Harry Niska

Harry Niska is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Niska represents District 31A in the north Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Ramsey and Andover in Anoka County, Minnesota.[1][2]

Harry Niska
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 31A district
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byCal Bahr
Constituency31A (2023-present)
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJennifer
Children3
ResidenceRamsey, Minnesota
EducationConcordia College (Moorhead, Minnesota) (B.A.)
University of Minnesota Law School (J.D.)
Occupation
WebsiteGovernment website Campaign website

Early life, education and career

Niska grew up in Andover, Minnesota and graduated from Anoka High School. He received his bachelor's degree in political science from Concordia College, Moorhead. Niska received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota, Law School.[1]

Niska worked as a law clerk on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals for Judge Roger Leland Wollman from 2005 to 2006, and for Judge David Stras in 2018. He also served on the Ramsey County Charter Commission. Niska ran in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Minnesota in 2018,[3] but withdrew prior to the primary.[1]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Niska was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. He first ran after legislative redistricting and after three-term Republican incumbent Cal Bahr announced he would not seek reelection and would run for a seat in the Minnesota Senate.[1]

Niska serves on the Commerce Finance and Policy and the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committees.[1]

Political positions

Niska opposed legislation banning conversion therapy in the state, saying there were "free speech violations" contained within the bill.[4] He proposed removing sections in the bill which categorize advertising for the procedure's efficacy as consumer fraud,[4] and removing a ban on "representing homosexuality as a mental disease, disorder, or illness, or guaranteeing to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity".[5]

Electoral history
2022 Minnesota State House - District 31A[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Harry Niska 11,638 59.51
Democratic (DFL) Betsy O'Berry 7,904 40.42
Write-in 15 0.08
Total votes 19,557 100.0
Republican hold

Personal life

Niska lives in Ramsey, Minnesota with his wife, Jen, and has three children.[1]

References
  1. "Niska, Harry - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  2. "Rep. Harry Niska (31A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  3. Lopez, Ricardo (2017-04-17). "Republican attorney Harry Niska joins race for AG". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2022-07-07. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  4. Deng, Grace (February 23, 2023). "Minnesota House passes bill to ban 'conversion therapy' for minors". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved March 16, 2023. Rep. Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, took issue with what he called "free speech violations" in the bill and introduced an amendment to delete the section of the bill that says advertising conversion therapy as successful is consumer fraud. The amendment did not pass.
  5. Cooper, Renée (February 6, 2023). "'Conversion therapy' ban again headed for vote in Minnesota House". KSTP.com. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  6. "2022 Results for State Representative District 31A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
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