Kelly Morrison
American physician and politician (born 1969)
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Kelly Louise Morrison (born February 2, 1969)[1] is an American physician and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district since 2025. Morrison was a member of the Minnesota Senate from 2023 to 2024. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, she represented District 45 in the western Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Minnetonka, Mound, Minnetrista, and Orono in Hennepin County. She served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023.[1]
Kelly Morrison | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 3rd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Dean Phillips |
| Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 45th district | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – June 6, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Ann Rest |
| Succeeded by | Ann Johnson Stewart |
| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 33B district | |
| In office January 8, 2019 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Cindy Pugh |
| Succeeded by | Josiah Hill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kelly Louise Morrison February 2, 1969 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Spouse | John Willoughby |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Yale University (BA) Boston University (attended) Case Western Reserve University (MD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
On November 9, 2023, Morrison announced she would run in the Democratic primary for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in the 2024 House elections, after the incumbent, Dean Phillips, announced his run against President Joe Biden in the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries.[2] She was elected on November 5, 2024, defeating Republican Tad Jude.[3]
Early life, education, and career
Morrison was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She attended Jefferson Elementary School in Minneapolis and graduated from The Blake School.[1][4][5]
Morrison attended Yale University and graduated cum laude[6] with a Bachelor of Arts in history. She attended Boston University for her pre-medical requirements and graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.[1]
Morrison is a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist.[1][7]
Minnesota Legislature
House of Representatives
Morrison was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Cindy Pugh.[8] She was reelected in 2020, defeating Republican nominee Andrew Myers.[9]
Morrison represented District 33B, including portions of Hennepin and Carver counties.[1] During the 2021-2022 session, she served as an assistant majority leader for the House DFL Caucus.[1]
2019-2020 committee assignments:[1]
- Health and Human Services Policy
- Education Finance Division/Health and Human Services Finance Division: Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division
- Environment and Natural Resources Finance
- Water Division
2021-2022 committee assignments:[1]
- Early Childhood Finance and Policy
- Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
- Health Finance and Policy
- Health Finance and Policy: Preventive Health Policy Division
Senate
After legislative redistricting in 2022, Morrison announced she would run for the DFL endorsement in the newly created Senate District 45. She was endorsed by Speaker of the Minnesota House Melissa Hortman and U.S. Representative Dean Phillips.[10] Morrison won the party's endorsement over incumbent Senator Ann Johnson Stewart.[10] Stewart announced she would not challenge Morrison in the primary and endorsed her.[11] In the general election, Morrison defeated Republican nominee Kathleen Fowke.[12]
Morrison served as an assistant majority leader for the Senate DFL Caucus during the 2023-2024 session.[1]
Morrison resigned from the Minnesota Senate on June 6, 2024, to focus on her 2024 congressional campaign.[13]
2023-2024 committee assignments:[1]
- Vice Chair: Transportation
- Environment, Climate and Legacy
- Health and Human Services
- State and Local Government and Veterans
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2024
On November 9, 2023, Morrison announced she would run in the Democratic primary for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district after the incumbent, Dean Phillips, decided to run against President Joe Biden in the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries. Morrison said she strongly supported Biden, calling him a "transformational president".[2]
Morrison and Phillips had endorsed each other in previous races, and Morrison called Phillips "a good friend of hers".[2] Her announcement emphasized her work passing pro-choice legislation and that she would be the only OB-GYN in Congress if elected.[14] Morrison's campaign had been endorsed by several state legislators, former Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, and a former president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States.[2][15]
On November 24, 2023, Phillips announced he would not seek reelection to the House regardless of the outcome of his presidential campaign. He also said he would not endorse anyone in the race for his former seat.[16] Morrison thanked Phillips for his service in a statement after his announcement.[16]
A primary was not held after only one candidate per major party filed for office.[17][18] Morrison won the election on November 5, 2024, 58% to 42%.[19] She was described as the "first pro-choice OB-GYN elected to Congress".[20]
Tenure
Morrison was sworn into the 119th Congress on January 3, 2025.[21] At the start of the session, she joined the House's first Democratic Doctors' Caucus, expressing a hope to form a bipartisan physicians' caucus in the future.[22]
Committee assignments
Caucus memberships
- New Democrat Coalition
- Congressional Equality Caucus
- Reproductive Freedom Caucus (Freshman Representative)
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Kelly Morrison | 11,786 | 50.43 | ||
| Republican | Cindy Pugh (Incumbent) |
11,570 | 49.50 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Kelly Morrison (Incumbent) | 14,202 | 50.52 | ||
| Republican | Andrew Myers | 13,889 | 49.41 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Kelly Morrison | 27,222 | 56.27 | ||
| Republican | Kathleen Fowke | 21,128 | 43.67 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Kelly Morrison | 240,209 | 58.4 | |
| Republican | Tad Jude | 170,427 | 41.5 | |
| Write-in | 504 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 411,140 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Personal life
Morrison and her husband, John Willoughby, have three children. She resides in Deephaven, Minnesota.[1] She is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Excelsior, Minnesota.[1]