ST. PAUL, Minn. – State Senate Republicans elected Jeremy Miller of Winona as Senate majority leader. Miller, 38, has been in the Senate since 2010. He has been Senate president the past term. As majority leader, he succeeds Paul Gazelka, who resigned to run for governor. Miller represents Senate District 28, which comprises parts of Fillmore m Houston and Winona counties.
Miller. In Senate since 2010
Miller profile
Miller is Winona-born, the fourth generation of a Russian-immigrant family in the scrap metal business. He studied accounting at Southeast Tech and graduated in 2004. With the family company, Wm. Miller Scrap Iron & Metal, he is chief financial officer. His responsibilities include marketing and domestic and global sales. In 2010 he ran as a Republican for the State Senate and unseated Sharon Erickson Ropes. He was elected by the Senate majority in 2019 as Senate president, at 37 being youngest senator to hold the position. He was considered a Minnesota GOP rising star. His name was frequent in party discussions about a successor for Jim Hagedorn in the US. House should Hagedorn, also a Republican, choose against re-election. Miller, however, did little to encourage the possibility. In fact, at one point he pondered not seeking re-election to the State Senate to create more time for family. He and wife Janel have three sons: Drew and twins Luke and Tom. In 2020 he handily defeated challenger Sarah Kruger 24,000 to18,000, adroitly deflecting her charge that he had sponsored Winona-friendly legislation to great fanfare and but let the legislation falter in the political process. Miller’s response: The art of compromise means you can’t win ‘em all. He is especially liked among families with social needs children and has succeeded with legislation on their behalf. He is attentive to news coverage of his political life and feeds reporters with story possibilities that reflect favorably on him. He is an active supporter of youth athletics. He has been on the boards of the Winona State University Warrior Club Board, Saint Mary’s University Athletic Advisory Board, the Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical President’s Advisory Board, and Winona Family YMCA.
Senate District 28 elections
2010: Miller defeated Sharon Erickson Ropes 51% to 49%.
2012: Miller defeated Jack Krage 57% to 43%
2016: Miller defeated John Pieper 63% to 37%
2020: Miller defeated Sarah Kruger 58% to 42%
Campaign finance
Miller’s largest campaign contributions through 2020 totaled $262,000. Among contributors, some repeating in several cycles:
> Inter-Faculty Organization, a professors’ union, $2,000.
> Robert Kierlin, Winona industrialist, $1,750.
> Mary Burrichter, arts patron, $1,000.
> International Union of Operating Engineers, $1,000,
> Stanley Hubbard, Twin Cities broadcast executive, $1,000.
> Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, $1,000.
> Minnesota Business Partnership, $1,000.
> Minnesota CPAs, $1,000.
> Minnesota Police and Peace Officers, $1,000.
> North Central States Carpenters, $1,000.