{{short description|American educator and politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Patricia Mueller | image = Patricia Mueller State of the State 2025.jpg | image_size = 150px | state_house = Minnesota | district = 23B | constituency = 23B (2023-present)<br/ >27B (2021-2022) | term_start = January 5, 2021 | term_end = | preceded = Jeanne Poppe | succeeded = | party = Republican | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|3|28}} | birth_place = Oakdale, Minnesota, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | education = Winona State University (B.S.)<br>Minnesota State University Moorhead (M.S.) (Ed. D.) | occupation = {{hlist|Teacher|Legislator}} | spouse = Dan | children = | website = {{URL|https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/15561|Government website}} {{URL|https://www.muellerforminnesota.com/home.html|Campaign website}} }} '''Patricia Mueller''' (born March 28, 1981) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2021. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Mueller represents District 23B in southwestern Minnesota, which includes the city of Austin and parts of Freeborn, Mower and Steele Counties.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Mueller, Patricia K. - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present |url=https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?ID=15561 |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=www.lrl.mn.gov}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Mueller was born and raised in Oakdale, Minnesota and graduated from Tartan Senior High School. She attended Winona State University, earning her B.S. in English education in 2003. She enrolled at Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she earned an M.S. in curriculum instruction in 2018 and an Ed. D. in 2022.<ref name=":0" />
After graduating, Mueller worked as a teacher. In 2007, she and her husband moved to rural China to teach English as part of a mission trip.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Van Oot|first=Torey|date=January 14, 2020|title=Minnesota GOP works to recruit more women to run for office|url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-gop-looks-to-fresh-crop-of-female-candidates/566973812/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Star Tribune}}</ref> Mueller cites her time abroad as part of her inspiration to become active in politics.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=October 28, 2020 |title=Political guest column: Mueller: Not afraid to confront the issues |url=https://austindailyherald.com/2020/10/political-guest-column-mueller-not-afraid-to-confront-the-issues/ |access-date=2021-07-26 |website=Austin Daily Herald}}</ref> Mueller moved to Austin, Minnesota in 2015, where she taught at Austin High School.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-11-04|title=Austin educator Patricia Mueller announces run to represent District 27B|url=https://www.kaaltv.com/news/patricia-mueller-district-27b-minnesota-house-latest-poppe-teacher/5543873/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=ABC 6 NEWS|language=en}}</ref>
== Minnesota House of Representatives == Mueller was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2020 and was reelected in 2022. She defeated eight-term DFL incumbent Jeanne Poppe after being recruited by local members of the Republican Party to run for the seat, which had been held by the DFL since 2004 but voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.<ref name=":4" /> In 2022, Mueller defeated former Austin mayor and police officer Tom Stiehm in a race that attracted considerable state media attention.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Richert |first=Catharine |date=October 25, 2022 |title=A tale of two cities: How the DFL's fortunes are shifting away from rural Minnesota |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2022/10/25/a-tale-of-two-cities-how-the-dfls-fortunes-are-shifting-away-from-rural-minnesota |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=MPR News |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Orenstein |first=Walker |date=2022-10-14 |title=A former mayor and cop in Austin looks to win DFL votes in Greater Minnesota |url=https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2022/10/a-former-mayor-and-cop-in-austin-looks-to-win-back-lost-dfl-ground-in-greater-minnesota/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=MinnPost |language=en-US}}</ref>
Mueller serves on the Education Policy and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committees.<ref name=":0" />
=== Political positions === Mueller has called herself a "constitutional conservative with some libertarian leanings". She has stressed the importance of considering the needs of rural Minnesota.<ref name=":1" />
Mueller signed a letter condemning violence after the January 6 attack on the Capitol, but also said that "we will never know" whether Joe Biden is "the real president".<ref name=":3" />
Mueller opposes using state funds for abortion and supports a ban on all abortions after 12 weeks unless the mother's life is in danger. She supports a constitutional amendment to remove state protections for abortion access.<ref name=":3" />
Mueller opposes red flag gun control laws.<ref name=":3" />
In September 2021, Mueller spoke in support of Afghan refugees settling in Minnesota: {{blockquote|As they come from a horrible, impossible place, they have experiences that can teach us and make our communities richer and make our lives better as well.<ref>{{Cite web |title=With Afghan refugees being sprinkled across the country, Austin welcomes all with open arms |url=https://www.kimt.com/content/news/Austin-welcomes-all-with-open-arms-575331691.html |access-date=2021-09-21 |website=KIMT News |language=en |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916232237/https://www.kimt.com/content/news/Austin-welcomes-all-with-open-arms-575331691.html |archivedate=2021-09-16 |first=Alexandra |last=Dederer |date=2021-09-16 }}</ref>}}
In 2022, Mueller introduced legislation to speed up the licensing process for substitute teachers in response to workforce shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campuzano |first=Eder |date=2022-03-02 |title=Republicans say DFL-backed bill to expedite substitute teacher licensing falls short |url=https://www.startribune.com/house-democrats-push-distance-learning-bills/600149154/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref>
Mueller has opposed state action to provide menstrual products for students in Minnesota public schools, arguing it should be up to local districts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campuzano |first=Eder |date=2023-01-12 |title=Push at Capitol to fund menstrual products for students in Minnesota public schools |url=https://www.startribune.com/bill-introduced-to-fund-menstrual-products-for-students-in-public-schools/600243004/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Star Tribune }}</ref>
== Electoral history ==
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2020 Minnesota State House - District 27B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=136&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=408&show=Go|title=2020 Results for State Representative District 27B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Patricia Mueller | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 9,907 | percentage = 51.53 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Jeanne Poppe (incumbent) | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 9,295 | percentage = 48.35 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 22 | percentage = 0.11 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 19,224 | 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 23B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=149&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=400&show=Go|title=2022 Results for State Representative District 23B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Patricia Mueller (incumbent) | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 8,336 | percentage = 55.02 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Thomas A. Stiehm | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 6,786 | percentage = 44.79 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 28 | percentage = 0.18 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 15,150 | 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 23B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.mn.gov/results/Index?ErsElectionId=170&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=400&show=Go|access-date=April 29, 2025|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Patricia Mueller (incumbent) | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 11,465 | percentage = 58.34 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Joseph Pacovsky | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 8,174 | percentage = 41.60 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 12 | percentage = 0.06 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 19,651 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = Republican Party of Minnesota }} {{Election box end}}
== Personal life == Muller lives in Austin, Minnesota with her husband, Dan, whom she met while studying at Winona State University.<ref name=":0" /> Dan was a member of the city of Austin's Human Rights Commission from 2017 to 2021, when the City Council voted to remove him due to his association with the Minnesota Family Council.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stoll|first=Mike|date=July 9, 2021|title=Council removes Mueller from HRC|url=https://www.austindailyherald.com/2021/07/council-removes-mueller-from-hrc/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Austin Daily Herald}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-06|title=Austin city council votes to remove Human Rights Commissioner|url=https://www.kaaltv.com/austin-minnesota-news/austin-city-council-voting-on-removal-of-human-rights-commissioner-/6163312/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=ABC 6 NEWS|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{MN-legdb|15561}} * [https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15561 Official House of Representatives website] *[https://muellerforminnesota.com/ Campaign website]
{{Minnesota House of Representatives}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mueller, Patricia}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People from Oakdale, Minnesota Category:Minnesota State University Moorhead alumni Category:Winona State University alumni Category:Educators from Minnesota Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Women state legislators in Minnesota Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature