Glenn Gruenhagen

American politician

Glenn Gruenhagen

Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 17th district

Incumbent

Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded by| Scott Newman
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 25A district
In office
January 4, 2011 – January 8, 2013
Preceded by| Laura Brod
Succeeded by| Duane Quam
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 18B district
In office
January 8, 2013 – January 3, 2023
Preceded by| Dean Urdahl
Succeeded by| Luke Frederick
Personal details
Born|  (1952-02-01) February 1, 1952 (age 73)[1]
Glencoe, Minnesota
Political party| Republican Party of Minnesota
Spouse|

Emily

(m. 1975)​

[1][2]
Children| 3 daughters[1]
Residence| Glencoe, Minnesota[1]
Alma mater| The American College of Financial Services
Occupation| Small business owner, insurance agent[1][2]

Glenn H. Gruenhagen (born February 1, 1952) is an American politician from Minnesota. He serves in the Minnesota Senate representing District 17, which includes Carver, McLeod, Meeker, and Sibley Counties.[3] A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Gruenhagen has been the subject of both state and national headlines for his opposition to homosexuality and gay marriage, his climate change denial, his opposition to vaccine mandates, his denial of the results of the 2020 United States elections at both the state and federal levels, and his proposal to require instruction in Minnesota high schools on the cause of "sickness, disease, pain, suffering, and death". Gruenhagen works as an insurance agent. He owns Gruenhagen Insurance and Financial Services in Glencoe.

## Early life and education

[edit]

Gruenhagen was born on February 1, 1952,[1] and grew up on a dairy farm near Glencoe, Minnesota. He graduated from Glencoe High School.[2] In 1971, while he was a student at Willmar Junior College, Gruenhagen's draft lottery number was selected. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in February 1971 and served at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton until his honorable discharge in February 1973.[1][2]

After his military service, Gruenhagen enrolled at North Hennepin Community College and then the University of Minnesota, where he majored in business. He later received his Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter designations from The American College of Financial Services.[1][2]

Gruenhagen was elected to the Glencoe-Silver Lake school board in 1994 and served in that position for 16 years.[1][2]

## Minnesota state legislature

[edit]

Gruenhagen was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2010, defeating Democratic nominee Mick McGuire for the seat representing District 25A, where incumbent representative Laura Brod had declined to seek reelection. After the 2012 redistricting of the Minnesota Legislature, he was elected to represent House District 17B and reelected in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.[4] In 2022, Gruenhagen defeated Democratic nominee Chad Tschimperle 70%-30% to win a seat in the Minnesota Senate, representing District 17.

## Political beliefs

[edit]

### Climate change

[edit]

Gruenhagen does not accept the scientific consensus on climate change. He has called climate change "a complete United Nations fraud and lie" and claimed that those who believe in it believe that exhalation causes global warming.[5] In a January 2021 committee hearing, he said that 97% of scientists believe in climate change only because of "lies and indoctrination".[6] A few months later, he attempted to amend a large House climate and energy bill to redefine wind power and solar power as "dirty, inefficient and expensive".[7]

### Homosexuality and same-sex marriage

[edit]

Gruenhagen believes homosexuality is "unhealthy" and an "addiction".[8] On March 11, 2013, a day before Minnesota state legislative committees were set to hold a public hearing on a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state, he raised a point of personal privilege on the House floor. He then introduced Kevin Petersen, who Gruenhagen claimed was a friend who had "left the gay lifestyle" after ten years, entered a heterosexual marriage and fathered three children.[8][9] An activist, Petersen served with Gruenhagen as a member of the Pro-Marriage Amendment Forum, a group advocating for a constitutional amendment in Minnesota to prohibit same-sex marriage.[8][10]

In March 2022, Gruenhagen opposed a bill banning conversion therapy, expressing his preference that the practice be called "reparative therapy" and remain accessible in Minnesota.[11]

### 2020 election denial

[edit]

See also: Election denial movement in the United States

Following the 2020 United States and Minnesota state election cycles, Gruenhagen was rebuked by the Minnesota Secretary of State when he claimed that a large number of absentee ballots in the 2020 election were not connected to registered voters and called for a forensic audit of the state election.[12] Gruenhagen and several other Minnesota state lawmakers then attended the "Storm the Capitol" rally in St. Paul on January 6, 2021, and were later investigated for their participation in the event.[13]

### Opposition to vaccine mandates

[edit]

On January 5, 2023, Gruenhagen and other Republican state lawmakers spoke at a rally opposing the COVID-19 vaccine and workplace mandates requiring employees to receive it.[14] Gruenhagen had previously spoken in support of a bill that would have banned COVID-19 vaccine mandates, required the state to create a "vaccine bill of rights", and set additional requirements regarding the sources of vaccine information medical providers give patients.[15]

### Senate File 517

[edit]

Later that month, Gruenhagen introduced Senate File 517, a bill that would require school districts to "provide instruction to students in grades 9 to 12 exploring the contrast between the scientific facts on how sickness, disease, pain, suffering, and death relate to the existence of complex living organisms, and how sickness, disease, pain, suffering, and death are a consequence imposed by the Creator of complex living organisms."[16]

### "Trump derangement syndrome" bill

[edit]

On March 17, 2025, Gruenhagen was one of the five Republican authors of a bill, SF2589,[17] that would designate "Trump Derangement Syndrome" as an officially recognized mental illness in Minnesota.[18]

## Personal life

[edit]

Gruenhagen and his wife Emily have been married since 1975 and have lived in Glencoe since 1978.[2][2] They have three children.[1] Gruenhagen is a member of the American Legion and the Glencoe Rotary Club.[2] He owns and operates Gruenhagen Insurance and Financial Services.[2]

## Electoral history

[edit]

2010 Minnesota House of Representatives District 25A General Election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Glenn Gruenhagen  | 8,299  | 51%
| Democratic | Mick McGuire  | 7,963  | 49%
Total votes | 16,262  | 100%
2012 Minnesota House of Representatives District 17B General Election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Glenn Gruenhagen  | 11,053  | 58.1%
| Democratic | Logan Campa  | 7,971  | 41.9%
Total votes | 19,024  | 100%
2014 Minnesota House of Representatives District 17B General Election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Glenn Gruenhagen  | 8,801  | 63.9%
| Democratic | John Lipke  | 4,939  | 35.9%
Total votes | 13,740  | 100%
2016 Minnesota House of Representatives District 17B General Election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Glenn Gruenhagen  | 13,167  | 67.9%
| Republican | Darrel Mosel  | 6,229  | 32.1%
Total votes | 19,396  | 100%
2018 Minnesota House of Representatives District 17B General Election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Glenn Gruenhagen  | 10,843  | 66.7
| Democratic | Ashley Latzke  | 5,403  | 33.2
Total votes | 16,246  | 100%
2020 Minnesota House of Representatives District 17B General Election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Glenn Gruenhagen  | 15,475  | 71.4
| Democratic | Heather Bakke  | 6,185  | 28.5%
Total votes | 21,660  | 100%
2022 Minnesota State Senate District 17 General Election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Glenn Gruenhagen  | 27,078  | 70.2%
| Democratic | Chad Tschimperle  | 11,481  | 29.8%
Total votes | 38,559  | 100%

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Gruenhagen, Glenn". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Glenn's Story". glenngruenhagen.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
3. ^ "Senate District Information, Counties 2023-24". Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
4. ^ "Glenn Gruenhagen". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
5. ^ Rayfield, Jillian (16 May 2013). "Minnesota GOPer: Climate change is a "United Nations fraud"". Salon. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
6. ^ Kats, Rachel (27 January 2021). "More pandemics? Health division hears how public health and climate change converge". Minnesota Legislature. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
7. ^ Kraker, Dan (16 April 2021). "Climate politics: Key takeaways from climate change action at the Legislature". MPR News. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
8. ^ a b c Scheck, Tom (11 March 2013). "House riled by lawmaker's comments on "gay lifestyle"". MPR News. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
9. ^ "Glenn Gruenhagen, Minnesota Rep, Introduces 'Ex-Gay' Friend Kevin Petersen At House Session". HuffPost. 12 March 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
10. ^ "Pro-Marriage Amendment Forum's Gruenhagen calls Sigmund Freud a pervert & a moron". Bluestem Prairie. 8 July 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
11. ^ Pugmire, Tim (2 March 2022). "Bill that bans 'conversion therapy' clears Minn. House committee". MPR News. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
12. ^ Jones, Jeremy (6 October 2021). "Secretary of State calls latest election claims by local state Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen 'unsubstantiated garbage'". Hutchinson Leader. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
13. ^ Lopez, Ricardo (15 January 2021). "Gruenhagen, five other state lawmakers under investigation after participation in St. Paul 'Storm the Capitol' rally". Hutchinson Leader. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
14. ^ Nesterak, Max (6 January 2023). "New Minnesota senator calls COVID-19 vaccines a 'death shot' at Capitol rally". Minnesota Reformer. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
15. ^ Derosier, Alex (20 April 2022). "Minnesota lawmakers, activists call for vaccine mandate ban". Duluth News Tribune. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
16. ^ Branch, Glenn (10 February 2023). "A bill in Minnesota requiring instruction about "the Creator"". National Center for Science Education. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
17. ^ Lucero; Drazkowski; Wesenberg; Eichorn; Gruenhagen (18 March 2025). "SF 2589 as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)". www.revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
18. ^ Henderson, Eric; Cummings, Caroline (March 17, 2025). "Minnesota Republicans' bill to define "Trump derangement syndrome" as mental illness provokes backlash". CBS Minnesota. Retrieved March 18, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Glenn Gruenhagen at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
* Glenn Gruenhagen on Twitter
* Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen Archived 2021-02-21 at the Wayback Machine official campaign website

