was re-elected in 2004 and 2006. He did not seek re-election in 2008, and was succeeded by Rep. Paul Anderson of Starbuck.<ref>[http://www.leg.mn/archive/LegDB/Articles/10765SessWeeklyStepDown.pdf Three more say goodbye] leg.mn</ref>
Heidgerken graduated from St. John's Prep School in St. Joseph and St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. He taught school in the Brooten School System and, later, the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa School System for 21 years. He and his wife also owned Charlie's Cafe in Freeport for many years. He was a member of the Freeport City Council and the Freeport School Board, and also served as president of the Stearns Electric Trust Board.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.paynesvillearea.com/news/headlinesarticles/archives/050102/13Acandidates0501.html|title = Bud Heidgerken of Freeport and Randy Olson of Sunburg have announced their candidacies for the open seat in District 13A. Heidgerken intends to seek the Republican nomination, while Olson will seek the DFL nod}}</ref>
Heidgerken made news in the 2008 legislative session by being one of six house Republicans to vote to override Governor Tim Pawlenty's veto<ref>A Quick Veto and Now a Road Bill Showdown, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 2008/02/23</ref> of a transportation bill. The bill increased money spent on transportation by raising the gas tax. Due to dissatisfaction in the Republican caucus with this vote, he and the other Republicans who voted to override the veto had their leadership positions taken away.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mndaily.com/2008/03/26/party-politics-state-capitol |title=Party politics at state capitol, Minnesota Daily, 2008/03/26 |access-date=2008-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613185146/http://www.mndaily.com/2008/03/26/party-politics-state-capitol |archive-date=2011-06-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He decided to retire after the session, partially due to the controversy surrounding this vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.albanyenterprise.com/articles/2008/06/04/news/1heidgerken.txt|title=Stearns-Morrison Enterprise, Heidgerken to step down from 13B seat, 2008/06/04}} {{dead link|date=August 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Other house members who voted to override faced caucus challenges or decided to retire, as well.
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|10765}} *[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/legislator_view.php?id=103 Minnesota Public Radio - Votetracker: Bud Heidgerken] voting record *''Follow the Money'' - Bud Heidgerken **[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=82408 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=75208 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=11214 2002] campaign contributions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heidgerken, Bud}} Category:Living people Category:1943 births Category:People from Stearns County, Minnesota Category:College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University alumni Category:St. Cloud State University alumni Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature