Patricia Anderson

Anderson graduated from Forest Lake Area High School and received a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and political economy from the University of Minnesota. She earned a Master of Arts in public administration from Hamline University.^[1]

Anderson served as a city council member of Eagan, Minnesota, from 1991 to 1998, and as mayor from 1998 to 2002.^[1] In 2002, City Pages named her the state's best mayor.^[5]

From 2008 to 2009, Anderson served as president of the Minnesota Free Market Institute, a right-wing think tank. She said that as president she hoped to expand the institute by adding personnel and partnering with nonprofits with similar goals.^[6] After Anderson left, the organization was merged into the Center of the American Experiment, last filing tax returns in 2011.^[7][8]

Anderson was elected State Auditor of Minnesota on November 5, 2002. She ran after two-term DFL incumbent Judi Dutcher announced she would not seek reelection, running unsuccessfully for governor of Minnesota. Anderson defeated DFL nominee State Treasurer Carol Johnson and Independence Party nominee Dave Hutcheson.^[1]

Anderson was elected as Pat Awada, the name she had before her divorce in 2004.^[1][9] During her term as auditor, Governor Pawlenty called for cuts across the state budget, and Anderson cut staff, earning a reputation as a "taxpayer watchdog".^[10][11]

Anderson ran for reelection in 2006, losing to the DFL nominee, State Representative Rebecca Otto.^[12][1]

In January 2007, Governor Pawlenty nominated Anderson to serve as Commissioner of Department of Employee Relations. Her responsibilities included the merger of that agency into the Department of Finance.^[1][10]

On July 15, 2009, Anderson announced that she was running for governor of Minnesota in the 2010 election, calling herself a "Libertarian-style Republican" who opposes corporate subsidies.^[13] On January 12, 2010, Anderson announced that she was withdrawing from the governor's race to run for state auditor.^[14] Anderson again lost to incumbent Rebecca Otto.^[12]

On April 16, 2011, Anderson was elected national committeewoman for Minnesota to the Republican National Committee to serve out the remaining term of Evie Axdahl, who retired.^[4] On May 19, 2012, Janet Biehoffer defeated Anderson in her quest for a full term as a national committeewoman to the RNC.^[15][16]

Shortly after being elected to the Republican National Committee, Anderson became a lobbyist for Canterbury Park Racetrack. At the time, the Minnesota Republican Party Platform opposed expanding gambling in Minnesota.^[17] Many Republicans criticized Anderson for failing to disclose her intention to become a lobbyist for a gambling enterprise while running for the RNC.^[18][19][20]

Anderson was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. She first ran in 2018 after seven-term Republican incumbent Matt Dean announced he would not seek reelection to run for governor of Minnesota.^[21] Anderson lost to DFL nominee Ami Wazlawik. Anderson ran again in 2022 and won, after redistricting and eight-term Republican incumbent Bob Dettmer announced he would not seek reelection.

Anderson serves on the Education Finance and Taxes Committees.^[1]

Anderson lives in Dellwood, Minnesota, with her spouse, Doug, and has six children.^[1]