Paul Torkelson

{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Paul Torkelson | image = | state_house = Minnesota | district = 15B | prior_term = ''21B (2009–2012), 16B (2013-2022)'' | term_start = January 6, 2009 | term_end = | preceded = Brad Finstad | succeeded = | party = Republican | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|7|12}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | education = Gustavus Adolphus College (BA) | spouse = Cindy | children = 2 }} '''Paul M. Torkelson''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ɔːr|k|əl|s|ən}} {{respell|TOR|kəl|sən}};<ref>{{cite AV media |date=February 5, 2024|title=Informational interview with Rep. Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska). |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4U3cQaYYIM&list=PL215WnxBOAeyXWJ0vxGNTE73L4CL6PU7i&index=7|publisher=MNHouseInfo|via=YouTube|access-date=August 23, 2024 |time= 10:50}}</ref> born July 12, 1952) is an American politician serving as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2009. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Torkelson represents District 15B in southwestern Minnesota, which includes the city of New Ulm and all or parts of Blue Earth, Brown, and Redwood Counties.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Torkelson, Paul - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present |url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=15304}}</ref>

==Early life, education and career== Torkelson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in instrumental music education from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1974.

In 2006, Governor Tim Pawlenty appointed Torkelson to the Minnesota Governor's Clean Water Council, a position he held until his election to the House. He is a member of the Minnesota's Deer Hunters Association, a former vice president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau, and a former chair of St. James Health Services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Voter's Self Defense System |url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=109197}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

Torkelson is a fourth-generation Watonwan County corn, soybean and pork farmer, with family roots in the area since 1878, and a former music teacher.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Paul Torkelson MN State Representative 21B |url=http://paultorkelson.com/about.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106183740/http://paultorkelson.com/about.html |archive-date=January 6, 2009 |access-date=November 8, 2009}}</ref> He is a Lutheran.<ref name=":0" />

== Minnesota House of Representatives == Torkelson was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2008, succeeding incumbent Representative Brad Finstad, who decided not to seek reelection, and has been reelected every two years since.<ref name=":0" />

Torkelson was an assistant majority leader during the 2011-12 legislative session and an assistant minority leader from 2013-14. He chaired the Capital Investment Committee in 2015-16, and the Transportation Finance Committee in 2017-18. During the 2021-22 legislative session, Torkelson again served as an assistant majority leader. After the 2022 election, he was appointed to serve as deputy minority leader by incoming Minority Leader Lisa Demuth.<ref>{{Cite web |last=News Desk |date=2022-11-15 |title=Rep. Torkelson of Hanska appointed Deputy Minority Leader for MN House Republican Caucus |url=https://www.southernminnesotanews.com/rep-torkelson-of-hanska-appointed-deputy-minority-leader-for-mn-house-republican-caucus/ |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=Southern Minnesota News |language=en-US}}</ref> After the 2024 election, he was appointed Assistant Republican Floor Leader. Torkelson is also the co-chair on the Ways and Means committee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Torkelson, Paul - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present |url=https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?id=15304 |website=www.lrl.mn.gov}}</ref>

On January 30, 2026, Torkelson announced he was not running for re-election in 2026.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rep. Paul Torkelson - RELEASE: REP. TORKELSON ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION |url=https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/news/15304/51538 |website=www.house.mn.gov |language=en}}</ref>

== Electoral history ==

{{Election box begin no change | title = 2008 Minnesota State House - District 21B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=63&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=396&show=Go|title=2008 Results for State Representative District 21B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 9,111 | percentage = 51.43 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Robert Skillings | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 8,586 | percentage = 48.47 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 17 | percentage = 0.10 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 17,714 | 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 = 2010 Minnesota State House - District 21B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=69&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=396&show=Go|title=2010 Results for State Representative District 21B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 11,774 | percentage = 98.31 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 203 | percentage = 1.69 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 11,977 | 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 = 2012 Minnesota State House - District 16B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=1&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=386&show=Go|title=2012 Results for State Representative District 16B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 11,243 | percentage = 56.14 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = James Kanne | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 6,466 | percentage = 32.29 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Jerry "Pike" Pagel | party = Independent | votes = 2,303 | percentage = 11.50 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 13 | percentage = 0.06 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 20,025 | 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 = 2014 Minnesota State House - District 16B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=20&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=386&show=Go|title=2014 Results for State Representative District 16B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 9,053 | percentage = 64.94 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = James Kanne | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 4,872 | percentage = 34.95 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 16 | percentage = 0.11 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 13,941 | 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 = 2016 Minnesota State House - District 16B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=100&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=386&show=Go|title=2016 Results for State Representative District 16B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 14,529 | percentage = 73.06 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Austin Grossenburg | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 5,333 | percentage = 26.82 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 25 | percentage = 0.11 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 19,887 | 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 16B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=115&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=386&show=Go|title=2018 Results for State Representative District 16B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 10,772 | percentage = 63.20 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Marinda "Mindy" Kimmel | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 6,268 | percentage = 36.77 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 5 | percentage = 0.03 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 17,045 | 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 16B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=136&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=386&show=Go|title=2020 Results for State Representative District 16B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 14,476 | percentage = 67.61 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Marinda "Mindy" Kimmel | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 6,908 | percentage = 32.26 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 28 | percentage = 0.13 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 21,412 | 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 15B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=149&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=384&show=Go|title=2022 Results for State Representative District 15B|access-date=February 17, 2023|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 13,444 | percentage = 72.39 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Tom Kuster | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 5,075 | percentage = 27.39 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 10 | percentage = 0.05 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 18,529 | 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 15B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.mn.gov/results/Index?ErsElectionId=170&scenario=StateRepresentative&DistrictId=384&show=Go|access-date=April 29, 2025|website=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Paul Torkelson | party = Republican Party of Minnesota | votes = 16,814 | percentage = 72.65 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Tom Kuster | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | votes = 6,315 | percentage = 27.29 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 14 | percentage = 0.06 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 23,143 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = Republican Party of Minnesota }} {{Election box end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == {{MN-legdb|15304}} * [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=15304 Rep. Torkelson Web Page] * [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=109197 Project Votesmart – Rep. Paul Torkelson Profile] * [http://ptorkelson.com/ Paul Torkelson Campaign Web Site]

{{Current members of the Minnesota House of Representatives}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Torkelson, Paul}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:People from Brown County, Minnesota Category:Gustavus Adolphus College alumni Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:Lutherans from Minnesota Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature