Katie Jones (politician)

Jones grew up in Lebanon, Indiana,^[4] and received a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Purdue University.^[5] She moved to Minnesota to work with Habitat for Humanity in Rochester before relocating to Minneapolis.^[6]

Before beginning her political career, Jones worked as a lobbyist and policy writer with the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) and did work in the City of Minneapolis's Sustainability Office.^[7] She was also a member and president of the Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association,^[1] served on the City of Minneapolis Capital and Long-Range Improvement Committee,^[8] and was appointed to Governor Tim Walz's Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council.^[9]

In 2021, Jones campaigned to represent Ward 10 (representing Whittier, South Uptown and the Wedge) on the Minneapolis City Council.^[1] She was eliminated at third place in the third round of ranked-choice voting, behind Aisha Chughtai and Alicia Gibson, after receiving 19.57% of the first-round votes.^[10] Jones then returned to the Capital Long Range Improvement Committee and continued her work with the Center for Energy and Environment.^[11]

In February 2024, Representative Frank Hornstein announced he would not seek reelection to the Minnesota House of Representatives after 22 years of service representing district 61A, which includes Loring Park and much of the Bde Maka Ska-Isles area.^[12][13] Jones announced her candidacy for the seat on March 6, 2024.^[14] The district DFL caucus did not endorse a candidate,^[15] and three candidates filed and appeared on the DFL primary ballot: Jones; Isabel Rolfes, a legislative staffer for House Majority Leader Jamie Long; and Will Stancil, a researcher at the University of Minnesota and online public intellectual.^[16]

Jones received online threats from right-wing extremists falsely claiming to be Stancil supporters.^[16][17] Having worked on climate policy in the district, she positioned herself as a successor to Hornstein, who focused much of his policy on climate and chaired the Transportation Committee.^[18] Hornstein endorsed her shortly before the primary election,^[19] which Jones won with 43.15% of the vote,^[11] winning a plurality in all but one of the district's precincts.^[20]

No Republican candidates filed for the seat. Jones faced Green Party nominee Toya Lopez.^[21] In the general election on November 5, 2024, Jones was elected with 83.92% of the vote.^[22]