# Tou Xiong *Member of the Minnesota Senate (DFL), District 44* Tou Xiong (born 1989/1990) is an American politician who represents District 44 in the [[Minnesota Senate]] as a member of the [[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party]] (DFL).[^1] Before joining the Senate, he held the District 53A seat in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]], a district in the eastern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.[^1] His path to state office began on the city council of [[Maplewood, Minnesota]], to which he was elected in 2014.[^2] He won his first House race in 2018.[^3] He won his Senate seat in 2022.[^4] He lives in Maplewood.[^5] The record also shows two impaired-driving guilty pleas. The first followed an arrest in [[Blaine, Minnesota]], on January 8, 2022, and was a plea to fourth-degree DUI.[^6] The second followed a traffic stop in August 2025 and was entered in November 2025.[^6] ## Early life, education, and career Xiong's parents were refugees from Laos, and he is the second of their eight children.[^2] He finished secondary school at Tartan High School.[^2] He then earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics at [[St. Cloud State University]] and a Juris Doctor at [[William Mitchell College of Law]].[^2] Before entering elected office, Xiong worked as an urban planning organizer for the Harrison Neighborhood Association and as a legislative clerk for the [[Minnesota Housing Finance Agency]].[^2] He also worked for Minnesota Legal Aid and the Public Health Law Center. He served as a trustee on the board of directors of the [[Ramsey County Library]] and as a member of the Senate DFL District 53 executive committee.[^2] In 2014, Maplewood voters elected him to the city council.[^2] ## Minnesota House of Representatives Xiong won his first election to the House in 2018. He represented District 53A.[^3][^1] ## Minnesota Senate His election to the Senate came in 2022, and he represents District 44.[^4][^1] ## Personal life His home is in Maplewood.[^5] ### Legal issues Xiong was arrested in Blaine on January 8, 2022. He subsequently entered a guilty plea to fourth-degree DUI arising from that traffic stop.[^6] In August 2025, police stopped him while he was driving. He acknowledged that he had been drinking before driving and was booked into Ramsey County Jail.[^6] In November 2025, he entered a guilty plea to a single count of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence.[^6] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Tou Xiong, born 1989/1990, is a DFL member of the Minnesota Senate for District 44.[^1] - He is the second of eight siblings, born to refugees from Laos.[^2] ### What - He formerly served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for District 53A.[^1] - He served on the Maplewood city council, to which he was elected in 2014.[^2] ### When - 2014: elected to the Maplewood city council.[^2] - 2018: first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives.[^3] - January 8, 2022: arrested in Blaine, Minnesota. He later pleaded guilty to fourth-degree DUI.[^6] - 2022: elected to the Minnesota Senate.[^4] - August 2025: stopped while driving and booked into Ramsey County Jail.[^6] - November 2025: pleaded guilty to one count of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence.[^6] ### Where - He resides in Maplewood, Minnesota.[^5] - He represents Senate District 44. He formerly represented House District 53A, in the eastern Twin Cities metropolitan area.[^1] ### How - The August 2025 booking followed a traffic stop at which he admitted to having driven after consuming alcohol.[^6] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Tou Xiong*, lead section (rev. 1366479974, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes birth year 1989/1990, DFL membership, Senate District 44 and former House District 53A in the eastern Twin Cities metropolitan area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tou_Xiong [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Tou Xiong*, section *Early life, education, and career* (rev. 1366479974, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes family background, schooling and degrees, pre-election employment and board service, and the 2014 Maplewood city council election. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tou_Xiong [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Tou Xiong*, section *Minnesota House of Representatives* (rev. 1366479974, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes first election to the House in 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tou_Xiong [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Tou Xiong*, section *Minnesota Senate* (rev. 1366479974, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes election to the Senate in 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tou_Xiong [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Tou Xiong*, section *Personal life* (rev. 1366479974, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes residence in Maplewood, Minnesota. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tou_Xiong [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Tou Xiong*, subsection *Legal issues* (rev. 1366479974, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes the January 8, 2022 Blaine arrest and fourth-degree DUI plea, the August 2025 stop and booking into Ramsey County Jail, and the November 2025 guilty plea. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tou_Xiong