Steve Drazkowski

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}

Drazkowski was born in Winona, Minnesota, and grew up on a farm in Bluff Siding, Wisconsin. He graduated from Cochrane-Fountain City High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in agriculture in 1989 from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. In 1994, he earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Minnesota.

Drazkowski is a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources firearms safety instructor, Wabasha County 4-H volunteer, and past president of the Minnesota Forage and Grassland Council.

In 2006, Drazkowski ran unsuccessfully for the District 28 seat in the Minnesota Senate. He subsequently ran for and was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in the August 7, 2007 special election held after Representative Steve Sviggum resigned to become Minnesota's Commissioner of Labor and Industry. He was reelected in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020.{{cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&R=ALL&LD=28B |title=Election Reporting |access-date=11 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313122419/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&R=ALL&LD=28B |archive-date=March 13, 2012 }}

In 2010, Drazkowski introduced legislation in the Minnesota House modeled after Arizona's controversial immigration law.Hoppin, Jason. [http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_15043839?nclick_check=1 Potent reaction to Minnesota immigration bill.] St. Paul Pioneer Press. May 7, 2010.

In 2012, Drazkowski and radio host Dave Thompson proposed an Employee Freedom Constitutional Amendment, which would require a statewide referendum on amending the Minnesota Constitution to include a right-to-work clause weakening unions.{{cite news|last=Kleefeld|first=Eric|title=Minnesota GOP Legislators Eye 'Right-To-Work' Constitutional Amendment|url=http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/minnesota-gop-legislators-eyeing-right-to-work-constitutional-amendment.php|newspaper=Talking Points Memo|date=February 2, 2012}}{{cite news|last=Ragsdale|first=Jim|title=State Republicans launch right-to-work amendment drive|url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/138570014.html|newspaper=Star Tribune|date=February 2, 2012}}

In early 2019, Drazkowski referred U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar to the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board,{{cite news |last=Rosen |first=James |date=April 1, 2019 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Omar Facing Campaign Finance Probe |url=https://wjla.com/news/nation-world/exclusive-omar-facing-campaign-finance-probe |publisher=WJLA |access-date=April 4, 2019}} which enforces Minnesota election ethics rules.{{cite web |author=Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board |title=Mission and Goals |url=https://cfb.mn.gov/pdf/bdinfo/mission_and_goals.pdf?t=1554405903 |publisher=Minnesota|format=PDF |access-date=April 4, 2019}}

On December 7, 2018, Drazkowski and three other Republican state representatives left the GOP House Caucus to form the New Republican House Caucus.{{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| date=December 8, 2018 }} Drazkowski said, "It doesn’t change the fact we’re still Republican. As a matter of fact, our caucus of four is very committed to Republican ideals and values ... We’ll be working very hard to strengthen our party throughout Minnesota, strengthen party units and conservative organizations throughout the state so that we can win the election in two years instead of continuing on a course that could be very similar to the one [November 2018] that really just took 25 percent of our Republican membership in the House." The four members were assigned seats together on the House floor and hired three staff members shortly before the 2019 session began. During the session, they announced several bills that featured their strong interest in constitutional issues and also presented their own budget proposal.{{Cite web |title=New House Republican Caucus |url=https://www.newhousegop.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417022935/https://www.newhousegop.com/ |archive-date=April 17, 2019 |access-date=April 17, 2019 |website=newhousegop.com}}

While arguing against a 2023 bill providing Minnesota students with free breakfast and lunch, Drazkowski said he had "yet to meet a person in Minnesota that is hungry", had "yet to meet a person in Minnesota that says they don't have access to enough food to eat", and that "hunger is a relative term".{{cite magazine |author1=Bess Levin |title=Uniquely Evil Minnesota Republican Steve Drazkowski Votes Against Free School Lunches Because "Hunger Is a Relative Term" |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/03/steve-drazkowski-minnesota-free-school-lunches |magazine=Vanity Fair|publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=23 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314230423/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/03/steve-drazkowski-minnesota-free-school-lunches |archive-date=14 March 2023 |language=en-US |date=14 March 2023 |url-status=live}} A video of Drazkowski making the comments went viral on Twitter and led to national coverage. The bill's sponsor, State Senator Heather Gustafson, tweeted that "1 in 5 students in Sen. Drazkowski's district qualifies for free and reduced lunch".{{Cite web |last=WCCO Staff |date=2023-03-16 |title="I have yet to meet a person in Minnesota that is hungry": Outrage follows Sen. Drazkowski's comments on free school meals |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/i-have-yet-to-meet-a-person-in-minnesota-that-is-hungry-outrage-follows-sen-drazkowskis-comments-on-free-school-meals/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Wu |first=Daniel |date=2023-03-15 |title=Minn. Republican says he's never met a hungry person in his state |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/03/15/minnesota-senator-never-met-hungry/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

