Wagenius announces she will not seek an 18th term in House

Rep. Jean Wagenius (DFL-Mpls) has represented what is now District 63B since 1987. Next year’s session will be her last.

The 17-term member announced Tuesday she will not seek re-election in 2020.

“I have been on the cutting edge of so many issues during my career and have championed clean air and clean water even when those issues were on the legislature’s back burner,” she said in a statement. “Now, thanks to Minnesotans who voted in 2018, there is a new and larger group of legislators who are already effective leaders for clean air and water and combating climate change. I can now serve in a new way. I will not stop being an advocate and a mentor.”

Wagenius currently chairs the House Energy and Climate Finance and Policy Division, and has previously chaired agriculture, environment, judiciary, labor, state taxes and transportation committees.

During her final year in office, according to her statement, “Wagenius expects to focus on climate issues and will continue to push state agencies to meet their statutory responsibilities to protect drinking water sources.”

WATCH 2014 interview with Wagenius