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Patricia Mueller

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Patricia Mueller
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 27B district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 5, 2021
Preceded byJeanne Poppe
Personal details
Born (1981-03-28) March 28, 1981 (age 43)
Oakdale, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican Party of Minnesota
SpouseDan Mueller
ResidenceAustin, Minnesota
Alma materWinona State University
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Professioneducator, legislator

Patricia Mueller (born March 28, 1981) is an American politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Republican, she was elected in 2020 and represents District 27B in southwestern Minnesota,[1] which encompasses most of Mower County as well as parts of Dodge and Freeborn Counties, and includes the city of Austin,[2] her hometown.[1]

Early life and education

Patricia "Patty" Mueller was born and raised in Oakdale, Minnesota.[3] She graduated from Tartan Senior High School in 1999, and from Winona State University, earning her B.S. in English education in 2003.[4] After that, she enrolled at Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she earned an M.S. in curriculum instruction in 2018.[5][3]

After graduating, Mueller began work as a teacher. In 2007, she and her husband moved to rural China to teach English as part of a mission trip.[6] She cites this time abroad as part of her inspiration to become active in politics.[4] The couple returned to the United States in 2010, ultimately settling in Austin, Minnesota in 2015.[4] She has worked in Austin public schools since 2016,[5] having taught at Austin High School.[7]

Political career

Mueller was approached by local members of the Republican Party in her district to consider running for state office in 2018. District 27B had been held by the DFL since 2004, but voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.[6] She ran in 2019, and was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2020, unseating the eight-term DFL incumbent Jeanne Poppe.[8]

Mueller serves on three committees: Education Finance, Education Policy, and Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy.[3] Her major legislative concerns are listed as farming, education, and healthcare.[3]

Political views

Mueller describes herself as a "constitutional conservative with some libertarian leanings", and has professed that the government should limit its role to protecting individual rights and personal freedom. She has also stressed the importance of considering the needs of rural Minnesota as distinct from the Twin Cities metropolitan area.[4]

In September 2021, Mueller spoke in Austin about the Afghan refugees settling across Minnesota, welcoming them and saying, "As they come from a horrible, impossible place, they have experiences that can teach us and make our communities richer and make our lives better, as well ... I'm so proud to represent an area that has so much multiculturalism and values people from all different walks of life."[9]

Electoral history

2020 Minnesota State Representative - House 27B[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Patricia Mueller 9907 51.53 +8.99
Democratic (DFL) Jeanne Poppe (Incumbent) 9295 48.35 −9.03
Write-in 22 0.11 +0.04

Personal life

In 2004, Mueller married Dan Mueller, whom she met while studying at Winona State University. Dan was a member of the city of Austin's Human Rights Commission from 2017 to 2021, when the City Council voted to remove him due to his association with the Minnesota Family Council, though he contended it was a partisan move related to his wife's political activity.[10][11] She and her husband are Christians, and live in Austin.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Rep. Patricia Mueller (27B)". Minnesota House of Representatives. Retrieved 2021-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Minnesota Legislative Maps". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved 2021-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b c d "Mueller, Patricia - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 2021-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b c d e "Political guest column: Mueller: Not afraid to confront the issues". Austin Daily Herald. October 28, 2020. Retrieved 2021-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b "Patricia Mueller 27B". Minnesota House Republican Campaign Committee. 2021-03-26. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  6. ^ a b Van Oot, Torey (January 14, 2020). "Minnesota GOP works to recruit more women to run for office". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2021-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "Austin educator Patricia Mueller announces run to represent District 27B". ABC 6 NEWS. 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2021-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ a b "Results for All State Representative Races". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  9. ^ "With Afghan refugees being sprinkled across the country, Austin welcomes all with open arms". KIMT News. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  10. ^ Stoll, Mike (July 9, 2021). "Council removes Mueller from HRC". Austin Daily Herald. Retrieved 2021-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Austin city council votes to remove Human Rights Commissioner". ABC 6 NEWS. 2021-07-06. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
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