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Roger Skraba

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Roger Skraba
Member of theMinnesota House of Representatives
from the 3A district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byRob Ecklund
Personal details
Born(1961-11-29)November 29, 1961(age 62)
Ely, Minnesota,U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Residence(s)Ely, Minnesota,U.S.
EducationNorth Dakota State University(BA)
Occupation
WebsiteGovernment websiteCampaign website
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1986-1994
RankSergeant

Roger J. Skraba(/ˈskrɑːbə/SKRAH-bə;[1]born November 29, 1961) is an American politician serving in theMinnesota House of Representativessince 2023. A member of theRepublican Party of Minnesota,Skraba represents District 3A in northernMinnesota,which includes the cities ofInternational FallsandEly,and parts or all ofCook,Itasca,Koochiching,Lake,andSt. LouisCounties.[2][3]

Early life, education and career

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Born inEly, Minnesota,Skraba graduated from Ely Memorial High School and fromNorth Dakota State Universitywith abachelor's degreein construction management. Skraba served in theUnited States Armyfor nine years, attaining the rank of Sergeant.[2]

Skraba served on the St. Louis County Board of Adjustment and Planning Commission. He was a member of the Ely City Council and was elected mayor of Ely four times, most recently in 2021.[2][4][5]

Skraba, who was aDFLer before joining theRepublican Party of Minnesota,endorsed candidate Jeff Anderson in the 2012 DFL primary to challengeChip CravaackforMinnesota's 8th Congressional District.[6]After Anderson lost the primary toRick Nolan,Skraba endorsed Cravaack.[7]

Minnesota House of Representatives

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Skraba was elected to theMinnesota House of Representativesin2022.He first ran for the state House in 2002 as the Independence Party nominee, finishing third behind Republican Tom Porter and DemocratDavid Dill.He ran again in a 2015 special election after Dill died, and lost to DFL nomineeRob Ecklund.[8]Skraba defeated Ecklund in 2022 by 0.07 percent, triggering an automatic recount under state law, after which Skraba was declared the winner by 15 votes.[2][9][10]

Skraba serves on the Capital Investment, Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, and Legacy Finance Committees.[2]

Political positions

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In 2010, Skraba, a longtime supporter of the mining industry, urged then-Governor Mark Dayton to pick department heads sympathetic to mining projects.[11][12]He has criticized environmentalists in the DFL party, saying that northern Minnesota has been hampered by onerous permitting processes for mining.[13]Skraba opposed theBiden administration's decision to cancel leases forTwin Metals copper-nickel minein the region.[14]

Skraba, who has worked as a canoe guide, has supported northern Minnesota's tourism industry but said it "does not produce all the money Ely needs to function".[15][16]He supported a 2023 infrastructure package that included over $40 million in funding for projects in northern Minnesota, saying it was "a good bill for the Northland".[17]He co-sponsored a bill extending unemployment benefits to laid-off miners, which passed the legislature in 2023 with bipartisan support.[18]

Electoral history

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2002 Minnesota State House - District 06A[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) David K. Dill 10,804 56.21
Republican Tom Porter 4,318 22.46
Independence Roger Skraba 3,945 20.52
Write-in 155 0.81
Total votes 19,222 100.00
Democratic (DFL)hold
2015 Minnesota State House - District 3A Special Election[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Rob Ecklund 4,591 63.39
Republican Roger Skraba 1,399 19.32
Independent Kelsey Johnson 1,144 15.79
Write-in 109 1.50
Total votes 7,243 100.0
Democratic (DFL)hold
2022 Minnesota State House - District 3A[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger Skraba 10,867 49.98
Democratic (DFL) Rob Ecklund(incumbent) 10,852 49.91
Write-in 22 0.10
Total votes 21,741 100.0
RepublicangainfromDemocratic (DFL)

Personal life

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Skraba lives inEly, Minnesota.He isCatholicand attends St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Ely.[2]

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In 2010, while mayor of Ely, Skraba was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to driving his snowmobile in the restrictedBoundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.He was also sentenced for breaking into a U.S. Forest Service shed and stealing a portable toilet, which he had hidden.[22]He was fined $3,630, sentenced to 40 hours of community service, and placed on probation for two years.[22]He has previously filed for bankruptcy.[13]

References

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  1. ^Representative-Elect Natalie Zeleznikar and Roger Skraba.PBS North. December 10, 2022. Event occurs at 00:28.RetrievedAugust 23,2024– viaYouTube.
  2. ^abcdef"Skraba, Roger J - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present".lrl.mn.gov.Retrieved2023-02-23.
  3. ^"Rep. Roger Skraba (03A) - Minnesota House of Representatives".house.mn.gov.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  4. ^Coolican, J. Patrick (September 28, 2015)."Mining is on many minds ahead of vote to replace late Rep. Dill".Star Tribune.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  5. ^Vandervort, Keith (2021-08-11)."Skraba set to take over as Ely mayor".The Timberjay.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  6. ^Olson, Michael (2011-11-08)."MN-08 DFL candidates share opening thoughts on congressional race".MPR News.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  7. ^Zdechlik, Mark (2012-09-21)."Cravaack announces endorsements from officials who had backed DFLer Anderson".MPR News.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  8. ^The Associated Press (2015-12-09)."Voters choose Democratic replacement for late Rep. Dill".MPR News.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  9. ^Faircloth, Ryan (November 29, 2022)."State Canvassing Board certifies Minnesota's election results".Star Tribune.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  10. ^Lawler, Christa (December 7, 2022)."Two Republicans appear to have won tight northeastern Minnesota House races after recount".Star Tribune.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  11. ^Kelleher, Bob (2011-01-06)."Stakes high for mining projects with Dayton's DNR pick".MPR News.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  12. ^The Ely Echo (2011-01-12)."New DNR commissioner not likely what Range mayors had in mind".MinnPost.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  13. ^abCoolican, J. Patrick (September 10, 2015)."Race to replace Rep. David Dill shaping up to be wild and wide open".Star Tribune.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  14. ^Lawler, Christa; Bjorhus, Jennifer (January 30, 2022)."Mining, love of BWCA struggle to coexist in North Woods gateway".Star Tribune.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  15. ^Olson, Michael (2011-12-05)."Ely mayor trusting mining industry" up to a point, "ta xing Minn. skinny, gouged at MSP".MPR News.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  16. ^Kraker, Dan (2012-09-12)."Last year's Pagami Creek blaze part of trend of worsening fires".MPR News.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  17. ^Hollingsworth, Jana (May 24, 2023)."'Boy did we make history': Duluth, Arrowhead leaders celebrate region's big wins in Minnesota budget ".Star Tribune.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  18. ^Kraker, Dan (2023-01-23)."Bill to extend benefits for laid-off mineworkers passes Minnesota House".MPR News.Retrieved2023-08-13.
  19. ^"2002 Results for State Representative District 06A".Minnesota Secretary of State.RetrievedFebruary 25,2023.
  20. ^"2015 Results for State Representative District 3A Special Election".Minnesota Secretary of State.RetrievedFebruary 25,2023.
  21. ^"2022 Results for State Representative District 3A".Minnesota Secretary of State.RetrievedFebruary 25,2023.
  22. ^abThe Associated Press (2010-05-19)."Ely mayor sentenced for BWCAW violations".MPR News.Retrieved2023-08-13.
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