{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use American English|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Minnesota_State_Senator_Tom_Saxhaug,_2016.jpg | name = Tom Saxhaug | state_senate = Minnesota | district = 5th | prior_term = 3rd (2003–2013) | term_start = January 7, 2003 | term_end = January 2, 2017 | preceded = Bob Lessard | succeeded = Justin Eichorn | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|02|22|mf=y}} | birth_place = Grand Rapids, Minnesota, U.S. | alma_mater = St. Olaf College | occupation = | spouse = Nancy | children = 2 }} '''Tom Saxhaug''' (born February 22, 1948) is an American politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 5, which included portions of Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard, and Itasca counties in the northern part of the state.
==Early life, education, and career== Saxhaug completed his secondary education at Grand Rapids High School in Grand Rapids and later received a B.A. from St. Olaf College in Northfield. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served on the Grand Rapids City Council from 1995 to 1997, and was an Itasca County Commissioner from 1997 to 2003. He is a retired insurance agent.<ref name="state1" />
==Minnesota Senate== Saxhaug was first elected in 2002, and was re-elected in 2006, 2010, and 2012.<ref name="state1">{{cite web|url=http://venus.library.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10805 |title=Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Saxhaug, Tom |publisher=Venus.library.leg.state.mn.us |date= |accessdate=2010-07-20}}</ref> Following redistricting in 2012, Saxhaug was placed in District 5 alongside Republican Senator John Carlson.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bierschbach|first=Briana|title=Both sides go all out in Saxhaug-Carlson SD 5 duel|url=http://politicsinminnesota.com/2012/10/both-sides-go-all-out-in-saxhaug-carlson-sd-5-duel/|newspaper=Politics in Minnesota|date=October 17, 2012}}</ref> Saxhaug defeated Carlson on November 6, 2012. He lost re-election to Republican Justin Eichorn in 2016.
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin | title=Minnesota Senate 5th district election, 2012<ref>{{cite web | url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/ENR/Results/AllStateSenate/1 | title=Results for All State Senate Races, 2012 | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | accessdate=February 17, 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110025144/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/ENR/Results/AllStateSenate/1 | archivedate=November 10, 2012 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |candidate = '''Tom Saxhaug''' |votes = 21,301 |percentage = 52.33 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = John Carlson |votes = 19,362 |percentage = 47.56 |change = }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=Minnesota Senate 3rd district election, 2010<ref>{{cite web | url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=A&R=ALLSENS | title=Results for All State Senate Races, 2010 | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | accessdate=February 17, 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426211845/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=A&R=ALLSENS | archivedate=April 26, 2013 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |candidate = '''Tom Saxhaug''' |votes = 18,269 |percentage = 57.76 |change = -7.29pp }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Dan McGuire |votes = 13,320 |percentage = 42.11 |change = +7.32pp }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=Minnesota Senate 3rd district election, 2006<ref>{{cite web | url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20061107/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=A&R=ALLSENS | title=Results for All State Senate Races, 2006 | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | accessdate=February 17, 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110153750/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20061107/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=A&R=ALLSENS | archivedate=November 10, 2012 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |candidate = '''Tom Saxhaug''' |votes = 21,226 |percentage = 65.05 |change = +5.06pp }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Ted Lovdahl |votes = 11,351 |percentage = 34.79 |change = -5.10pp }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=Minnesota Senate 3rd district election, 2002<ref>{{cite web | url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20021105/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=A&R=ALLSENS | title=Results for All State Senate Races, 2002 | publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State | accessdate=February 17, 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110174030/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20021105/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=A&R=ALLSENS | archivedate=November 10, 2012 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |candidate = '''Tom Saxhaug''' |votes = 19,917 |percentage = 59.99 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = J. Mark Wedel |votes = 13,242 |percentage = 39.89 |change = }} {{Election box end}}
==Personal life== Saxhaug and his wife, Nancy, have two children. Son Tim is a member of Bluegrass band Trampled by Turtles.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|10805}} *[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/legislator_view.php?id=14 Minnesota Public Radio Votetracker: Senator Tom Saxhaug]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saxhaug, Tom}} Category:Democratic Party Minnesota state senators Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:People from Grand Rapids, Minnesota Category:St. Olaf College alumni Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature