{{Short description|American politician (born 1990)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Nolan West | image = | state_house = Minnesota | district = 32A | prior_term = ''37B (2017-2022)'' | term_start = January 3, 2017 | term_end = | predecessor = Tim Sanders | successor = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|09|30}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = University of Minnesota | occupation = }}

'''Nolan West''' (born September 30, 1990) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2017. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, West represents District 32A in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the city of Blaine, Ham Lake, and parts of Anoka County.<ref name="lpp">{{Cite web |title=West, Nolan |url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=15476 |access-date=September 16, 2018 |publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Todd |date=March 15, 2017 |title=Breaking the Ice: From controversial candidate to freshman lawmaker |work=Minnesota Lawyer |publisher=BridgeTower Media |url=https://minnlawyer.com/2017/03/15/breaking-the-ice-from-controversial-candidate-to-freshman-lawmaker/ |access-date=September 16, 2018}}</ref>

== Early life, education, and career == West was raised in Blaine, Minnesota.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hometownsource.com/abc_newspapers/news/local/nolan-west-to-run-for-minnesota-house/article_557b0b4b-6bcb-56ea-b537-f607d2988e21.html|title=Nolan West to run for Minnesota House|date=March 13, 2016|work=ABC Newspapers|access-date=September 16, 2018|publisher=ECM Publishers|language=en-us}}</ref> He attended Meadow Creek Christian School in Andover (the year after he graduated, the school’s name was changed to Legacy Christian Academy).<ref>{{Cite web |last=VanArragon |first=Caleb |date=2018-10-11 |title=District 37B Minnesota State House Election Guide: Nolan West and Amir Malik |url=https://bhsblueprint.org/latest-school-events/2018/10/11/district-37b-minnesota-state-house-election-guide-nolan-west-and-amir-malik/ |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=BHS Blueprint}}</ref> He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in history and a minor in political science.<ref name="lpp" /> He was a legislative assistant for the Republican caucus in the Minnesota House of Representatives for almost two years until he resigned in September 2016 after reports of several racist posts he had made on Facebook.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/nolan-west-house-candidate-posts-confederate-flag-calls-lincoln-worst-president-ever/393310071/|title=House candidate Nolan West deletes pro-Confederate, anti-Lincoln postings|last=Coolican|first=J. Patrick|date=September 14, 2016|work=Star Tribune|access-date=September 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.twincities.com/2016/09/14/blaine-minnesota-house-candidate-nolan-west-twitter-lynching-tyranny-abraham-lincoln/|title=MN House candidate's posts about lynching, Abe Lincoln condemned|last=Stassen-Berger|first=Rachel E.|date=September 14, 2016|work=Pioneer Press|access-date=September 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/house-gop-candidate-resigns-from-staff-job-after-fallout-from-confederate-flag-facebook-posts/393630711/|title=House GOP candidate resigns from staff job after fallout from Confederate flag posts|last=Coolican|first=J. Patrick|date=September 16, 2016|website=Star Tribune|access-date=September 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hometownsource.com/abc_newspapers/news/local/west-aplogizes-blames-controversial-posts-on-his-youth/article_4a84f418-0a17-5400-bedc-44b95cb07af5.html|title=West aplogizes, blames controversial posts on his youth|last=Moran-Froemming|first=Mandy|date=September 26, 2016|work=ABC Newspapers|access-date=September 16, 2018|publisher=ECM Publishers}}</ref>

== Minnesota House of Representatives == West was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016, after incumbent Tim Sanders retired, and has been reelected every two years since. He serves as an assistant minority leader and sits on the Capital Investment, Education Finance, and Transportation Finance and Policy Committees.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rep. Nolan West (37B) - Minnesota House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15476 |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.house.leg.state.mn.us}}</ref>

