Cal Bahr
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Cal Bahr
| image = Cal Bahr by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| state_house1 = Minnesota
| district1 = 31B
| prior_term1 =
| term_start1 = January 3, 2017
| term_end1 = January 4, 2023
| predecessor1 = Tom Hackbarth
| successor1 = Peggy Scott
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|07|17|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Cook County, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| spouse = Ellen Carey (Borchert)
| residence = East Bethel, Minnesota
| alma_mater = Stockton High School
| occupation = Small Business Owner
| office = Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 31st District
| predecessor = Michelle Benson
| term_start = January 3, 2023
}}
Calvin Bahr (born July 17, 1962) is an American businessman, truck driver and politician serving since 2023 as a member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents the 31st district, in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Career
Bahr was in the United States Army from 1980 to 1989.{{cite web|title=Bahr, Cal|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=15455|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=January 10, 2017}} He was a member of the Upper Rum River Water Management Organization board.{{cite news|title=Bahr, Larson vie for open seat in House District 31B|url=http://abcnewspapers.com/2016/10/14/bahr-larson-vie-for-open-seat-in-house-district-31b/|accessdate=January 10, 2017|work=ABC Newspapers|publisher=ECM Publishers|date=October 14, 2016|language=en-us}}
=Minnesota House of Representatives=
Bahr was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016. He won the Republican endorsement over incumbent Tom Hackbarth and defeated him in the Republican primary.{{cite news|last1=Howard|first1=Ryan|title=Hackbarth gets no-confidence vote from district GOP|url=http://abcnewspapers.com/2016/06/24/hackbarth-gets-no-confidence-vote-from-district-gop/|accessdate=January 10, 2017|work=ABC Newspapers|publisher=ECM Publishers|date=June 24, 2016|language=en-us}}{{cite news|last1=Moran-Froemming|first1=Mandy|title=Bahr unseats Hackbarth in House 31B primary|url=http://abcnewspapers.com/2016/08/09/bahr-unseats-hackbarth-in-house-31b-primary/|accessdate=January 10, 2017|work=ABC Newspapers|publisher=ECM Publishers|date=August 9, 2016|language=en-us}} He was reelected in 2018. On December 7, 2018, Bahr and three other House members left the GOP House Caucus to form the New House Republican Caucus due to dissatisfaction with the House Republican leadership.{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.mprnews.org/capitol-view/2018/12/renegade-house-members-split-from-gop-caucus/|title=Renegade House members split from GOP caucus|last=Bakst|first=Brian|website=Capitol View|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-08}} The caucus has introduced bills that feature their strong interest in constitutional issues as well as their own budget proposal.
=Minnesota Senate=
In 2022, Bahr ran for the open 31st State Senate seat, after incumbent Michelle Benson retired.{{Citation |title=Senator Michelle Benson Says Farewell to the Minnesota Senate |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H0A9dW4nhY |access-date=2023-03-14 |language=en}} He won the Republican primary with 78.6% of the vote, and defeated Democratic nominee Jason Ruffalo in the general election.{{Cite web |title=Calvin Bahr |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Calvin_Bahr |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}
Bahr is considered one of the Senate's farthest-right members.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-05 |title=If the Minnesota Senate shifts to the right, what does it mean for the powerful chamber? |url=https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2022/07/if-the-minnesota-senate-shifts-to-the-right-what-does-it-mean-for-the-powerful-chamber/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=MinnPost |language=en-US}}
In 2023, Bahr went viral after a video from a vote during the legislative session showed him voting shirtless from a bed.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-23 |title=Minnesota lawmaker Sen. Bahr is shirtless during Zoom meeting: Video |url=https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-lawmaker-sen-bahr-is-shirtless-during-zoom-meeting|access-date=2023-05-01 |website=MinnPost |language=en-US}} According to a party spokesperson, Bahr had been working until 4:45am driving his truck the night before the vote.{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/senator-minnesota-shirtless-zoom-vote-97fdd77c54ff9f5dccbb5fcc51dd9df3 |title=State senator makes shirtless vote during Zoom meeting |date=May 2, 2023 |publisher=AP News |access-date=May 9, 2023}}
Electoral history
- 2022 Minnesota Senate race — District 31
- Cal Bahr (R) 63.7% (25,705 votes)
- Jason Ruffalo (DFL), 36.2% (14,585 votes)
- Write-in, 0.1% (22 votes)
- 2020 Minnesota House of Representatives race — District 31B
- Cal Bahr (R) 67.1% (17,447 votes)
- Susan Larson (DFL), 32.8% (8,532 votes)
- Write-in, 0.1% (22 votes)
- 2018 Minnesota House of Representatives race — District 31B
- Cal Bahr (R) 64.4% (12,840 votes)
- Susan Larson (DFL), 35.5% (7,080 votes)
- Write-in, 0.1% (18 votes)
- 2016 Minnesota House of Representatives race — District 31B
- Cal Bahr (R) 66.53% (14,785 votes)
- Susan Larson (DFL), 33.47% (7,438 votes)
Personal life
Bahr had two daughters with his first wife. Combined, he and his second wife, Ellen, who died in 2020, have four children and three grandchildren. Bahr resides in East Bethel, Minnesota.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{MN-legdb|15455}}
- [https://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.html?mem_id=1261 Senator Cal Bahr] official Minnesota Senate website
- [https://bahrforsenate.com/ Official campaign website]
{{Minnesota State Senators}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahr, Cal}}
Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Category:People from Anoka County, Minnesota
Category:Politicians from Cook County, Illinois
Category:Military personnel from Illinois