Bjorn Olson
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bjorn Olson (born January 13, 1991) is an American politician serving since 2021 as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and since 2025 as its speaker pro tempore. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Olson represents District 22A in south-central Minnesota, including the city of Fairmont and parts of Blue Earth, Faribault, Martin, and Watonwan Counties.[1][2]
Bjorn Olson | |
|---|---|
| Speaker pro tempore of the Minnesota House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office February 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Dan Wolgamott |
| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 22A district | |
| Assumed office January 5, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Gunther |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 13, 1991 Fairmont, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Hannah |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Bethel University (BA) |
| Website | State House website Campaign website |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Unit | United States Army Reserve |
Early life, education and career
Olson was born in Fairmont, Minnesota, and attended Blue Earth High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and social studies education from Bethel University in 2013.[1]
Olson serves as a Major in the United States Army Reserve. He is a history teacher and farmer and served two terms as mayor of Elmore, Minnesota, before his election to the legislature.[3][4]
Minnesota House of Representatives
Olson was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2020 and reelected in 2022. He first ran after 13-term Republican incumbent Bob Gunther announced he would not seek reelection. Gunther endorsed Olson over his primary challenger.[5]
Olson has served as an assistant minority leader since his swearing-in, and also sits on the Taxes, Transportation Finance and Policy, and Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committees.[1]
Olson has opposed school bike safety programs due to the rural nature of his district, and opposed efforts to study commuter rail, saying it was like "throwing taxpayer dollars in a pit and lighting them on fire".[6][7]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bjorn Olson | 2,484 | 57.34 | |
| Republican | Michael Sukalski | 1,848 | 42.66 | |
| Total votes | 4,332 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bjorn Olson | 14,324 | 68.45 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Patricia Fahey Bacon | 6,523 | 31.17 | |
| Write-in | 80 | 0.38 | ||
| Total votes | 20,927 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bjorn Olson (incumbent) | 12,238 | 69.04 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Marisa Ulmen | 5,473 | 30.88 | |
| Write-in | 14 | 0.08 | ||
| Total votes | 17,770 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bjorn Olson (incumbent) | 15,699 | 69.42 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Marisa Ulmen | 6,896 | 30.49 | |
| Write-in | 21 | 0.09 | ||
| Total votes | 22,616 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Personal life
Olson lives in Fairmont, Minnesota, with his wife, Hannah, and has three children. Hannah writes a motherhood blog called "Just Bee Blog".[3][12] He previously resided in Elmore, Minnesota, and lived in former Vice President and U.S. Senator Walter Mondale's childhood home.[13][14] He moved to Fairmont following 2022 legislative redistricting.[15]