Dan Sparks
Dan Sparks | |
---|---|
Sparks with President Bill Clinton | |
Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 27th district | |
Assumed office January 7, 2003 | |
Preceded by | Grace Schwab |
Personal details | |
Born |
Austin, Minnesota | July 5, 1968
Political party | Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |
Spouse(s) | Andrea |
Children | 4 |
Residence | Austin, Minnesota |
Alma mater |
University of Minnesota St. Cloud State University |
Occupation | banker, legislator |
Religion | Lutheran |
Daniel D. "Dan" Sparks (born July 5, 1968) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 27, which includes all or portions of Dodge, Faribault, Freeborn, Mower, and Steele counties in the southeastern part of the state.
Education and Career
He attended college at the University of Minnesota and at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Sparks worked on a farm, in a highway engineer’s office, and on the production line at Hormel. He became a banker\loan officer at an Austin bank.
Minnesota Senate
Elections
He was first elected to the Senate in 2002 defeating Senator Grace Schwab by 7 votes after an automatic recount. He was re-elected in 2006, 2010 and 2012.[1]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFL | Dan Sparks (Incumbent) | 26552 | 68.22 | ||
Republican | Linden Anderson | 12334 | 31.69 | ||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFL | Dan Sparks (Incumbent) | 17574 | 61.44 | ||
Republican | Kathy Green | 11005 | 38.48 | ||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFL | Dan Sparks (Incumbent) | 21739 | 67.72 | ||
Republican | George Marin | 10329 | 32.18 | ||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFL | Dan Sparks | 15091 | 45.54 | ||
Republican | Grace Schwab (Incumbent) | 15084 | 45.52 | ||
Independence | Terry Kelley | 2066 | 8.90 | ||
Committee Assignments
Sparks was selected to chair the Senate Committee on Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development in November 2012.[3] His special legislative concerns include education funding, lowering prescription drug costs, and economic development.[1]
For the 89th Legislative Session, Sparks is a part of the:
- Capital Investment
- Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Economic Development and Agriculture Budget Division
- Finance Subcommittee: Higher Education and Workforce Development Policy and Budget Division
- Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development
For the 88th Legislative Session, Sparks was part of the:
- Capital Investment
- Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Economic Development, and Agriculture Division
- Finance Subcommittee: Higher Education and Workforce Development Division
- Higher Education and Workforce Development
- Jobs, Agriculture, and Rural Development (Chair)
For the 87th Legislative Session, Sparks was part of the:
- Agriculture and Rural Economies
- Commerce and Consumer Protection
- Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications
For the 86th Legislative Session, Sparks was part of the:
- Business, Industry and Jobs
- Business, Industry and Jobs Subcommittee: Bioscience and Renewable Energy Development (Chair)
- Capital Investment
- Commerce and Consumer Protection
- Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications
- Finance Subcommittee: Economic Development and Housing Budget Division
For the 85th Legislative Session, Sparks was part of the:
- Business, Industry and Jobs
- Capital Investment
- Commerce and Consumer Protection
- Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications
- Finance Subcommittee: Economic Development Budget Division
For the 84th Legislative Session, Sparks was part of the:
- Commerce
- Commerce Subcommittee: Consumer Protection, Banking and Insurance (Chair)
- Commerce Subcommittee: No Fault Insurance
- Finance Subcommittee: Early Childhood Policy and Budget Division
- Finance Subcommittee: K-12 Education Budget Division
- Jobs, Energy and Community Development
- Jobs, Energy and Community Development Subcommittee: Energy
- Jobs, Energy and Community Development Subcommittee: Telecommunications and Technology
For the 83rd Legislative Session, Sparks was part of the:
- Agriculture, General Legislation and Veterans Affairs-2003/Agriculture, Veterans and Gaming-2004
- Commerce and Utilities-2003/Commerce-2004
- Commerce and Utilities-2003/Commerce-2004 Subcommittee: Consumer Protection and Banking (Chair)
- Commerce and Utilities-2003/Commerce-2004 Subcommittee: Telecommunications and Technology
- Elections-2004
- Finance Subcommittee: Early Childhood-Grade 12 Education Budget Division-2003/K-12 Education Budget Division-2004
- Jobs, Housing and Community Development-2003/Jobs, Energy and Community Development-2004
- Rules and Administration Subcommittee: Elections
Personal life
Sparks and his wife, Andrea, live in Austin with their three daughters and son: Hailey, Maddy, Rylie, and Niklas Tyler.[4]
References
- 1 2 "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Sparks, Daniel D". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
- 1 2 3 4 "Results for State Senate District 27". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
- ↑ "Sen. Dan Sparks New Leadership Role". KAAL. November 16, 2012.
- ↑ "Project Vote Smart - Senator Daniel D. 'Dan' Sparks - Biography". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
External links
- Dan Sparks at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
- Senator Dan Sparks official Minnesota Senate website
- Minnesota Public Radio Votetracker: Senator Dan Sparks
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Dan Sparks Profile