Jen McEwen
Jennifer A. McEwen (/mɪˈkjuːɪn/ mih-KEW-in; born May 14, 1977) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), she represents Senate District 8, which includes the city of Duluth in St. Louis County.
Jen McEwen | |
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Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 8th district | |
Assumed office January 5, 2021 | |
Preceded by | Erik Simonson |
Personal details | |
Born | Carbondale, Illinois, U.S. | May 14, 1977
Political party | Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |
Other political affiliations | Democratic Socialists of America[lower-alpha 1] |
Residence | Duluth, Minnesota |
Alma mater | University of Maine Hamline University School of Law |
Profession | Attorney |
Early life, education, and career
McEwen is a Duluth native who had received her B.A. from the University of Maine. She then attended the Hamline University School of Law, earning a J.D., after which she became an attorney for disabled workers and board president of the Damiano Center, where she has worked with families struggling with food security.[2] McEwen is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).[3]
Minnesota State Senate
In 2020, McEwen challenged incumbent Senator Erik Simonson for the DFL endorsement in District 7. She won the endorsement and the primary, with 77% of the vote.[4] She then won the general election against Republican nominee Donna Bergstrom, a second-time candidate who ran against Simonson in 2016, with just over 68% of the vote.[5] McEwen was reelected in 2022.[6] In 2023, she wrote and sponsored the Protect Reproductive Options Act, which protects abortion rights in Minnesota, after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.[7][8] McEwen also wrote and supported legislation to reestablish passenger rail service between the Twin Cities and Duluth, the Northern Lights Express.[9]
McEwen serves on the following committees:[10]
- Ranking Minority Member: Labor and Industry Policy
- Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance
- Transportation Finance and Policy
Explanatory notes
- Democratic Socialists of America is not a registered political party, instead, it is a political organization for those with democratic socialist ideology.[1]
References
- Stein, Jeff (2017-08-05). "9 questions about the Democratic Socialists of America you were too embarrassed to ask". Vox. Archived from the original on 2018-11-11. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
- Aug 12th 2020 - 10am, Teri Cadeau | (12 August 2020). "McEwen advances to Minnesota Senate District 7 general election". Duluth News Tribune. Archived from the original on 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
- Dreier, Peter (2020-12-11). "The Number Of Democratic Socialists In The House Will Soon Double. But The Movement Scored Its Biggest Victories Down Ballot". Talking Points Memo. Archived from the original on 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
- "What a progressive DFLer's primary victory in Duluth says (and doesn't say) about politics and environmental policy in northern Minnesota". MinnPost. 2020-08-13. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
- "Index - Election Results". electionresults.sos.state.mn.us. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
- Passi, Peter (2022-11-09). "McEwen retains Duluth's Senate District 8 seat". Duluth News Tribune. Archived from the original on 2022-11-18. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
- Bierschbach, Briana (28 January 2023). "What you need to know about abortion bills moving at the Minnesota Capitol". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2023-01-28. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
- Derosier, Alex (2023-01-27). "Minnesota Senate set to vote on abortion rights protections". Detroit Lakes Tribune. Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
- Derosier, Alex (24 January 2023). "Advocates of Twin Cities-Duluth passenger rail service say they are more optimistic about approval". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-12.