Rob Kupec
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert J. Kupec (/ˈkuːpɛk/ KOO-pek;[1] born November 27, 1968) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he represents Senate District 4, which includes most of Clay and Becker Counties. Before seeking elected office, he was for a decade the chief meteorologist at KVRR and previously at WDAY-TV.
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Rob Kupec | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 4th district | |
| Assumed office January 4, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Kent Eken |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 27, 1968 |
| Party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Spouse | Deb White |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | State University of New York-Albany |
| Profession | Meteorologist |
Early life, education, and career
Kupec was born in eastern Connecticut.[2] Both of his parents were active union organizers. He attended college at the State University of New York-Albany, studying Atmospheric Science, and earned a degree in 1992.[3] He moved to Moorhead, Minnesota, in 2000, and began work as a meteorologist, first for WDAY-TV and then as chief meteorologist for KVRR.
Political career
Before moving to Minnesota, Kupec ran as a Green Party candidate for the Albany County Legislature in 1999.[4][5]
In 2022, incumbent DFL state senator Kent Eken decided not to seek reelection.[6] Kupec ran, and was unopposed in the DFL primary. He defeated Moorhead City Councilman and Republican nominee Dan Bohmer in the general election with 52.5% of the vote to Bohmer's 46.8%.[7]
Kupec serves on the following committees:[8]
- Vice Chair: Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development
- Health and Human Services
- Higher Education
- Labor