DULUTH — The fact that District 8A Rep. Liz Olson, DFL-Duluth, will be leaving office hardly qualifies as breaking news following her January announcement that she will not seek a fifth term in the Minnesota Legislature. But the unexpected suddenness of her anticipated departure is another matter.
Olson announced Friday that she will resign July 5 from a seat she has held for nearly eight years.
ADVERTISEMENT
The reason for her resignation, nearly six months before her term expires, is a new job with the McKnight Foundation. She will begin work as a senior program manager, fostering democratic participation and organizing to advance initiatives on many fronts, including affordable housing and environmental concerns.
Olson said she will not be directly involved in lobbying but will instead seek to elevate the voices and concerns of Minnesotans in her new role.
“It’s not a position I could do while also serving in the Legislature,” Olson said. “But it’s totally in line with what I want to be doing.”
Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert congratulated Olson on her new job. “That seems like exactly the kind of position that Liz was made for," he said. “But any time you lose a legislator like Liz Olson, it’s definitely a loss for our community. She has been a tremendous leader."
Reinert said he has not been surprised to watch Olson rapidly ascend to legislative leadership roles. She currently serves as deputy majority leader and chair of the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
“You are hard-pressed to find a more thoughtful, hard-working legislator than Liz has proven to be," he said. "And I think her rise through the ranks is a reflection of exactly that. I think what’s characteristic of Liz is that she’s practical and principled."
Olson acknowledged her decision to step down as a lawmaker before the end of her term was difficult. Yet she takes solace that the timing of her departure will not necessitate a special election and falls after the conclusion of the latest legislative session and the adoption of a state budget, with no anticipated special session.
ADVERTISEMENT
She said her legislative staff and fellow members of the Duluth delegation, including District 8B Rep. Alicia “Liish” Kozlowski and District 8 Sen. Jen McEwen, have agreed to stand ready to help any constituents who need assistance in the coming months.
“It was a difficult decision because I care deeply about the people I represent and making sure they have a voice at the Capitol," Olson said. "That’s why I had no interest in pursuing, during the legislative session or resigning before our work was done."
“Of course, it’s difficult to leave something you love and not see it to where you thought you might," she said. "But at the same time, the opportunity to do good in a different way really presented itself in a compelling way."
Even after Olson’s departure, the DFL will retain a 68-member majority in the House.
Three candidates have filed to run for Olson’s seat, including Republican Mark McGrew, and two DFLers, Jordon Johnson and Pete Johnson, who will face off in an Aug. 13 primary election.
The Trust Project
