Rep. Mark Anderson will not seek third House term

In the middle of his second House term, Rep. Mark Anderson (R-Lake Shore) announced Monday he will not be seeking a third.

“I will have served four years in the House and it's time to move on and let someone else take the wheel," Anderson said in a statement. “This decision comes down to wanting to spend more time with family and giving more attention to the three companies I am running with my wife, Barb." His business interests include owning Gull Dam Brewing in Nisswa.

Rep. Mark Anderson

Anderson currently serves on five House committees: Agriculture Finance, Agriculture Policy, Mining and Outdoor Recreation Policy, State Government Finance and Transportation Policy and Finance. Among the laws he sponsored was last session’s HF1434 to repeal the prohibition on firearm suppressor possession.

His father, Don, served in the Minnesota Senate from 1982-1990.

"It has been a true honor to represent the people of our area at the House," Anderson said. "The people I have met, the relationships I have established, and the support I have received over the years, it all has been very humbling. If I learned anything from my dad, it was to stay true to my principles and to the people who sent me to St. Paul. I can walk away with peace of mind knowing I did exactly that. I look forward to whatever it is the next chapter in life brings, not ruling out other future political aspirations."