A south metro school principal—who doubles as a state representative—announced last week that he will run for the Minnesota Senate next year.
Ben Bakeberg ran for a Scott County seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022 with a plan to bring his administrative experience to the state legislature. The Jordan Middle School principal won his race in convincing fashion.
Since then, Bakeberg earned a second term while continuing his career as a principal and has served as the co-vice chair of the education finance committee in the House.
On Thursday, Bakeberg said he plans to take that experience to the Minnesota Senate. The Republican lawmaker will run for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake. Pratt is leaving the seat to run for Congress.
“From my years as an educator to my time as a current lawmaker, my mission has been simple—serve people,” Bakeberg said in a public statement. “That means listening to priorities, learning what works, and leading to deliver results for Minnesota families.”
Over the course of his time in the legislature, Bakeberg has opposed legislation that would delay when student proficiency scores are publicly released and supported a fix to a 2023 law that kept many police departments from stationing school resources officers in school buildings.
“We’ve taken important steps to restore balance to budgets, address workforce priorities and crack down on waste and fraud—but we’re just getting started. In the Minnesota Senate, I’ll continue to champion common-sense solutions that build strong families, strong communities, and strong schools,” said Bakeberg.
The legislative office sought by Bakeberg is considered a Republican seat. Pratt, who has represented Scott County in the Senate since 2013, won his most recent election in 2022 by roughly 13 points.
“I want to thank Senator Pratt for his years of service and unwavering commitment to our community and our state,” Bakeberg said. “Eric has been a mentor, a friend, and a legislator of great distinction.”
At present, the Democrats have a one-seat advantage in the Senate.
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
