{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Rob Ecklund | image = Ecklund Rob 03A.gif | state_house = Minnesota | district = 3A | prior_term = | term_start = December 17, 2015 | term_end = January 2, 2023 | predecessor = David Dill | successor = Roger Skraba | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|05|23}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | spouse = Joan | children = Nick<br />Jared<br /> Cory | alma_mater = Rainy River Community College<br/ >Bemidji State University | occupation = paper machine tender }}
'''Robert Ecklund''' (born May 23, 1958) is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 3A in northeastern Minnesota.
==Early life and career== Ecklund was born on May 23, 1958.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=15452 | title=Representative Robert Ecklund (DFL) District: 03A | publisher=Minnesota House of Representatives | access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref> He is a former United States Marine Corps serviceman, serving from 1976 to 1979. He attended Rainy River Community College and Bemidji State University from 1980 to 1983.<ref name="ifj_20150918">{{cite web | url=http://www.ifallsjournal.com/news/local/voter-guide-house-district-a-candidate-responses/article_7cf9c0b6-2b1e-5d6d-b4b3-fdf5e83ebd7d.html | title=Voter Guide: House District 3A candidate responses | work=International Falls Journal | date=September 18, 2015 | access-date=December 8, 2015}}</ref>
Ecklund has worked since 1989 at the Boise Paper mill in International Falls, Minnesota, as a paper machine tender. He served as president of the United Steelworkers Local 159 for nine years and served on the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners, first elected in 2010 and reelected in 2014.<ref name="ifj_20150918" /><ref name="dnt_20150927">{{cite web | url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/politics/3848284-four-way-tossup-northern-minnesotas-3a-dfl-primary | title=Four-way tossup in northern Minnesota's 3A DFL primary | work=Duluth News Tribune | date=September 27, 2015 | access-date=December 8, 2015 | author=Myers, John}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.startribune.com/race-to-replace-rep-david-dill-shaping-up-to-be-wild-and-wide-open/326536711/ | title=Race to replace Rep. David Dill shaping up to be wild and wide open | work=Star Tribune | date=September 10, 2015 | access-date=December 11, 2015 | author=Coolican, J. Patrick}}</ref>
==Minnesota House of Representatives== Ecklund was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in a special election on December 8, 2015,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=15452 | title=Ecklund, Rob | publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library | work=Legislators Past & Present | access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref> after the death of Representative David Dill, also a member of the DFL party. He represented district 3A, serving Cook, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis Counties. During the 2017-2018 session, Ecklund served as an assistant minority leader for the DFL party.
'''2021-2022 committee assignments''' * Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy (Chair) * Agriculture Finance and Policy * Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy * Ways and Means '''2019-2020 committee assignments''' * Veterans and Military Affairs Finance & Policy Division (Chair) * Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy * Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division * Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division * Labor * Ways & Means '''2017-2018 committee assignments''' * Agriculture Finance * Capital Investment * Environment & Natural Resources Policy and Finance * Environment & Natural Resources Policy and Finance: Subcommittee on Mining, Forestry & Tourism '''2016 committee assignments'''
* Agriculture Finance * Environment & Natural Resources Policy & Finance * Greater Minnesota Economic & Workforce Development Policy * Mining & Outdoor Recreation Policy
== Electoral history == {{Election box begin | title= 2015 Special Election for Minnesota State Representative District 3A}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=Rob Ecklund|votes=4,591|percentage=63.39%|change=N/A}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Roger Skraba|votes=1,399|percentage=19.32%|change=N/A}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independent politician|candidate=Kelsey Johnson|votes=1,144|percentage=15.79%|change=N/A}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title= 2016 Election for Minnesota State Representative District 3A}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=Rob Ecklund|votes=13,874|percentage=63.25%|change=-0.14%}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Tom Long|votes=8,017|percentage=36.55%|change=+17.23%}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title= 2018 Election for Minnesota State Representative District 3A}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=Rob Ecklund|votes=11,783|percentage=59.42%|change=-3.83%}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Randy Goutermont|votes=8,022|percentage=40.45%|change=+3.90%}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title= 2020 Election for Minnesota State Representative District 3A}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=Rob Ecklund|votes=12,581|percentage=52.42%|change=-7.00%}} {{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Thomas Manninen|votes=11,400|percentage=47.50%|change=+7.05%}} {{Election box end}}
==Personal life== Ecklund and his wife, Joan, have three children. They reside in International Falls, Minnesota.<ref name="dnt_20150927" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|15452}} * [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=15452 Official House of Representatives website] * [https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-results Minnesota Secretary of State Website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ecklund, Rob}} Category:Living people Category:People from International Falls, Minnesota Category:Bemidji State University alumni Category:County commissioners in Minnesota Category:Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:1958 births Category:United States Marines Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature