Aric Putnam (/ˈɛərɪk ˈpʌtnəm/ AIR-ik PUTT-nəm;[1] born July 7, 1972) is an American politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 14, which includes parts of Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns counties in central Minnesota.
Aric Putnam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 14th district | |
| Assumed office January 5, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Jerry Relph |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 7, 1972 Andrews U.S. Air Force, Joint Base Andrews, MD |
| Political party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Spouse | Laurie Putnam |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | St. Cloud, Minnesota |
| Alma mater | San Francisco State University University of Maine University of Minnesota |
| Occupation | Professor |
Early life, education, and career
editPutnam was born on Andrews Air Force Base while his father fought in the Vietnam War. After returning, his family moved to California, where he grew up. After graduating from high school, Putnam earned his B.A. at San Francisco State University. He later moved to Maine, where he completed his M.A. at the University of Maine. In the late 1990s, Putnam moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he completed his PhD at the University of Minnesota. He has been a professor of communications at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University since 2003.[2]
Minnesota State Senate
editPutnam was elected in 2020, defeating incumbent Republican Jerry Relph, who died after the election. He was an unsuccessful candidate for District 14A of the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016 and 2018 against Republican incumbent Tama Theis.
Putnam serves on the following committees:[3]
- Aging and Long-Term Care Policy
- Higher Education Finance and Policy
- Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy
Electoral history
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Aric Putnam | 15,350 | 52.29 | |
| Republican | Tama Theis | 13,969 | 47.58 | |
| Write-in | 37 | 0.13 | ||
| Total votes | 29,356 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Aric Putnam | 18,318 | 46.39 | |
| Republican | Jerry Relph (incumbent) | 18,002 | 45.59 | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | Jaden Partlow | 3,127 | 7.92 | |
| Write-in | 41 | 0.10 | ||
| Total votes | 39,488 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) gain from Republican | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tama Theis (incumbent) | 9,079 | 52.10 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Aric Putnam | 8,348 | 47.90 | |
| Write-in | 3 | 0.02 | ||
| Total votes | 17,430 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tama Theis (incumbent) | 10,961 | 54.65 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Aric Putnam | 9,059 | 45.17 | |
| Write-in | 37 | 0.18 | ||
| Total votes | 20,057 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
References
edit- ^ "Senate Members' Pronunciation". Minnesota Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
- ^ "Senator Aric Putnam". Minnesota Senate DFL. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
- ^ "Index - Election Results".
- ^ "2020 Minnesota State Senate District 14 Election Results". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- ^ "2018 Minnesota House of Representatives District 14A Election Results". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- ^ "2016 Minnesota House of Representatives District 14A Election Results". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 14, 2021.