{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ryan Winkler | image = Representative Ryan Winkler speaking at ERA Rally (cropped).jpg | caption = Winkler in 2019 | office = Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives | term_start = January 8, 2019 | term_end = January 3, 2023 | predecessor = Joyce Peppin | successor = Jamie Long | office1 = Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives | term_start1 = January 8, 2019 | term_end1 = January 3, 2023 | predecessor1 = Peggy Flanagan | successor1 = Larry Kraft (redistricted) | constituency1 = District 46A | term_start2 = January 3, 2007 | term_end2 = July 1, 2015 | predecessor2 = Ron Latz | successor2 = Peggy Flanagan | constituency2 = District 44B (2007–2013)<br>District 46A (2013–2015) | birth_name = Ryan Patrick Winkler | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|12|30}} | birth_place = Bemidji, Minnesota, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = | children = 3 | education = Harvard University (BA)<br>University of Minnesota (JD) }} '''Ryan Patrick Winkler''' (born December 30, 1975) is an American politician and the former majority leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mohr |first1=Jonathan |title=DFL chooses Hortman as next House speaker, Winkler as majority leader |url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/Story/13445 |website=Minnesota House of Representatives |publisher=State of Minnesota |access-date=January 8, 2019 |ref=MNHouse}}</ref> A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 46A, which includes portions of the cities of Golden Valley, Plymouth, and St. Louis Park in Hennepin County.<ref name=leglib>{{cite web|url=http://venus.library.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=15271 |title=Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Winkler, Ryan |publisher=Venus.library.leg.state.mn.us |access-date=2010-07-20}}</ref>
In February 2018, Winkler announced his intentions to run for the legislative office he previously held in District 46A.<ref>{{cite news |last=Featherly |first=Kevin |date=February 1, 2018 |title=Bar Buzz: 3 Dems drop out of AG race as Swanson stays in |url=https://minnlawyer.com/2018/02/01/bar-buzz-3-dems-drop-out-of-ag-race-as-swanson-stays-in/ |work=Minnesota Lawyer |location=Minneapolis, MN |access-date=June 6, 2018}}</ref> He was re-elected, succeeding Peggy Flanagan, who had left the house to run for lieutenant governor.
DFL legislators elected Winkler to serve as Majority Leader in November 2018, and he took office in January 2019.
Winkler announced that he would retire from the Minnesota House of Representatives at the end of his 2021–2023 term. He went on to run in the DFL primary election for Hennepin County Attorney on August 9, 2022, finishing in 3rd place.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.startribune.com/2022-minnesota-primary-election-results/600196661/|title=2022 Minnesota Primary Election Results}}</ref>
==Education== Winkler graduated with a B.A. in history from Harvard University in 1998 and J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2001.<ref name=leglib/>
==Minnesota House of Representatives== He was first elected in 2006, and was re-elected in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014.
