# Aric Putnam *American politician; member of the Minnesota Senate (DFL), representing District 14* Aric Putnam (born July 7, 1972) is an American politician who sits in the [[Minnesota Senate]] for District 14, a central [[Minnesota]] district that takes in portions of Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns counties.[^1] He belongs to the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL).[^1] Putnam won the District 14 Senate seat in 2020 over the Republican incumbent, Jerry Relph. He kept it in 2022 against Tama Theis, who had beaten him in two earlier House races. He chairs the Senate committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development.[^2] This entry rests on a single Wikipedia revision. No primary record of his office, votes, or committee work has yet been assembled for it.[^1] ## Early life, education, and career Putnam's birthplace was Andrews Air Force Base, at a time when his father was fighting in the Vietnam War. The family later settled in California, where he was raised.[^3] After high school he took a B.A. from San Francisco State University, then moved to Maine for an M.A. at the University of Maine.[^3] In the late 1990s he relocated to [[Minneapolis]] and earned a PhD at the [[University of Minnesota]].[^3] Since 2003 he has taught communications as a professor at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University.[^3] ## Minnesota State Senate In the 2020 election Putnam unseated the Republican incumbent, Jerry Relph, who died after the vote.[^2] In 2022 he won a second term against Tama Theis, a state representative, with a margin of roughly 5.5 points.[^2] Theis had defeated Putnam twice before, in the 2016 and 2018 contests for District 14A of the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]].[^2] Putnam's listed committee assignments are: Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development (chair); Higher Education (vice chair); Housing and Homelessness Prevention; and Taxes.[^2] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Aric Putnam, DFL member of the Minnesota Senate for District 14.[^1] ### What - Member of the Minnesota Senate.[^1] - Professor of communications at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University.[^3] ### When - Born July 7, 1972.[^1] - Lost House District 14A races in 2016 and 2018.[^2] - Elected to the Senate in 2020; reelected in 2022.[^2] - Teaching at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University since 2003.[^3] ### Where - Senate District 14: parts of Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns counties, central Minnesota.[^1] - Raised in California. He studied in Maine (University of Maine) and in Minneapolis (University of Minnesota).[^3] ### How - Won the seat in 2020 by defeating the Republican incumbent, Jerry Relph, who died after the election.[^2] - Won reelection in 2022 over state representative Tama Theis, by roughly 5.5 points.[^2] ### How many - Two Senate election wins (2020, 2022) and two House District 14A losses (2016, 2018).[^2] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Aric Putnam* (revision 1365504216, retrieved 2026-10-26) — lead section: birth date, DFL membership, Senate office, and District 14 geography. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aric_Putnam [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Aric Putnam* (revision 1365504216, retrieved 2026-10-26) — *Minnesota State Senate* section: 2020 and 2022 Senate elections, 2016 and 2018 House District 14A losses, and committee assignments. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aric_Putnam [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Aric Putnam* (revision 1365504216, retrieved 2026-10-26) — *Early life, education, and career* section: birthplace, upbringing, degrees, Minneapolis move, and teaching post since 2003. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aric_Putnam