Elliott Engen (born October 6, 1998) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Engen represents District 36A in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Lino Lakes, White Bear Township and Circle Pines and parts of Anoka and Ramsey Counties in Minnesota.[1][2]
Engen attended White Bear High School in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. He earned a bachelor's degree in legal studies and political science from Hamline University.[1]
While attending Hamline, Engen started a chapter of the right-wing student organization Turning Point USA.[3][4] He was encouraged to run for office by Iowa state representative Joe Mitchell while the two were "discussing policy in a hot tub" at a Turning Point USA Student Action Summit.[3]
Engen worked for a wildlife conservation group focused on invasive species prevention, but left the job before joining the legislature.[3][5]
Engen was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. He first ran in 2020, unsuccessfully challenging one-term DFL incumbent Ami Wazlawik. He ran again and won in 2022 in an open seat created by legislative redistricting and Wazlawik's retirement.[1] He is the first Generation Z Republican elected to the Minnesota Legislature.[3]
Engen serves as an assistant minority leader for the House Republican caucus and sits on the Human Services Policy, Public Safety Finance and Policy, and Rules and Legislative Administration Committees.[1]
Engen's 2022 campaign platform focused on "public safety, education, and pocketbook concerns".[5] He is anti-abortion and has claimed it "won't be an issue that Republicans address" due to a prior state supreme court decision.[5] Engen has voted against legislation that codified the right to an abortion into state law, and a law to restore voting rights for felons serving parole.[3] He opposed a move to raise legislators' per diem payments, calling it "self-centered" and "egregious".[6]
In 2023, Engen authored the "Safe Haven In Every Local District (SHIELD) Act", which would require school security system improvements.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Ami Wazlawik (incumbent) | 13,906 | 50.12 | |
| Republican | Elliott Engen | 13,806 | 49.76 | |
| Write-in | 32 | 0.12 | ||
| Total votes | 27,744 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Elliott Engen | 11,705 | 51.39 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Susie Strom | 11,063 | 48.57 | |
| Write-in | 10 | 0.04 | ||
| Total votes | 22,778 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Elliott Engen | 14,998 | 54.06 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Janelle Calhoun | 12,714 | 45.83 | |
| Write-in | 29 | 0.10 | ||
| Total votes | 27,741 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Engen lives in White Bear Township, Minnesota with his wife, Faith.[1]
