Linda Runbeck
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Linda Runbeck
| image=File:Minnesota State Representative Linda Runbeck in 2017.png
| office = Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
| constituency = 38A (2013–2021)
53A (2011–2013)
| term_start = January 4, 2011
| term_end = January 6, 2021
| preceded = Paul Gardner
| succeeded = Donald Raleigh
| constituency1 = 52A district
| term_start1 = February 8, 1989
| term_end1 = January 4, 1993
| preceded1 = Gordon Voss
| succeeded1 = District redrawn
| state_senate2 = Minnesota
| district2 = 53rd district
| term_start2 = January 5, 1993
| term_end2 = January 2, 2001
| preceded2 = New district
| succeeded2 = Madelyn Reiter
| party=Republican
| birth_date={{birth date and age|1946|6|11}}
| birth_place=
| death_date=
| death_place=
| education =Bethel College (BA)
| spouse=
| children=
| residence=Circle Pines, Minnesota, U.S.
}}
Linda Runbeck (born June 11, 1946) is an American politician who was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1989 to 1993 and again from 2011 to 2021. She was also a member of the Minnesota Senate from 1993 to 2001.
Career
Prior to serving in the Minnesota Legislature, she was a member of the Circle Pines City Council. She was president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, served on the Northwest YMCA’s Advisory Board, receiving its Distinguished Leader Award in 2007, and was also development director at the Minnesota Free Market Institute. She has also been a frequent guest on Almanac, a weekly public affairs television show in Minnesota.{{Cite web | title=Linda Runbeck | url=http://lindarunbeck.com/about.php | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713210406/http://lindarunbeck.com/about.php | access-date=2025-02-06 | archive-date=2011-07-13}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10575|title = Runbeck, Linda - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present}}
She previously worked as director of advertising for County Seat Stores and vice president for Dahlberg Incorporated, a hearing aid manufacturer. She later owned a Miracle-Ear hearing aid franchise.
= Minnesota Legislature =
Runbeck served in the Minnesota Senate, representing District 53 from 1993 to 2001, leaving to make an unsuccessful run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Minnesota's 4th District in 2000 against Betty McCollum. She also served in the House previously, representing the old District 52A from 1989 to 1993 after winning a 1989 special election held after Rep. Gordon Voss resigned to accept an appointment by Governor Rudy Perpich as chief administrator of the Minnesota Metropolitan Waste Control Commission.{{Cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10689|title = Voss, Gordon Owen - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=10575|title = Runbeck, Linda - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present}}
Runbeck was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2010 and re-elected in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. She did not seek re-election in 2020 and was succeeded by Donald Raleigh.
Political positions
Runbeck is a conservative Republican, receiving a lifetime score of 89% from the American Conservative Union.{{Cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|website=Vote Smart|language=en|access-date=2019-08-13}} She supported the 2012 amendments to the Minnesota State Constitution that intended to ban gay marriage{{Cite web|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/issue_view.php?id=140|title=Votetracker|website=minnesota.publicradio.org | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218212757/http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/issue_view.php?id=140 | archive-date=2014-02-18}} and to require a photo ID to vote.{{Cite web|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/issue_view.php?id=131.|title=Wayback Machine|website=minnesota.publicradio.org}} Both of these proposals were later rejected by voters.
Runbeck opposes abortion and voted to ban them past 20 weeks.{{Cite web|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/issue_view.php?id=138|title=MPR Votetracker: Prohibit abortions after 20 weeks | Minnesota Public Radio News|first=Minnesota Public|last=Radio|website=Minnesota Public Radio News}} She has voted to reduce funding for public transportation.{{Cite web|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/issue_view.php?id=145|title=MPR Votetracker: Reduction in mass transit funding, ban on intercity rail projects (omnibus tax bill) | Minnesota Public Radio News|first=Minnesota Public|last=Radio|website=Minnesota Public Radio News}} She supports lifting the moratorium on nuclear power in the state.{{Cite web|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/issue_view.php?id=125|title=Wayback Machine|website=minnesota.publicradio.org}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{MN-legdb|10575}}
- [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=10575 Rep. Runbeck Web Page]
- {{C-SPAN|85225}}
- [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=3930 Project Votesmart – Rep. Linda Runbeck Profile]
- [http://lindarunbeck.com/index.php Linda Runbeck Campaign Web Site]
{{Minnesota House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Runbeck, Linda}}
Category:People from Circle Pines, Minnesota
Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Category:Republican Party Minnesota state senators
Category:Women state legislators in Minnesota
Category:Lutherans from Minnesota