Marty Seifert
Encyclopedia
Marty Seifert is a former Republican
Minority Leader
and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
. He represented District 21A, a predominantly rural district in southwestern Minnesota that includes portions of Lyon
, Redwood
and Yellow Medicine
counties, and the cities of Marshall
and Redwood Falls
. In 2010, he ran for Governor of Minnesota
.
from 1999-2006. When the Republicans lost control of the House after the 2006 election, he took over leadership of the party in the House from former Speaker
Steve Sviggum
.
Seifert served on the House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee and was an ex officio member of the House Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.
On June 3, 2009, Seifert announced that he was stepping down from his position as minority leader to run for governor of Minnesota
. On October 15, 2009, he also announced that he would not seek re-election to the House, but would concentrate his efforts on the 2010 governor's race.
, Seifert was the first place winner of a non-binding straw poll, receiving 37% of the vote. He was followed by state representative Tom Emmer
with 23% of the vote and former state auditor Patricia Anderson
with 14% of the vote.
On February 2nd, 2010, Seifert won a statewide straw poll of Republican voters attending their precinct caucuses. He garnered 50% of the vote, followed by Rep. Tom Emmer
with 39%. No other candidate got beyond single digits.
On February 18th, 2010, Seifert announced that Rhonda Sivarajah
would be his running mate for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota.
Seifert went into the 2010 State Republican Convention in a close battle with Tom Emmer
, but fell behind on the first ballot. After the second ballot showed Emmer near the threshold for party endorsement, Seifert withdrew from the race, endorsed Emmer, and asked the convention to give Emmer their unanimous endorsement. The gubernatorial race ultimately resulted in Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominee Mark Dayton
defeating Emmer by less than 9,000 votes.
In September 2010, he was admitted to a hospital after experiencing pain and shortness of breath, which was revealed to be the result of a fluid buildup in his left lung.
Following speculation that he may challenge incumbent Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar
in 2012, Seifert posted on his Facebook page on May 9, 2011, that he would not seek the Senate seat.
in Marshall. During his time there, he brought the College Republicans
back to the school, and later became the student body president. Upon graduation in 1995, he received a B.S.
in Political Science
. He is a member of the Southwest State University Alumni Association, and a former member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees
.
Seifert is married to Traci (DeSutter) and has two children. He is a former government and history teacher at Marshall Senior High School, and is currently an admissions counselor at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Seifert is currently a real estate agent and the executive director of the Avera Marshall Foundation.
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
. He represented District 21A, a predominantly rural district in southwestern Minnesota that includes portions of Lyon
Lyon County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,425 people, 9,715 households, and 6,334 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 10,298 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, Redwood
Redwood County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,815 people, 6,674 households, and 4,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 7,230 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
and Yellow Medicine
Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota
-External links:***...
counties, and the cities of Marshall
Marshall, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,735 people, 4,914 households, and 2,914 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,537.0 people per square mile . There were 5,182 housing units at an average density of 625.4 per square mile...
and Redwood Falls
Redwood Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,459 people, 2,266 households, and 1,389 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,167.1 people per square mile . There were 2,377 housing units at an average density of 508.2 per square mile...
. In 2010, he ran for Governor of Minnesota
Minnesota gubernatorial election, 2010
The 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the 40th Governor of the U.S. state of Minnesota for a four-year term to begin in January 2011. The general election was contested by the major party candidates State Representative Tom Emmer , former Senator...
.
House leadership
First elected in 1996, Seifert served as House Majority WhipWhip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
from 1999-2006. When the Republicans lost control of the House after the 2006 election, he took over leadership of the party in the House from former Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
Steve Sviggum
Steve Sviggum
Steven A. "Steve" Sviggum is a Minnesota politician, a member of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, and a former Speaker and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Republican, he represented District 28B in the southeastern part of the state...
.
Seifert served on the House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee and was an ex officio member of the House Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.
On June 3, 2009, Seifert announced that he was stepping down from his position as minority leader to run for governor of Minnesota
Governor of Minnesota
The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
. On October 15, 2009, he also announced that he would not seek re-election to the House, but would concentrate his efforts on the 2010 governor's race.