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Minnesota Senate

94th Minnesota Legislature (2025-2027)

President
Bobby Joe Champion (DFL)
President pro tempore
Ann Rest (DFL)
Majority Leader
Erin Murphy (DFL)
Minority Leader
Mark Johnson (R)

1. ▌Mark Johnson (R)
2. ▌Steven Green (R)
3. ▌Grant Hauschild (DFL)
4. ▌Rob Kupec (DFL)
5. ▌Paul Utke (R)
6. ▌Keri Heintzeman (R)
7. ▌Robert Farnsworth (R)
8. ▌Jen McEwen (DFL)
9. ▌Jordan Rasmusson (R)
10. ▌Nathan Wesenberg (R)
11. ▌Jason Rarick (R)
12. ▌Torrey Westrom (R)
13. ▌Jeff Howe (R)
14. ▌Aric Putnam (DFL)
15. ▌Gary Dahms (R)
16. ▌Andrew Lang (R)
17. ▌Glenn Gruenhagen (R)
18. ▌Nick Frentz (DFL)
19. ▌John Jasinski (R)
20. ▌Steve Drazkowski (R)
21. ▌Bill Weber (R)
22. ▌Rich Draheim (R)
23. ▌Gene Dornink (R)
24. ▌Carla Nelson (R)
25. ▌Liz Boldon (DFL)
26. ▌Jeremy Miller (R)
27. ▌Andrew Mathews (R)
28. ▌Mark Koran (R)
29. ▌Vacant
30. ▌Eric Lucero (R)
31. ▌Cal Bahr (R)
32. ▌Michael Kreun (R)
33. ▌Karin Housley (R)
34. ▌John Hoffman (DFL)
35. ▌Jim Abeler (R)
36. ▌Heather Gustafson (DFL)
37. ▌Warren Limmer (R)
38. ▌Susan Pha (DFL)
39. ▌Mary Kunesh-Podein (DFL)
40. ▌John Marty (DFL)
41. ▌Judy Seeberger (DFL)
42. ▌Bonnie Westlin (DFL)
43. ▌Ann Rest (DFL)
44. ▌Tou Xiong (DFL)
45. ▌Ann Johnson Stewart (DFL)
46. ▌Ron Latz (DFL)
47. ▌Vacant
48. ▌Julia Coleman (R)
49. ▌Steve Cwodzinski (DFL)
50. ▌Alice Mann (DFL)
51. ▌Melissa Wiklund (DFL)
52. ▌Jim Carlson (DFL)
53. ▌Matt Klein (DFL)
54. ▌Eric Pratt (R)
55. ▌Lindsey Port (DFL)
56. ▌Erin Maye Quade (DFL)
57. ▌Zach Duckworth (R)
58. ▌Bill Lieske (R)
59. ▌Bobby Joe Champion (DFL)
60. ▌Doron Clark (DFL)
61. ▌Scott Dibble (DFL)
62. ▌Omar Fateh (DFL)
63. ▌Zaynab Mohamed (DFL)
64. ▌Erin Murphy (DFL)
65. ▌Sandy Pappas (DFL)
66. ▌Clare Oumou Verbeten (DFL)
67. ▌Foung Hawj (DFL)

Majority caucus
▌Democratic–Farmer–Labor (33)
Minority caucus
▌Republican (32)
Vacant
▌Vacant (2)

* Minnesota Legislature
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