# Larry Kraft *Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (DFL) from District 46A* Larry Kraft (born January 24, 1966) is a Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) politician who has held a seat in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] since 2023.[^1] His district, 46A, takes in the city of St. Louis Park in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, along with parts of Hennepin County, [[Minnesota]].[^1] Kraft won the seat in the 2022 election. He entered the race after redistricting and after Ryan Winkler, the DFL incumbent who had served seven terms, announced a campaign for [[Hennepin County Attorney]].[^2] Before joining the House, he worked in the technology industry, directed the climate nonprofit iMatter, and held several posts with the city of St. Louis Park, including a seat on the city council.[^3][^4] ## Early life, education and career Kraft holds two degrees from Cornell University: a bachelor's in computer science and a Master of Business Administration.[^3] He belonged to the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.[^3] After a career in the technology industry, Kraft left to become executive director of iMatter. The organization is a national nonprofit based in the Twin Cities whose work centers on young people's activism for climate-change solutions.[^3] Kraft also mentored student groups that pressed St. Louis Park to adopt a climate action plan.[^3] His roles with the city of St. Louis Park have included city council member and environment and sustainability commissioner. He also sat on the city's climate action plan committee and on the steering committee that developed its arts and culture strategic framework.[^4] On the council, Kraft cast the only vote against a ban on vaping products and e-cigarettes. He argued that the measure moved ahead of federal regulation.[^4] In January 2022 he led a coalition of 16 Minnesota cities that declared a climate emergency and called on the state [[Legislature]] to act on the crisis.[^4] ## Minnesota House of Representatives As of the October 2026 revision of his Wikipedia article, Kraft is vice chair of the Climate and Energy Finance and Policy Committee.[^5] He is also a member of three other committees: Commerce Finance and Policy; Sustainable Infrastructure Policy; and Transportation Finance and Policy.[^5] Kraft backs political competition and primary challenges, including challenges within the DFL.[^5] He set out that view in a submission to the [[Star Tribune]]'s Readers Write feature on September 3, 2026. The submission was titled *Democracy means competition, even within political parties*.[^5] ## Personal life Kraft and his wife, Lauri, live in St. Louis Park. They have two children.[^6] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Larry Kraft* (revision 1380539634, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes his birth date, office since 2023, DFL membership, District 46A and its St. Louis Park and Hennepin County geography. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kraft [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Larry Kraft* (revision 1380539634, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes his 2022 election, the redistricting, and Ryan Winkler's run for Hennepin County Attorney. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kraft [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Larry Kraft* (revision 1380539634, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes his Cornell degrees, fraternity membership, technology career, iMatter role and student mentoring. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kraft [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Larry Kraft* (revision 1380539634, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes his St. Louis Park city roles, his vote on the vaping ban, and the January 2022 climate-emergency coalition of 16 cities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kraft [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Larry Kraft* (revision 1380539634, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes his committee assignments and his September 3, 2026 Star Tribune Readers Write submission. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kraft [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Larry Kraft* (revision 1380539634, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes his residence and family. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kraft