Following the United States Supreme Court's decision in ''Shelby County v. Holder,'' Winkler took to Twitter to write, "VRA majority is four accomplices to race discrimination and one Uncle Thomas" referring to Justice Clarence Thomas, an African American. "Uncle Tom" is a derogatory used against blacks who are perceived as being apologetic for their race. Winkler later deleted the tweet and posted, "Deleted Tweet causing offense regarding Justice Thomas. I apologize for it, but believe VRA decision does abet racism."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/212978531.html|title=DFL Rep. Winkler tweets and deletes "Uncle Thomas" to Supreme Court Justice|newspaper=Star Tribune|date=June 25, 2013}}</ref> On Twitter, he added that he did not understand "Uncle Tom" as a racist term.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/25/ryan-winkler-uncle-thomas_n_3497973.html|title=Ryan Winkler Deletes 'Uncle Thomas' Voting Rights Act Tweet, Issues Apology | work=Huffington Post | first=Chris|last=Gentilviso|date=June 25, 2013}}</ref>
On May 21, 2015, Winkler announced he would resign effective July 1, 2015. His wife at the time, Jenny, accepted a job as an executive with the Rezidor Hotel Group, which is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, and his family moved there to support her.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_28161781/sharp-tongued-dfl-rep-ryan-winkler-resign-move|title = Sharp-tongued DFL Rep. Ryan Winkler to resign, move abroad|date = 20 May 2015|work=Twin Cities Pioneer Press|last=Montgomery|first=David}}</ref>
===Elections===
{{Election box begin | title=2014 Minnesota State Representative- House 46A<ref>{{cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/Results/StateRepresentative/20?districtid=445 | title=Results for State Representative District 46A | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Ryan Winkler''' |votes = 10,666 |percentage = 66.17% |change =+0.28% }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Timothy O. Manthey |votes = 5,425 |percentage = 33.66% |change = -0.30% }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2012 Minnesota State Representative- House 46A<ref>{{cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/Results/StateRepresentative/1?districtid=445 | title=Results for State Representative District 46A | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Ryan Winkler''' |votes = 15,249 |percentage = 65.89% |change = +1.25% }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = John Swanson |votes = 7,860 |percentage = 33.96% |change = -1.32% }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2010 Minnesota State Representative- House 44B<ref>{{cite web | url=http://minnesotaelectionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=44B | title=Results for State Representative District 44B | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=July 1, 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701123308/http://minnesotaelectionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=44B | archive-date=July 1, 2015 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Ryan Winkler''' |votes = 10,605 |percentage = 64.64% |change = -2.16% }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Rick Rice |votes = 5,788 |percentage = 35.28% |change = +2.34% }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2008 Minnesota State Representative- House 44B<ref>{{cite web | url=http://minnesotaelectionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=44B | title=Results for State Representative District 44B | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=July 1, 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701125016/http://minnesotaelectionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=44B | archive-date=July 1, 2015 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Ryan Winkler''' |votes = 14,524 |percentage = 66.80% |change = -2.49% }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Bill Kadue |votes = 7,162 |percentage = 32.94% |change = +2.44% }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2006 Minnesota State Representative- House 44B<ref>{{cite web | url=http://minnesotaelectionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20061107/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=44B | title=Results for State Representative District 44B | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | access-date=July 1, 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701123225/http://minnesotaelectionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20061107/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=44B | archive-date=July 1, 2015 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Ryan Winkler''' |votes = 11,987 |percentage = 69.29% |change = N/A }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = John Palmatier |votes = 5,276 |percentage = 30.50% |change = N/A }} {{Election box end}}
===Later career===
In 2021, legalizing recreational marijuana came up for a vote in front of the Minnesota House of Representatives for the first time. Winkler was a lead proponent of the push.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-house-to-take-historic-vote-on-marijuana-legalization-thursday/600056701/|title=Minnesota House casts historic vote to legalize marijuana }}</ref>
==Personal life== Winkler is Lutheran and has Norwegian ancestry. He has three sons.<ref name="Minnesota Legislators Past & Present 2022">{{cite web | title=Winkler, Ryan - Legislator Record | website=Minnesota Legislators Past & Present | date=2022-01-26 | url=https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?ID=15271 | access-date=2022-10-14}}</ref>
In 2023, Winkler started a THC beverage company.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Griffith |first1=Michelle |title=Former House majority leader, key player in THC law, to start THC beverage company |url=https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/03/15/former-house-majority-leader-author-of-thc-law-to-start-thc-beverage-company/ |publisher=Minnesota Reformer |access-date=4 June 2023 |date=15 March 2023}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Portal|Minnesota}} {{reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|15271}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-mn-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Joyce Peppin}} {{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives|years=2019–2023}} {{s-aft|after=Jamie Long}} {{s-end}}
{{MNHMajorityLeaders}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Winkler, Ryan Patrick}} Category:1975 births Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature Category:Lutherans from Minnesota Category:Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:Harvard College alumni Category:Living people Category:People from Bemidji, Minnesota Category:University of Minnesota Law School alumni