Jim Abeler

Jim Abeler
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 35th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 22, 2016
Preceded byBranden Petersen
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 35A district
48B (2003-2013), 49A (1999-2003)
In office
January 5, 1999 – January 5, 2015
Preceded byCharlie Weaver
Succeeded byAbigail Whelan
Personal details
Born (1954-05-18) May 18, 1954 (age 70)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseBarb
Children6
Residence(s)Anoka, Minnesota, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Minnesota
Hamline University
Northwestern College of Chiropractic
OccupationChiropractor

James J. Abeler II (/ˈeɪblər/ AY-blər;[1] born May 18, 1954) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 35 in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. He formerly represented District 35A in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Early life and education

Abeler was born in Minneapolis. He graduated from Anoka High School in Anoka, then attended the University of Minnesota and Hamline University in Saint Paul.[2] He earned his D.C. from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Bloomington in 1979. In the late 1990s, he founded PACT Charter School in Anoka.[3]

Minnesota Legislature

Minnesota House of Representatives

Abeler was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1998 and was reelected every two years until 2014, when he ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Before the 2002 legislative redistricting, he represented the old District 49A. He chaired the Health Policy and Finance Subcommittee for the Health Care Cost Containment Division during the 2005-06 biennium.[4]

Minnesota Senate

Abeler won election to the Minnesota Senate in a special election on February 9, 2016 and took office on February 22.[4] In 2022, he gained notoriety for unwittingly approving a DFL-sponsored bill that legalized THC edibles derived from hemp.[5][6][7][8]

2014 U.S. Senate campaign

Main article: 2014 United States Senate election in Minnesota

Abeler was a candidate in the 2014 U.S. Senate election in Minnesota.[9] He lost the Republican nomination to Mike McFadden.

Political stances

Abeler formed the MN Autism Council in 2018. He was subsequently criticized for appointing Wayne Rohde, cofounder of the Vaccine Safety Council of Minnesota, to the council in 2019. Rohde is a prominent vaccine skeptic and an executive for Health Choice, which advocates for health conditions in children "caused by side effects of vaccine choices."[10]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in November 2020, Abeler opened a bar called Nucky's Speakeasy as a co-owner. He had owned the Anoka building in which it opened since 1994. The bar was named after Atlantic City racketeer Enoch Lewis "Nucky" Johnson.[11]

Personal life

Abeler is married to Barb and they have six children. He is a Baptist and a chiropractor.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Senate Members' Pronunciation". Minnesota Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  2. ^ Anoka Lawmaker Hoping For A Successful Rookie Year Minnesota Legislative Reference Library Session Weekly, January 15, 1999
  3. ^ Belden, Doug - Anoka Republican Jim Abeler wades into Senate race. TwinCities.com Pioneer Press, June 17, 2013
  4. ^ a b c "Abeler, Jim". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  5. ^ Faircloth, Ryan - Edibles, beverages infused with cannabis ingredient THC become legal Friday in Minnesota. Star Tribune, June 30, 2022
  6. ^ Faircloth, Ryan - New edible cannabis law catches some Minnesota regulators, lawmakers by surprise. Star Tribune, July 1, 2022
  7. ^ Derosier, Alex - Cannabis edibles containing psychoactive THC now legal in Minnesota TwinCities.com Pioneer Press, June 30, 2022
  8. ^ Bornhoft, William - Did Minnesota Just Accidentally Legalize THC-Laced Edibles?. MSN.com Patch, July 1, 2022
  9. ^ Pugmire, Tim and Tom Scheck (June 18, 2013). "State Rep. Abeler running for US Senate". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  10. ^ Mole, Beth (January 25, 2019). "Anti-vaccine advocates appointed to Minnesota autism council after measles outbreak". Ars Technica. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  11. ^ Hyatt, Kim (December 10, 2020). "Republican legislator opened speakeasy days before shutdown". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2022.