# Gene Dornink *Minnesota state senator (Republican), District 23* Gene Dornink (born December 30, 1962) sits in the [[Minnesota Senate]] as a Republican. He represents District 23 in southeastern [[Minnesota]].[^1] The district covers the whole of Freeborn County and portions of Faribault, Mower, Steele, and Waseca Counties.[^1] He won the seat in 2020 by unseating Dan Sparks, the DFL officeholder. He kept it in 2022 against the DFL candidate, Brandon Lawhead.[^1] ## Minnesota Senate In the 2020 general election, Dornink beat Sparks, who was then the sitting DFL senator.[^1] Two years later, in 2022, voters returned him to the Senate over Lawhead, the DFL's nominee.[^1] ## Personal life Dornink grew up on a dairy farm in the southern part of the state. For many years he was a carpenter belonging to a union, and he later opened a carpentry business of his own.[^1] He lives in Brownsdale, Minnesota, with his wife, Vicky. The couple have twelve children.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Gene Dornink, Republican member of the Minnesota Senate for District 23.[^1] ### What - State senator. Before that he was a union carpenter and then owned a carpentry business.[^1] ### When - Born December 30, 1962.[^1] - Elected in 2020 over Dan Sparks; reelected in 2022 over Brandon Lawhead.[^1] ### Where - District 23: all of Freeborn County and parts of Faribault, Mower, Steele, and Waseca Counties.[^1] - Residence: Brownsdale, Minnesota.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Gene Dornink* (revision 1378127227, retrieved 2026-10-26), CC BY-SA 4.0 — gives birth date, party, district and its counties, 2020 and 2022 election results, occupation, and residence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Dornink