West's first session was the 90th legislative session (2017–18), in which he was chief author of 30 bills,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Legislature - Office of the Revisor of Statutes |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/status_result.php?body=House&search=advanced&session=0902017&search_type=andor&keyword_type=all&keyword=&author1%5B%5D=41849&author%5B%5D=&topic%5B%5D=&committee%5B%5D=&action%5B%5D=&fromDate=&toDate=&submit_advanced=GO |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.revisor.mn.gov}}</ref> most notably HF0187,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=HF 187 Status in the House for the 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0187&ssn=0&y=2017 |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.revisor.mn.gov}}</ref> HF0297,<ref>{{Cite web |title=HF 297 Status in the House for the 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0297&ssn=0&y=2017 |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.revisor.mn.gov}}</ref> and HF1496,<ref>{{Cite web |title=HF 1496 Status in the House for the 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?f=HF1496&y=2017&ssn=0&b=house#actions |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.revisor.mn.gov}}</ref> all of which addressed one of the main infrastructure issues of his district, Highway 65. No bill that West chief authored made it through committee; all were dead/failed.<ref name=":0" />

Unlike most other members of the Republican caucus, West has been a strong supporter of legalizing recreational cannabis in Minnesota.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=Marijuana legalization advancing in Minnesota Legislature |url=https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-marijuana-legalization-5f22b37657cc6e309eedad1c3771effa |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=House passes finalized cannabis legalization bill, sends it to Senate - Session Daily - Minnesota House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.mn.gov/sessiondaily/Story/18019 |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=www.house.mn.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tribune |first=Ryan Faircloth Star |title=Minnesota House votes to legalize marijuana |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-house-votes-on-legalizing-marijuana-cannabis/600269650/ |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref> During the 92nd Minnesota Legislature, he voted for HF600, a bill that would have legalized cannabis in the state, though it was not taken up by the Republican-controlled Senate.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Recreational cannabis bill passes House in historic vote - Session Daily - Minnesota House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.mn.gov/sessiondaily/Story/15961 |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=www.house.mn.gov}}</ref> During the 93rd Legislature, West was one of five House Republicans who voted for HF100, which similarly legalized cannabis in the state; the bill was also passed by the DFL-controlled Senate and signed into law by Governor Tim Walz. West gave a 15-minute speech in support of the bill, comparing cannabis to other legal recreational drugs, such as nicotine and alcohol.<ref>{{Citation |title=MN Rep goes off about marijuana legalization |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRHcofZ1w64 |access-date=2024-01-04 |language=en}}</ref>

== Electoral history ==

{{Election box begin no change | title = 2016 Minnesota State House - District 37B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=100&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=428&show=Go|title=2016 Results for State Representative District 37B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Nolan West | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 11,473 | percentage = 50.26 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Susan Witt | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 11,305 | percentage = 49.52 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 49 | percentage = 0.21 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 22,827 | 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 = 2018 Minnesota State House - District 37B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=115&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=428&show=Go|title=2018 Results for State Representative District 37B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Nolan West (incumbent) | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 10,254 | percentage = 50.22 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Amir Joseph Malik | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 10,101 | percentage = 49.47 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 65 | percentage = 0.32 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 20,420 | 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 = 2020 Minnesota State House - District 37B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=136&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=428&show=Go|title=2020 Results for State Representative District 37B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Nolan West (incumbent) | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 14,328 | percentage = 52.40 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Amir Joseph Malik | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 12,984 | percentage = 47.48 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 33 | percentage = 0.12 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 27,345 | 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 = 2022 Minnesota State House - District 32A<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=149&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=417&show=Go|title=2022 Results for State Representative District 32A|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Nolan West (incumbent) | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 11,067 | percentage = 57.25 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Ashton Ramsammy | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 8,247 | percentage = 42.66 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 16 | percentage = 0.08 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 19,330 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = Republican Party of Minnesota }} {{Election box end}}

== Personal life == West resides in Blaine, Minnesota.<ref name="lpp" />

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{MN-legdb|15476}} * [https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=15476 Official House of Representatives website] * [https://www.nolanwest.com/ Official campaign website]

{{Minnesota House of Representatives}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Nolan}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature Category:People from Blaine, Minnesota