SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Rep. Mike Sundin (DFL – Esko) has announced his intention to not seek reelection to the Minnesota House this coming November. First elected in November 2012, Rep. Sundin represents District 11A which includes all of Carlton County plus portions of Pine and St. Louis Counties.
“I want to give my heartfelt thanks to the people of Carlton County and the surrounding areas who gave me the opportunity to serve our communities at the State Capitol. It’s been a tremendous honor to be a part of some important work at the Legislature, but it’s time for a new voice to step up in this role,” Rep. Sundin said. “We still have a great deal of important work left before us this session and I look forward to helping ensure all Minnesotans can have a brighter future.”
At the Capitol, Rep. Sundin has worked to bolster economic security for families, create access to good-paying jobs with fair pay and benefits, strengthen the agriculture and food production industries, improve safety in the workplace, create new opportunities for students, tackle the high cost of health care, and expand broadband.
In 2019, as chair of the House Labor Committee, he played an instrumental role in the passage of the toughest wage theft prevention and enforcement law in the country. He also successfully championed “Helmets to Hardhats” legislation, a program providing a pathway for veterans to earn apprentices in skilled construction trades.
Rep. Sundin took over as chair of the House Agriculture Committee last year and was the chief author of a bipartisan, innovative Agriculture budget bill that funded priorities such as emerging farmer outreach, the Farm Advocate program, urban and youth agriculture, the Farm-to-School initiative, the Good Food Access program, and new investments in small-scale meat processing. This year, he’s working to deliver a relief package for Minnesota farmers and livestock producers who were impacted by the 2021 drought conditions.
Prior to serving in the House, Rep. Sundin was a member of the Cloquet School Board from 1995 to 2000. He’s a retired member of the Painters & Allied Trades Local and has served as a delegate to the Duluth Central Labor Body.
He plans to continue serving the residents of District 11A through the remainder of his term ending next January. He encourages constituents to reach out to him with questions, ideas, or requests for assistance by phone at 651-296-4308 or email at rep.mike.sundin@house.mn.