Tina Liebling
Encyclopedia
Tina Liebling is a Minnesota
politician
and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
representing District 30A, which consists entirely of the city of Rochester
in Omsted County
, which is in the southeastern part of the state. A Democrat
, she is also an attorney
.
, the daughter of noted photographer Jerome Liebling
. After her family moved away from the area, she returned to attend the University of Minnesota
, earning a B.A.
in Spanish
and graduating magna cum laude. She went on to attend the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, receiving an M.S.
in Public Health
, then went to Boston University School of Law
, graduating cum laude with a J.D.
. She married her husband, Mark, shortly after law school, and moved to the Chicago area, where her three children were born. In 1994, she moved to Rochester
, where her husband was hired as a consultant for the Mayo Clinic
, and she began a solo law practice focused on criminal law
.
, a former DFL
representative from neighboring District 30B, were part of large DFL
gains in the Minnesota House
in 2004. The two were the first Democrats
to represent the Rochester
area, a traditionally Republican
stronghold, in many years. She was sworn in on January 4, 2005.
Liebling was re-elected in 2006 with 52.76% of the vote, again defeating Carla Nelson. In the 2008 election, she faced Rochester businessman Jacob Dettinger, defeating him with 61.81% of the vote. In the 2010 election, she defeated Charlie O'Connell, garnering 55.15% of the vote to O'Connell's 44.73%.
Liebling currently serves on four committees: Health Care and Human Services Finance Division, Public Safety Finance Division, Taxes, and Health Care and Human Services Policy and Oversight as vice-chair. She also serves as an alternate on the Ethics committee. She served as an assistant majority leader
during the 2007-08 session, but declined to serve again in that position for the 2009-10 biennium.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and 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...
representing District 30A, which consists entirely of the city of Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
in Omsted County
Olmsted County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 124,277 people, 47,807 households, and 32,317 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 49,422 housing units at an average density of 76 per square mile...
, which is in the southeastern part of the state. A Democrat
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
, she is also an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
Early years, education and family
Liebling was born and raised in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, the daughter of noted photographer Jerome Liebling
Jerome Liebling
Jerome Liebling was an American photographer, filmmaker, and teacher.He studied photography under Walter Rosenblum and Paul Strand, and joined New York's famed Photo League...
. After her family moved away from the area, she returned to attend the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, earning a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and graduating magna cum laude. She went on to attend the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, receiving an M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Public Health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
, then went to Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law is the law school affiliated with Boston University, and is ranked #22 among American law schools by US News and World Report magazine. It is the second-oldest law school in Massachusetts and one of the first law schools in the country to admit students regardless...
, graduating cum laude with a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
. She married her husband, Mark, shortly after law school, and moved to the Chicago area, where her three children were born. In 1994, she moved to Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
, where her husband was hired as a consultant for the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
, and she began a solo law practice focused on criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
.
Political career and legislative service
Liebling's political career began in 2002, when she first ran for the seat she now holds, finishing second behind former state representative Carla Nelson in a three-way race. She ran again in 2004, defeating Nelson with 50.75% of the vote. She and Andy WeltiAndy Welti
Andy J. Welti was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Democrat, he was first elected in 2004, defeating four-term incumbent Republican Bill Kuisle...
, a former DFL
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
representative from neighboring District 30B, were part of large DFL
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
gains in the Minnesota House
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...
in 2004. The two were the first Democrats
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
to represent the Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
area, a traditionally Republican
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:...
stronghold, in many years. She was sworn in on January 4, 2005.
Liebling was re-elected in 2006 with 52.76% of the vote, again defeating Carla Nelson. In the 2008 election, she faced Rochester businessman Jacob Dettinger, defeating him with 61.81% of the vote. In the 2010 election, she defeated Charlie O'Connell, garnering 55.15% of the vote to O'Connell's 44.73%.
Liebling currently serves on four committees: Health Care and Human Services Finance Division, Public Safety Finance Division, Taxes, and Health Care and Human Services Policy and Oversight as vice-chair. She also serves as an alternate on the Ethics committee. She served as an assistant majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
during the 2007-08 session, but declined to serve again in that position for the 2009-10 biennium.
Election history
External links
- Rep. Liebling Web Page
- Minnesota Public Radio Votetracker: Rep. Tina Liebling
- Project Votesmart: Rep. Tina Liebling Profile
- Liebling for State House Campaign
- Tina Liebling on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Tina Liebling on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...