# Erica Schwartz (politician) *American politician; member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from District 18A* Erica Schwartz has represented District 18A in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] since 2025, as a member of the [[Republican Party (United States)]].[^1] The district lies in south-central [[Minnesota]]. It takes in Nicollet County and portions of Blue Earth and Le Sueur Counties.[^1] Schwartz won the seat in the 2024 House election, defeating the incumbent, Jeff Brand, by three percentage points.[^2] Hers was one of three seats Republicans took from DFL control in that election. Together those results tied the House and ended the DFL trifecta of the preceding legislature.[^2] In the 94th [[Minnesota Legislature]] she serves as vice chair of the Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee.[^2] ## Early life, education and career Schwartz spent her childhood in southern California. At age 15 she relocated to Gaylord, Minnesota, where she attended Sibley East High School.[^3] After finishing high school, she settled in Nicollet, Minnesota.[^3] At 25, Schwartz lost her fiancé, Zack Smith, in a car crash. Smith was a Marine veteran who had recently returned home.[^3] She was pregnant when he died and raised her child alone until she married.[^3] During that period she held several jobs, including factory work at Taylor Corporation in North Mankato and work at Schmidt's Meat Market in Nicollet.[^3] South Central College awarded her an associate degree in 2019.[^3] ## Minnesota House of Representatives Schwartz faced no opponent in the Republican primary. In the 2024 general election she ran against the sitting representative, Brand.[^2] During the campaign she was overheard at a fundraiser suggesting that Democrats were steering the country toward another Holocaust, and she later apologized for the comment.[^2] The district has a record of narrow results and changes of party. Both candidates drew substantial funding, including $1.25 million from outside organizations.[^2] The Wikipedia account dates her emergence as the first Republican declared a winner among the House's 134 seats to November 5, 2025. That date conflicts with the same account's statements that she ran in the 2024 election and has served since 2025.[^2] She posted her widest margins in the rural townships and cities of Nicollet County.[^2] She also carried Kasota and her hometown of Nicollet. Results from the largest [[Mankato]] precinct within the district helped put her ahead of Brand.[^2] In addition to her vice chair role on the Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee, Schwartz is a member of the Taxes Committee and the Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee.[^2] Bills she has introduced as chief author would: - name St. Peter the honorary capital of Minnesota; - increase penalties for motor vehicle theft; - require that release decisions in domestic violence-related offenses be recorded; - relocate the agriculture department's principal offices to Blue Earth or Nicollet County; - create a Department of Direct Care and Treatment; and - change certain legal definitions that apply to restraining orders.[^2] She also obtained $1.9 million for improvements to the water treatment plant in Lafayette.[^2] ## Personal life Schwartz lives in Nicollet with her husband, Kevin. The couple's three children are from previous relationships.[^4] Kevin's parents own and operate Nicollet mart, a gas station and food shop in Nicollet.[^4] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Erica Schwartz (politician)*, lead section, revision 1379103620 (retrieved 2026-10-26), CC BY-SA 4.0 — office, party, start of service and district boundaries; secondary source, no primary record in the pack. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erica_Schwartz_(politician)> [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Erica Schwartz (politician)*, section "Minnesota House of Representatives," revision 1379103620 (retrieved 2026-10-26), CC BY-SA 4.0 — 2024 primary and general election, fundraiser remark and apology, outside funding, margin and precinct results, committee assignments, authored bills, Lafayette funding; secondary source. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erica_Schwartz_(politician)> [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Erica Schwartz (politician)*, section "Early life, education and career," revision 1379103620 (retrieved 2026-10-26), CC BY-SA 4.0 — upbringing, schooling, employment and 2019 associate degree; secondary source. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erica_Schwartz_(politician)> [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Erica Schwartz (politician)*, section "Personal life," revision 1379103620 (retrieved 2026-10-26), CC BY-SA 4.0 — residence and family; secondary source. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erica_Schwartz_(politician)>