{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Nels Pierson |state_house = Minnesota |district = 26B |term_start = January 6, 2015 |term_end = January 6, 2023 |predecessor = Mike Benson |successor = ''redrawn district'' |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|12|29}} |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |spouse = Nicole |children = 5 |education = Gustavus Adolphus College (BA)<br>Hamline University (JD) }} '''Nels Pierson''' (born December 29, 1972) is an American politician who served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represented the 26B district in southeastern Minnesota. The district includes a large part of the southern half of Rochester and greater Olmsted County to the south and east of the city. He was a candidate in the 2022 Minnesota's 1st congressional district special election.
==Early life and education== Pierson was raised in Butterfield, Minnesota.<ref name="about">{{cite web | url=http://www.nels.com/ | title=Nels Pierson for State House | publisher=Nels for House | access-date=June 25, 2015}}</ref> He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Juris Doctor from the Hamline University School of Law.<ref name="lpp">{{cite web | url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.aspx?ID=15443 | title=Pierson, Nels | publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library | work=Legislators Past & Present | access-date=November 19, 2018}}</ref>
==Career== Pierson was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2014. He was a candidate in the 2022 Minnesota's 1st congressional district special election, losing to Brad Finstad in the May 24 primary.
==Political Positions== In December 2021, Pierson signed a letter along with 37 other Minnesota House Republicans in opposition of the Mayo Clinic for its vaccine mandate policy for employees, calling for a halt in state funding for health care facilities that fire employees "due to unrealistic vaccine mandate policies".<ref>[https://www.house.mn.gov/goppdf/KjjzzR9JvE2GyqQV2Nc_eA.pdf December 8th, 2021 Letter to Mayo Clinic] signed by 38 Minnesota House Republican Representatives.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bierschbach |first=Briana |date=December 16, 2021 |title=Minnesota House Republicans criticize Mayo Clinic for employee vaccine mandate |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-house-republicans-criticize-mayo-clinic-for-employee-vaccine-mandate/600127703/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Star Tribune Editorial Board |first= |date=December 16, 2021 |title=EDITORIAL {{!}} Ethical decision is protecting patients |url=https://www.startribune.com/ethical-decision-is-protecting-patients/600127854/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Ricardo |last2= |first2= |last3= |date=2021-12-16 |title=House GOP leans on Mayo Clinic to call off its vaccine mandate |url=https://minnesotareformer.com/2021/12/16/house-gop-leans-on-mayo-clinic-to-call-off-its-vaccine-mandate/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Minnesota Reformer |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life== Pierson and his wife, Nicole, have five children.<ref name="lpp" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|15443}} *[http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=15443 Rep. Nels Pierson] ''official Minnesota House of Representatives website'' *[http://www.nels.com/ Nels Pierson] ''official campaign website''
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Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierson, Nels}} Category:1972 births Category:Gustavus Adolphus College alumni Category:Hamline University School of Law alumni Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature