Top Republican In Minnesota House To Resign

ELK RIVER, MN—Rep. Nick Zerwas, a Republican from Elk River currently serving his fourth term in the Minnesota Legislature, announced Monday that he will resign effective Dec. 6. "For the last 13 years it has been the honor of my lifetime to serve my neighbors in Elk River on the city council and the state legislature," Zerwas said in a statement.

"My recent heart surgery brought into focus the need to spend as much time as I can with my wife and three-year-old son and spend my prime working years providing the best possible life for my family. It is not easy leaving a job that I absolutely love, but I'm able to depart on my own terms with no regrets and with optimism for what lies ahead. I want to thank my parents, my brothers, my wife Bette and my son for being unbelievably supportive of my service in the legislature."

Zerwas was first elected to the legislature in 2012, and is in his fourth term. Previously, he served six years on the Elk River City Council, and prior to that worked for the Anoka County Crime Lab and Target Corporation's private forensic lab. Zerwas was diagnosed at a young age with a congenital heart defect, and his parents were told he would not live past the age of seven. He has had more than 11 heart surgeries, including two during his time in the legislature.

Now 38, he lives in Elk River with his wife, Bette and their young son.

Currently, Zerwas serves as the Republican lead on the House Government Operations Committee and served as the only House Republican on the Public Safety and Judiciary Conference Committee during the 2019 session, according to a news release

During his legislative career, he championed public safety and health care issues. Zerwas led successful bipartisan efforts to reform Minnesota's use of solitary confinement in prisons, and chief-authored Minnesota's "Right to Try" Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2015. Last year, Zerwas was invited to the White House for President Donald Trump's signing ceremony for federal Right to Try legislation.