{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Cindy Pugh | image = Cindy_Pugh.jpg | state_house = Minnesota | district = 33B | prior_term = | term_start = January 8, 2013 | term_end = January 7, 2019 | predecessor = Connie Doepke | successor = Kelly Morrison | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|5|1}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = Jack | children = 2 | alma_mater = University of Wisconsin–Madison (BS) | occupation = }}
'''Cindy Pugh''' (born May 1, 1957) is an American politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, she represented District 33B in the western Twin Cities metropolitan area.
==Education== Pugh attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, graduating with a B.S. in [http://guide.wisc.edu/undergraduate/human-ecology/consumer-science/ Consumer Science].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.swnewsmedia.com/lakeshore_weekly/news/election/q-a-with-cindy-pugh/article_de39d14c-377c-50be-aa2f-f5d70d3f7f4d.html | title=Q&A with Cindy Pugh}}</ref> She also received a FastTrac Certificate from the School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas.<ref name="Pugh">{{cite web | url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.aspx?ID=15411 | title=Pugh, Cindy | publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library | work=Legislators Past & Present | accessdate=April 4, 2013}}</ref>
==Minnesota House of Representatives== Pugh was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2012. Pugh, a Tea Party leader, followed "Republican Michele Bachmann’s call to politics."<ref name="minnesota.cbslocal.com">{{Cite web | url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/08/14/longtime-gop-lawmaker-knocked-out-in-minn-primary/ | title=Longtime GOP Lawmaker Knocked Out in Minn. Primary| date=2012-08-14}}</ref>
Democrat Kelly Morrison, a first-time candidate, defeated Pugh in the 2018 general election. Morrison's election represents the first time the bulk of the area composing today's District 33B have been represented by a member of the DFL party in nearly 4 decades.
==Personal life== Pugh is married to her husband, Jack. They have two children and reside in Chanhassen, Minnesota.<ref name="Pugh" />
==Political activities== Pugh was a co-founder of the Southwest Metro Tea Party<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.cindyforminnesota.com/about_cindy | title=About State Representative Cindy Pugh}}</ref> and follower of Michele Bachmann.<ref name="minnesota.cbslocal.com"/>
==Controversies== Pugh and two other Republicans generated controversy in 2018 when they claimed to have knowledge of a "plot to 'mobilize Muslims to infiltrate our Republican caucuses'."<ref name="startribune.com">{{Cite web | url=http://www.startribune.com/local-gop-official-warns-of-muslims-infiltrating-precinct-caucuses/471764094/ | title=Minn. Reps. Cindy Pugh, Kathy Lohmer, local GOP official warn of Muslims 'infiltrating' precinct caucuses| website=Star Tribune}}</ref> The chairperson of the Minnesota Republican Party later rejected the post, stating that Muslims were welcome to caucus with Republicans and noting that "there is no religious test to participate in the Republican caucus."<ref name="startribune.com"/> Pugh later renounced the post,<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.scribd.com/document/370337999/Dave-Sina-s-Facebook-post | title=Dave Sina's Facebook post}}</ref> but charges of Islamophobia based on this event and others continued to follow her.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_sailor/free/letter-to-the-editor-rep-cindy-pugh-s-islamophobia-should/article_25c6812e-c25d-11e8-b9ae-fffac4c6691e.html | title=Letter to the editor: Rep. Cindy Pugh's Islamophobia should disqualify her from office}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|15411}} *[http://www.cindyforminnesota.com/ Rep. Cindy Pugh] ''official campaign website''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pugh, Cindy}} Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) alumni Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Category:Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:People from Chanhassen, Minnesota Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature Category:21st-century American women politicians