On March 17, 2025, Drazkowski was one of the five Republican authors of a bill, SF2589,{{cite web |last1=Lucero |author-link1=Eric Lucero |last2=Drazkowski |author-link2=Steve Drazkowski |last3=Wesenberg |author-link3=Nathan Wesenberg |last4=Eichorn |author-link4=Justin Eichorn |last5=Gruenhagen |author-link5=Glenn Gruenhagen |title=SF 2589 as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF2589&version=0&session=ls94&session_year=2025&session_number=0 |website=www.revisor.mn.gov |access-date=19 March 2025 |date=18 March 2025}} that would designate "Trump Derangement Syndrome" as an officially recognized mental illness in Minnesota.{{cite news |last1=Henderson |first1=Eric |last2=Cummings |first2=Caroline |title=Minnesota Republicans' bill to define "Trump derangement syndrome" as mental illness provokes backlash |work=CBS Minnesota |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/trump-derangement-syndrome-minnesota-senate-republicans/ |access-date=March 18, 2025 |date=March 17, 2025}}

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}

• 2020 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives — District 21B
• Steve Drazkowski (R) 66.6% (15,647 votes)
• Elise Diesslin (DFL), 33.3% (7,831 votes)
• Write-in, 0.1% (24 votes)
• 2018 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives — District 21B
• Steve Drazkowski (R) 63.4% (11,511 votes)
• Jonathan Isenor (DFL), 36.5% (6,619 votes)
• Write-in, 0.1% (17 votes)
• 2016 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives — District 21B
• Steve Drazkowski (R) 65.31% (13,688 votes)
• Elise Diesslin (DFL), 34.69% (7,270 votes)
• 2014 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives — District 21B
• Steve Drazkowski (R) 63.3% (9,075 votes)
• M.A. Schneider (DFL), 36.4% (5,213 votes)
• Write-in, 0.3% (41 votes)
• 2012 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives — District 21B
• Steve Drazkowski (R) 58% (11,759 votes)
• Bruce Montplaisir (DFL), 42% (8,511 votes)
• 2010 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives — District 28B
• Steve Drazkowski (R) 65.15% (9,669 votes)
• Mark Schneider (DFL), 34.77% (5,160 votes)
• Write-in, 0.08% (12 votes)
• 2008 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives — District 28B
• Steve Drazkowski (R) 54.75% (10,980 votes)
• Linda Pfeilsticker (DFL), 45.13% (9,050 votes)
• Write-in, 0.12% (24 votes)
• 2007 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives — District 28B Special Election
• Steve Drazkowski (R) 52.89% (3,762 votes)
• Linda Pfeilsticker (DFL), 46.86% (3,333 votes)
• Write-in, 0.25% (18 votes)
• 2006 Race for Minnesota Senate — District 28
• Steve Murphy (DFL), 54.26% (17,511 votes)
• Steve Drazkowski(R), 45.33% (14,627 votes)
• Steve Wilson (Write-In), 0.20% (64 votes)
• Write-In 0.21% (68 votes)

Drazkowski is a member of the National Rifle Association of America, Whitetails Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, and both the Lake City and Frontenac Sportsmens Clubs.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} He is Catholic, attending the St. Peter and Paul Church in Mazeppa.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} He is divorced; he and his ex-wife, Laura, have one child.{{cite web |date=27 October 2006 |title=Drazkowski denies dragging daughter on campaign trail |url=https://www.republicaneagle.com/news/drazkowski-denies-dragging-daughter-on-campaign-trail/article_54db76b2-3413-5f3a-9391-08e973d8cb8d.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612012924/https://www.republicaneagle.com/news/drazkowski-denies-dragging-daughter-on-campaign-trail/article_54db76b2-3413-5f3a-9391-08e973d8cb8d.html |archive-date=June 12, 2022 |access-date=23 June 2023 |website= Republican Eagle |language=en-US}} In 2006, before he was elected to the legislature, Drazkowski was arrested and charged with assaulting his then 14-year-old daughter.{{cite web |author1=Matthew Stolle |title=State Senate candidate charged with assault |url=https://www.postbulletin.com/news/state-senate-candidate-charged-with-assault |website=PostBulletin |publisher=Post Bulletin and Forum Communications Company |access-date=23 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516002028/https://www.postbulletin.com/news/state-senate-candidate-charged-with-assault |archive-date=16 May 2022 |language=en-US |date=21 October 2005 |url-status=live}} He was acquitted, but at Laura's request, the judge issued a temporary restraining order against him.{{Cite web|url=https://www.winonadailynews.com/news/drazkowski-cleared-of-assault-charge/article_07970ae0-252c-5c53-83e4-05c81bf634a7.html|title=Drazkowski cleared of assault charge|date=January 17, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518104027/https://www.winonadailynews.com/news/drazkowski-cleared-of-assault-charge/article_07970ae0-252c-5c53-83e4-05c81bf634a7.html|archive-date=May 18, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Subscription required}} He co-owns an online retail business and a shoe store in Winona and resides in Mazeppa.

{{Reflist}}

{{wikiquote}}

{{MN-legdb|15286}}

• [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=15286 Rep. Steve Drazkowski Web Page]
• [http://www.draz.com Drazkowski Campaign Web Site]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-mn-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Steve Sviggum
Kenyon}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the House of Representatives
from the 21B district
{{small|28B (2007–2013)}}|years=2007–present}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-end}}

{{Minnesota State Senators}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Drazkowski, Steve}}

Category:Living people

Category:1964 births

Category:People from Wabasha, Minnesota

Category:People from Winona, Minnesota

Category:People from Buffalo County, Wisconsin

Category:University of Wisconsin–River Falls alumni

Category:University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development alumni

Category:Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives

Category:University of Wisconsin–River Falls alumni

Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature