Paul E. Gazelka ( ; born October 1, 1959) is an American politician and small business owner from Minnesota. A Republican, Gazelka was a member of the Minnesota Senate and was previously a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. In the state senate, Gazelka served as majority leader from 2017 to 2021.
Born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Gazelka spent his later formative years in Minnesota's Iron Range region. He lives near Gull Lake in Cass County, Minnesota. He represented Senate District 9, which included parts of Cass, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena Counties in the north central part of the state.
Early life, education, and career Gazelka was born on October 1, 1959, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He lived in St. Paul until age 15, when his family moved to Virginia, Minnesota, a city on the state's Mesabi Iron Range. Gazelka attended Roosevelt High School there and then Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in business management.
Gazelka is an insurance agent. He owns and operates an insurance agency in Baxter.
Minnesota House of Representatives After settling in the Nisswa, Minnesota, area, Gazelka became involved in local politics. He was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2005 to 2007, elected from District 12A, which covers portions of Crow Wing County, including the city of Brainerd. During his term, he served as vice chair of the Commerce and Financial Institutions Committee and on the Jobs and Economic Opportunity Policy Finance Committee, the Transportation Committee, and the Commerce and Financial Institutions Subcommittee for the Tourism Division. Gazelka was defeated for reelection in 2006.
Minnesota Senate Gazelka was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2010, defeating incumbent Republican Paul Koering in an August primary election and the Democratic nominee in the November general election. He was the senator from District 12 (covering Crow Wing and Morrison counties) from 2011 to 2012, and then District 9 (covering Cass, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties) from 2013 onward.
After redistricting, Gazelka was placed in Senate District 9. He was reelected to the Senate in 2012, 2016, and 2020. Republicans lost control of the Minnesota Senate in 2012. As a member of the minority, Gazelka was known for his interest in tax and insurance issues. After the 2016 election, in which Republicans regained a majority in the Senate, Gazelka was elected by his caucus to be majority leader.
Ideologically, Gazelka is member of the Christian right. His 2010 primary victory over Koering, Minnesota's only openly gay Republican legislator, was partially credited to the criticism Koering received for going to dinner with an adult film star, and Gazelka's subsequent legislative career has included efforts to oppose same-sex marriage and government funding of abortion. The Star Tribune called Gazelka "the most socially conservative person in modern times to serve as Minnesota Senate majority leader." But in 2017, upon becoming majority leader, Gazelka said that he intended to focus on transportation, health care, timely passage of a state budget, and tax cuts, and to avoid contentious social issues.
In 2021 Gazelka stepped down from his position as majority leader to focus on his campaign for governor of Minnesota.
Economic issues In 2017, soon after he became majority leader, Gazelka brokered deals with Democrats for state/federal tax code reconciliation and short-term relief for individuals with high health insurance premiums. He also pressed for expedited budget committee deadlines, expressing a desire to avoid a repeat of the 2011 Minnesota state government shutdown.
Social issues LGBT rights Gazelka opposes same-sex marriage and co-sponsored a failed 2012 effort to amend the state constitution to ban the recognition of same-sex marriage in the state. More recently, he blocked proposals to ban "conversion therapy" for minors in Minnesota, though he has said that he did not support "coercive or aversive counseling." Gazelka and his wife once sent their child to an anti-same-sex relationship psychologist who has been characterized as a conversion therapist.
Abortion In 2017, Gazelka supported a bill, introduced by Republican Senator Mary Kiffmeyer, to block the Minnesota Department of Human Services from funding abortion services. The department said that the bill, if enacted, would likely be blocked by the courts given a 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court decision that struck down a similar measure. The bill passed the Minnesota legislature but was vetoed by Governor Mark Dayton.David Montgomery, Mark Dayton vetoes two abortion bills, just as he said he would, Pioneer Press (May 10, 2017). In 2019, Gazelka sponsored legislation to ban abortion in Minnesota 20 weeks after fertilization; the proposal did not advance.Emma Nelson, Abortion rights supporters say Minnesota shouldn't take its protections for granted. Star Tribune (September 14, 2021).
Marijuana
Gazelka staunchly opposes legalization of recreational adult-use marijuana in Minnesota.Michael Achterling, State senators in lakes area not supportive of recreational marijuana bill, Park Rapids Enterprise (February 3, 2021). In 2021, after the state House passed a legalization bill on a 72–61 vote, Gazelka blocked it from being taken up by the state Senate.Stephen Joyce, Minnesota Senate Leader Says Legal Pot Bill Has 'Zero Chance', Bloomberg Law (May 14, 2021).
Police reform In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests, Gazelka and Minnesota Senate Republicans blocked most police reform proposals put forth by Governor Tim Walz and the Democratic-majority state House.Steve Karnowski, Minnesota Senate GOP to block most policing overhaul plans, Associated Press (June 12, 2020). Gazelka specifically opposed changes to qualified immunity.John Croman, Minnesota police reform bills in limbo as 2021 session deadline nears, KARE (May 13, 2021).Governor, lawmakers making progress on budget, but not police reform , KSTP (June 11, 2021). A compromise reform package was agreed upon in a subsequent special session; the compromise bill banned police chokeholds in most situations, prohibited "warrior cop" training that promoted aggression, and mandated that officers intervene when another officer uses excessive force.Mike Cook, House, Senate agree to compromise police reform package, Session Daily (July 21, 2020).Adam Carter, Minnesota Senate has police reform agreement in place, 830 WCCO (July 23, 2020). In 2021, Gazelka opposed a bill, supported by Walz and passed by the state House, that would ban no-knock search warrants, require police departments to timely release body camera footage of death in custody to decedents' families; authorize local governments to establish civilian police oversight boards; and bar police officers from belonging to white supremacist organizations. He said the Senate would not take up the House proposals because he was satisfied with the reforms that passed the preceding year.Max Nesterak, DFL says police reform is urgent; Republicans say new legislation unlikely this year, Minnesota Reformer (April 29, 2021).
COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 policy
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gazelka was one of the most outspoken opponents of public health mandates (such as business closures and requirements to wear face coverings in indoor public places) imposed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Gazelka led Republicans in blocking a Democratic proposal to require face coverings in public areas of the State Capitol. Many Republican senators refused to wear face coverings in the Senate chamber, straining relations with the Democrats. In December 2020, after Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sought civil penalties against bars and restaurants that flouted the state's COVID-19 rules, Gazelka threatened to reduce the budget for the attorney general's office.Dave Orrick, Gazelka threatens Attorney General Ellison's budget over bar and restaurant COVID enforcement, Pioneer Press (December 17, 2020).
In October 2020, Gazelka and Minnesota Republican leaders launched a campaign (with the theme "Contract to Open Up Minnesota") that called for an end to state-mandated COVID-safety protocols such as wearing masks and limited restaurant capacities and called for returning more children to in-person learning. Gazelka and Minnesota Republicans praised the Dakotas for having few COVID-19 related restrictions, although the Dakotas had the highest case rates in the nation at the time.
Gazelka criticized Walz for ordering the closure of public schools in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; in 2021, the state Senate passed a bill that would block governors from closing schools in the state or from altering school schedules.Tim Pugmire, Minn. Senate passes bill to stop future school closures, Minnesota Public Radio (February 18, 2021). Gazelka opposed COVID-19 vaccine mandatesBriana Bierschbach, Former GOP Senate leader Paul Gazelka announces 2022 bid for governor, Star Tribune (September 8, 2021). and criticized Walz for requiring state employees to be either vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive weekly testing for COVID-19.Briana Bierschbach, Gov. Tim Walz to impose new vaccine requirement for state workers, Star Tribune (August 11, 2021).Tim Pugmire, Walz: Vaccine requirement possible for state workers, Star Tribune (August 10, 2021).
Superspreader event On November 5, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gazelka attended a Republican Party event at a catering hall to celebrate the party's victories in the 2020 elections. At the superspreader event, which included more than 100 people, many attendees did not wear protective face masks, contrary to public health recommendations, and at least four Republican state senators (including Gazelka) tested positive for COVID-19 in the subsequent days. Gazelka flew to Florida while unaware of his exposure. He experienced symptoms.Minnesota top Republican, Paul Gazelka, has COVID, Pioneer Press, Dave Orrick, November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
Gazelka notified the host venue of the outbreak 10 days after it occurred. Senate Republicans notified their own caucus members of the outbreak but did not inform Democrats, who had been in session with Republicans earlier that week; Democrats learned about the outbreak only from later news reports. That lapse angered Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent (who called for Gazelka's resignation as majority leader) and Governor Walz. It was believed that an election night dinner on November 3, 2020, was the original source of the post-election outbreak.Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Gazelka tests positive for COVID-19, MinnPost, Brian Lambert, November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020. Republican State Senator Jerry Relph, one of the attendees of the post-election event, died from complications due to COVID-19 on December 18. Relph's daughter called on Gazelka to apologize for his role in her father's death, saying that the event Gazelka hosted was a "frivolous and vain action." Through a spokeswoman, Gazelka declined to say if he bore any responsibility for Relph's death. Asked whether he regretted participating in the superspreader event, he said, "I don't regret that we had the celebration. The Republican majority was the No. 1 target to switch from Republican to Democrat." In a statement, Gazelka said the event had been legal according to guidelines at the time, and called for an end of the "blaming and shaming" of Senate Republicans for hosting it.
2020 election