{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Susan Akland | image = | state_house = Minnesota | district = 19A | term_start = January 5, 2021 | term_end = January 2, 2023 | preceded = Jeff Brand | succeeded = Brian Daniels | party = Republican | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|3|7}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = Oklahoma Baptist University (BS) | profession = nurse, legislator | spouse = Mark Akland | children = 1 }} '''Susan Akland''' (born March 7, 1949) is an American politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Republican, she was elected in 2020 and represented District 19A in south-central Minnesota,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rep. Susan Akland (19A) - Minnesota House of Representatives|url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15565|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Minnesota House of Representatives}}</ref> which encompasses the whole of Nicollet County, as well as small portions of Le Sueur and Blue Earth counties, and includes the city of St. Peter and North Mankato.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minnesota Legislative Maps|url=https://www.sos.state.mn.us/election-administration-campaigns/data-maps/minnesota-legislative-maps/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Minnesota Secretary Of State}}</ref>
== Political career == Akland was first elected in 2020, narrowly defeating DFL incumbent Jeff Brand.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rinehart|first=Jake|date=December 3, 2020|title=Akland wins House District 19A following recount|url=https://www.keyc.com/2020/12/03/akland-wins-house-district-following-recount/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=KEYC-TV|language=en}}</ref> Brand then defeated her in a rematch in 2022.
Akland received criticism in 2021, when she was one of many Republican legislators to appear and speak at a self-styled "Storm the Capitol" rally outside of the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul on January 6, which ran concurrent to and endorsed the 2021 United States Capitol attack.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rinehart|first=Jake|date=January 6, 2021|title=Brand calls for Akland's resignation after attending 'Storm the Capitol' rally|url=https://www.keyc.com/2021/01/06/brand-calls-aklands-resignation-after-attending-storm-capitol-rally/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=KEYC-TV|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Mewes|first=Trey|date=January 9, 2021|title=St. Peter freshman lawmaker regrets rally controversy|url=https://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/local_news/st-peter-freshman-lawmaker-regrets-rally-controversy/article_e78f11fc-52c2-11eb-b7d1-a77565c45a51.html|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Mankato Free Press|language=en}}</ref> She defended herself against calls from the former Representative Brand to step down, claiming that she had been invited to the event by colleague Glenn Gruenhagen and did not know of its nature beforehand.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Brooks|first=Jennifer|date=January 28, 2021|title=Minnesota legislators vote to denounce violence at U.S. Capitol – most of them, anyway|url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-legislators-vote-to-denounce-violence-at-u-s-capitol-most-of-them-anyway/600016349/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Star Tribune}}</ref> She would later vote to pass a resolution in the House that specifically condemned the Capitol attack in Washington, D.C., and affirmed the results of the 2020 election.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Minnesota House of Representatives - H.R. NO. 1|url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/votes/votes.asp?ls_year=92&billnum=HR0001&session_number=0&year=2021&id=23|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Minnesota House of Representatives}}</ref>
A former healthcare worker, Akland has been supportive of the wearing of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name=":0" />
== Personal life == Akland is a Christian. She is married to Mark Akland, a physician at the St. Peter Mayo clinic.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wright|first=Mark|date=Oct 11, 2020|title=Akland would be faithful servant to Southern Minnesota|url=https://www.mankatofreepress.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/akland-would-be-faithful-servant-to-southern-minnesota/article_0a41ccda-09b7-11eb-b016-9f52d2f1c538.html|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Mankato Free Press|language=en}}</ref> They have one son, John, and two grandchildren.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Weyhe|first=Philip|date=Jan 29, 2020|title=St. Peter woman announces candidacy for local Minnesota House seat|url=https://www.southernminn.com/st_peter_herald/news/article_5dc8d6e7-0150-5b2c-8a7d-1eeacc681241.html|access-date=2021-07-26|website=St. Peter Herald|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{MN-legdb|15565}}
* [https://www.susanakland.com/ Susan Akland's campaign website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akland, Susan}} Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Women state legislators in Minnesota Category:1949 births Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature Category:Oklahoma Baptist University alumni Category:Nurses from Minnesota Category:People from St. Peter, Minnesota