# Glenn Gruenhagen *American politician; Republican member of the Minnesota Senate for District 17* Glenn H. Gruenhagen (born February 1, 1952) is a [[Minnesota]] politician and insurance agent from Glencoe.[^1] As of the Wikipedia revision retrieved on October 26, 2026, he held the District 17 seat in the [[Minnesota Senate]]. That district takes in Carver, McLeod, Meeker and Sibley Counties.[^1] He is a member of the [[Republican Party of Minnesota]]. He won a seat in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] in 2010 and won his Senate seat in 2022.[^1] The Wikipedia article on Gruenhagen says his positions have drawn coverage in Minnesota and nationally. It lists his opposition to homosexuality and same-sex marriage, his rejection of climate change, and his opposition to vaccine mandates. It also lists what it calls his denial of the 2020 state and federal election results. A further item is his proposal that Minnesota high schools teach the cause of "sickness, disease, pain, suffering, and death".[^1] Outside the legislature, he owns and runs Gruenhagen Insurance and Financial Services in Glencoe.[^1] ## Early life and education Gruenhagen was raised on a dairy farm outside Glencoe and finished high school there.[^1] He was attending Willmar Junior College in 1971 when his number came up in the draft lottery. He joined the Marine Corps in February 1971 and was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. He received an honorable discharge in February 1973.[^1] After leaving the service, he studied at North Hennepin Community College. He then studied business at the [[University of Minnesota]].[^1] The American College of Financial Services later awarded him the Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter designations.[^1] He won election to the Glencoe-Silver Lake school board in 1994 and sat on it for 16 years.[^1] ## Minnesota state legislature Gruenhagen first won election to the House in 2010, in District 25A. The Republican incumbent there, Laura Brod, had chosen not to run again. Gruenhagen defeated the Democratic nominee, Mick McGuire.[^1] The 2012 redistricting of the [[Minnesota Legislature]] moved him to House District 17B. He won that seat and was returned to it in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.[^1] In 2022 he ran for the Senate in District 17. He beat the Democratic nominee, Chad Tschimperle, by 70% to 30%.[^1] ## Political beliefs ### Climate change According to the Wikipedia article, Gruenhagen rejects the scientific consensus on climate change.[^1] He has described climate change as "a complete United Nations fraud and lie". He has also said that people who accept it believe exhaling causes global warming.[^1] At a committee hearing in January 2021, he attributed the 97% of scientists who accept climate change to "lies and indoctrination".[^1] Some months afterward, a large House climate and energy bill came to the floor. He offered an amendment to it that would have redefined wind and solar power as "dirty, inefficient and expensive".[^1] ### Homosexuality and same-sex marriage The article reports that Gruenhagen regards homosexuality as "unhealthy" and as an "addiction".[^1] Legislative committees had a public hearing set for March 12, 2013, on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Minnesota. On March 11, the day before, Gruenhagen rose on a point of personal privilege on the House floor. He presented Kevin Petersen, whom he called a friend. Gruenhagen said Petersen had "left the gay lifestyle" after ten years, married a woman and had three children.[^1] Petersen, an activist, belonged with Gruenhagen to the Pro-Marriage Amendment Forum. That group sought a Minnesota constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage.[^1] In March 2022 a bill to ban conversion therapy was before the legislature, and Gruenhagen opposed it. He said he preferred the term "reparative therapy" and wanted the practice to stay available in Minnesota.[^1] ### 2020 election After the 2020 federal and state elections, Gruenhagen asserted that many absentee ballots cast in 2020 could not be linked to registered voters. He also called for a forensic audit of the state's election.[^1] The Wikipedia article states that the [[Minnesota Secretary of State]] rebuked him over these claims. The pack does not include the Secretary of State's statement itself.[^1] ## Personal life Gruenhagen married his wife, Emily, in 1975. The couple have lived in Glencoe since 1978 and have three children.[^1] He belongs to the American Legion and the Glencoe Rotary Club.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Glenn Gruenhagen* (revision 1378405927, retrieved 2026-10-26) — biography, election history and reported political positions; no primary source for these facts is in the pack. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Gruenhagen