# John Persell

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{{short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = John Persell
| image               = John_Persell_2018_Debate.jpg
| district            = 
| term_start          = January 8, 2019
| term_end            = January 4, 2021
| term_start2         = January 6, 2009
| term_end2           = January 2, 2017
| party               = [Democratic–Farmer–Labor](/source/Minnesota_Democratic%E2%80%93Farmer%E2%80%93Labor_Party)
| birth_date          = {{birth year and age|1950}}
| birth_place         = 
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| alma_mater          = [Bemidji State University](/source/Bemidji_State_University)
| occupation          = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = 3|
| constituency        = District 5A
| constituency2       = District 5A (2013–2017)<br />District 4A (2009–2013)
| successor           = Matt Bliss
| successor2          = Matt Bliss
| predecessor         = [Matt Bliss](/source/Matt_Bliss)
| predecessor2        = [Frank Moe](/source/Frank_Moe)
| office              = Member of the [Minnesota House of Representatives](/source/Minnesota_House_of_Representatives)
}}

'''John Sterling Persell, Jr.''' (born 1950) is an [American](/source/Americans) [DFL](/source/Minnesota_Democratic%E2%80%93Farmer%E2%80%93Labor_Party) politician who represented District 5A in the [Minnesota House of Representatives](/source/Minnesota_House_of_Representatives) in northern [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota), first winning election in 2008.

==Early life, education, and career==
Persell majored in biology at [Bemidji State University](/source/Bemidji_State_University), and served in the [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force). He was a member of the Beltrami County Soil and Water Conservation Board, and of the [Frohn Township](/source/Frohn_Township%2C_Beltrami_County%2C_Minnesota) Board of Supervisors. Persell is a member of the [American Legion](/source/American_Legion) [Honor Guard](/source/Guard_of_honour), and has worked as a mentor in the STEM Program (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) at [Leech Lake Tribal College](/source/Leech_Lake_Tribal_College) in [Cass Lake](/source/Cass_Lake%2C_Minnesota).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=109088 |title=Project Vote Smart - Representative John Persell - Biography |publisher=Votesmart.org |access-date=2010-07-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnpersell.com/bio.htm |title=Vote John Persell I Minnesota House of Representatives District 4A |publisher=Johnpersell.com |access-date=2010-07-20 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713114124/http://www.johnpersell.com/bio.htm |archive-date=2011-07-13 }}</ref> He is also a retired water quality specialist and environmental policy analyst for the [Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe](/source/Leech_Lake_Band_of_Ojibwe).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=15298 |title=Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Persell, Jr., John Sterling |publisher=Leg.state.mn.us |access-date=2010-07-20}}</ref>

==Minnesota House of Representatives==
Persell was elected in 2008, running after two-term Representative [Frank Moe](/source/Frank_Moe) opted not to seek reelection.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://buildourparty.blogspot.com/2008/04/frank-moe-wont-seek-relection-in-2008.html |title=Blue man in a Red district: Frank Moe won't seek relection {{sic|nolink=y}} in 2008 |publisher=Buildourparty.blogspot.com |date=2008-04-20 |access-date=2010-07-20}}</ref> He was reelected in 2010, 2012, and 2014.

In 2016 he lost [reelection](/source/Minnesota_House_of_Representatives_election%2C_2016) to [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_of_Minnesota) [Matt Bliss](/source/Matt_Bliss). In a rematch in 2018, Persell beat Bliss by just 11 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/12/03/persell-wins-bemidji-recount |last=Enger |first=John |title=DFLer John Persell wins after a Minn. House seat recount |publisher=[Minnesota Public Radio](/source/Minnesota_Public_Radio) |date=December 3, 2018}}</ref> He was chosen to lead the Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blogs.mprnews.org/capitol-view/2018/11/house-democrats-signal-priorities-in-new-committee-structure/ |last=Bierschbach |first=Briana |title=House Democrats signal priorities in new committee structure |publisher=[Minnesota Public Radio](/source/Minnesota_Public_Radio) |date=November 21, 2018}}</ref>

In 2020, he was challenged by Bliss again, and defeated by 1,485 votes.[https://www.desmoinesregister.com/elections/results/race/2020-11-03-state_house-MN-24326/]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{MN-legdb|15298}}
* [https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=15298 Official House of Representatives website]
* [http://www.johnpersell.com/ Official campaign website]
* [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=109088 Project Votesmart - Rep. John Persell Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Persell, John}}
Category:1950 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Beltrami County, Minnesota
Category:Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Persell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Persell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Persell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.