{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Matt Bliss | image = MattBliss2018.png | term_start = January 5, 2021 | constituency = District 2B (2023–present)<br/ >District 5A (2021–2023) | term_start1 = January 3, 2017 | constituency1 = District 5A (2017–2019) | term_end1 = January 7, 2019 | predecessor = John Persell | predecessor1 = John Persell | successor1 = John Persell | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = Christine {{small|(died of cancer)}}<br />Emily | children = 4 | occupation = {{hlist|Small business owner}} | branch = | allegiance = United States Navy | unit = Communications and electronics | education = United States Navy | website = {{URL|https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15458|Government website}} {{URL|https://www.mattbliss.us/|Campaign website}} | office = Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives }}
'''Matt Bliss''' is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2021, who also served from 2017 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Bliss represents District 2B in northern Minnesota, which includes parts of Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, and Mahnomen Counties.<ref name="lpp" />
==Early life, education, and career== Bliss was raised on a farm and is one of ten siblings. He joined the Navy after high school and was trained in communications and electronics.<ref name="tpi_20150818">{{cite news|title=Matt Bliss announces plans to run for House dist. 5A|url=http://www.walkermn.com/news/matt-bliss-announces-plans-to-run-for-house-dist-a/article_6a85fc04-4524-11e5-83ab-776b02284a99.html|access-date=December 18, 2016|work=The Pilot-Independent|publisher=Adams Publishing Group|date=August 18, 2015}}</ref>
Bliss owns Bliss Point Resort along Cass Lake and worked as an IT director for the Red Lake Nation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Van Berkel |first=Jessie |date=November 17, 2018 |title=Recount likely for Bemidji House seat |url=https://www.startribune.com/recount-likely-for-bemidji-house-seat/500754951/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref> He was the president of the Pennington Resort Association.<ref>{{cite news|title=ELECTION 2016: District 5A: Bliss defeats incumbent Persell|url=http://www.brainerddispatch.com/news/4155508-election-2016-district-5a-bliss-defeats-incumbent-persell|access-date=December 18, 2016|work=Brainerd Dispatch|date=November 9, 2016}}</ref>
Bliss ran unsuccessfully for the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Liedke|first1=Matthew|title=Bliss enters 2016 race for Minnesota House 5A seat|url=http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/news/3813367-bliss-enters-2016-race-minnesota-house-5a-seat|access-date=December 18, 2016|work=The Bemidji Pioneer|publisher=Forum Communications|date=August 7, 2015}}</ref>
==Minnesota House of Representatives== Bliss was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016. He defeated four-term DFL incumbent John Persell. In 2018, Bliss lost to Persell by 11 votes.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Van Berkel |first=Jessie |date=December 5, 2018 |title=Bemidji Democrat John Persell holds on to beat Rep. Matt Bliss in state House recount |url=https://www.startribune.com/democrat-john-persell-holds-on-to-win-in-state-house-recount/501914171/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref> A state-mandated recount confirmed Persell's victory.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bierschbach |first=Briana |date=December 5, 2018 |title=Recount pending in suburban state House race |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/12/05/recount-pending-in-suburban-state-house-race |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=MPR News |language=en}}</ref> In 2020, Bliss once again defeated Persell, and was reelected in 2022.<ref name="lpp" /> Bliss criticized Persell for his co-authorship of a red-flag gun control proposal and Democrats for defunding the police, though Persell stated he advocated for more public safety funding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Orenstein |first=Walker |date=2020-11-16 |title=What the results from a seesaw political rivalry in Bemidji says about the 2020 election |url=https://www.minnpost.com/greater-minnesota/2020/11/what-the-results-from-a-seesaw-political-rivalry-in-bemidji-says-about-the-2020-election/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=MinnPost |language=en-US}}</ref>
Bliss co-chairs the Veteran and Military Affairs Committee and sits on the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committees.<ref name="lpp" />
== Electoral history ==
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2016 Minnesota State House - District 5A<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=100&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=363&show=Go|title=2016 Results for State Representative District 5A|access-date=February 10, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Matt Bliss | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 10,318 | percentage = 53.88 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = John Persell | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 8,808 | percentage = 45.99 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 25 | percentage = 0.13 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 19,151 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box gain with party link without swing | winner = Republican Party of Minnesota | loser = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2018 Minnesota State House - District 5A<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=115&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=363&show=Go|title=2018 Results for State Representative District 5A|access-date=February 10, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = John Persell | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 8,454 | percentage = 50.01 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Matt Bliss | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 8,443 | percentage = 49.95 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 7 | percentage = 0.04 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 16,904 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box gain with party link without swing | winner = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | loser = Republican Party of Minnesota }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2020 Minnesota State House - District 5A<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=136&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=363&show=Go|title=2020 Results for State Representative District 5A|access-date=February 10, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Matt Bliss | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 11,482 | percentage = 53.37 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = John Persell | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 9,996 | percentage = 46.46 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 36 | percentage = 0.17 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 21,514 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box gain with party link without swing | winner = Republican Party of Minnesota | loser = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2022 Minnesota State House - District 2B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=149&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=358&show=Go|title=2022 Results for State Representative District 2B|access-date=February 10, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Matt Bliss | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 11,310 | percentage = 63.46 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Erika Bailey-Johnson | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 6,505 | percentage = 36.50 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 8 | percentage = 0.04 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 17,823 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = Republican Party of Minnesota }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change |title = 2024 Minnesota State House - District 5A<ref name="Nov24Results">{{cite web |title=Results for All State Representative Races |url=https://electionresults.sos.mn.gov/Results/Index?ersElectionId=170&scenario=StateRepresentative |website=Minnesota Secretary of State |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Matt Bliss | votes =14,372 | percentage =63.73 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | candidate = Michael Reyes | votes =8,168 | percentage =36.22 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes =10 | percentage =0.04 }} {{Election box total no change | votes =22,550 | percentage =100 }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = Republican Party of Minnesota }} {{Election box end}}
==Personal life== Bliss lives in Pennington, Minnesota with his wife Emily, and has four children.<ref name="lpp">{{cite web|title=Bliss, Matt|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=15458|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=December 18, 2016}}</ref> He was previously married to Christine until she died of cancer. He is a member of the Minnesota Deer Hunters’ Association, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, and the Ruffed Grouse Society.<ref name="tpi_20150818" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|15458}} * [https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15458 Official House of Representatives website] * [http://www.mattbliss.us/ Official campaign website]
{{Minnesota House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bliss, Matt}} Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature Category:People from Beltrami County, Minnesota