2010 gubernatorial campaign
At the Republican Party of Minnesota's off-year state convention held on October 3, 2009, at the Saint Paul River CentreXcel Energy Center
The Xcel Energy Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is named for its locally-based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy. With an official capacity of 18,064, the arena has four spectator levels: one suite level and three general seating levels. The arena is owned by the...
, Seifert was the first place winner of a non-binding straw poll, receiving 37% of the vote. He was followed by state representative Tom Emmer
Tom Emmer
Thomas Earl "Tom" Emmer, Jr. was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2005 until 2011 and the Republican nominee for governor in the 2010 election. He represented District 19B, which includes portions of Wright and Hennepin Counties and the cities of Otsego, Albertville, St....
with 23% of the vote and former state auditor Patricia Anderson
Patricia Anderson
Patricia "Pat" Anderson is a Minnesota politician and current national committeewoman for Minnesota to the Republican National Committee. She served as the 17th State Auditor of Minnesota, from 2003 to 2007. Prior to this, she was mayor of Eagan, Minnesota for four years after serving as a city...
with 14% of the vote.
On February 2nd, 2010, Seifert won a statewide straw poll of Republican voters attending their precinct caucuses. He garnered 50% of the vote, followed by Rep. Tom Emmer
Tom Emmer
Thomas Earl "Tom" Emmer, Jr. was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2005 until 2011 and the Republican nominee for governor in the 2010 election. He represented District 19B, which includes portions of Wright and Hennepin Counties and the cities of Otsego, Albertville, St....
with 39%. No other candidate got beyond single digits.
On February 18th, 2010, Seifert announced that Rhonda Sivarajah
Rhonda Sivarajah
Rhonda Sivarajah is a Minnesota Republican politician, an Anoka County Commissioner, and a former candidate for Lieutenant Governor....
would be his running mate for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota.
Seifert went into the 2010 State Republican Convention in a close battle with Tom Emmer
Tom Emmer
Thomas Earl "Tom" Emmer, Jr. was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2005 until 2011 and the Republican nominee for governor in the 2010 election. He represented District 19B, which includes portions of Wright and Hennepin Counties and the cities of Otsego, Albertville, St....
, but fell behind on the first ballot. After the second ballot showed Emmer near the threshold for party endorsement, Seifert withdrew from the race, endorsed Emmer, and asked the convention to give Emmer their unanimous endorsement. The gubernatorial race ultimately resulted in Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominee Mark Dayton
Mark Dayton
Mark Brandt Dayton is an American politician, the 40th and current Governor of the state of Minnesota. Dayton previously served as United States Senator from Minnesota from 2001 to 2007 in the 107th, 108th, and 109th Congresses...
defeating Emmer by less than 9,000 votes.
Post-election activities
Following his endorsement of Emmer at the state convention, Seifert withdrew from the governors' race and served the rest of his term as a state representative, which he had promised would be his last term. Following the end of his term, he acquired a real estate license and began selling houses. He eventually became the executive director of the Avera Marshall Foundation but also retained his real estate license and maintains a job as a buyer's agent with Real Estate Retrievers in Marshall.In September 2010, he was admitted to a hospital after experiencing pain and shortness of breath, which was revealed to be the result of a fluid buildup in his left lung.
Following speculation that he may challenge incumbent Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar
Amy Klobuchar
Amy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party...
in 2012, Seifert posted on his Facebook page on May 9, 2011, that he would not seek the Senate seat.
Education, family and career
Seifert attended college at Southwest Minnesota State UniversitySouthwest Minnesota State University
Southwest Minnesota State University is a public, four-year university that is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. It is located in Marshall, Minnesota, United States, a city of 13,000 people. The school has a full-time enrollment of approximately 3,500 students and...
in Marshall. During his time there, he brought the College Republicans
College Republicans
The College Republican National Committee is a national organization for college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States...
back to the school, and later became the student body president. Upon graduation in 1995, he received a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. He is a member of the Southwest State University Alumni Association, and a former member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System comprises 31 colleges and universities, including 24 two-year colleges and seven state universities...
.
Seifert is married to Traci (DeSutter) and has two children. He is a former government and history teacher at Marshall Senior High School, and is currently an admissions counselor at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Seifert is currently a real estate agent and the executive director of the Avera Marshall Foundation.