Joe McDonald

Joseph P. McDonald was born on July 21, 1966, in Watertown, Minnesota. He is of Irish ancestry and was raised in Watertown before relocating to Delano, Minnesota, where he is now a resident. McDonald is a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Delano and is married to Rachel, with whom he has three children.

Before entering the state legislature, McDonald served his community at the local level, serving on the Delano city council from 2000 to 2006 and as mayor of Delano from 2007 until his election to the state legislature.

Education

McDonald holds an Associate degree in Photography from Hennepin Technical College. He later earned a Master's degree in Professional Photography in 2003 and a Craftsman degree in 2008. By profession, he is a master photographer and business owner.

Political Experience

A member of the Republican Party, McDonald was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2010 and has represented District 29A since taking office on January 4, 2011. His district is located northwest of the Twin Cities metropolitan area and includes the cities of Delano and Rockford as well as parts of Wright, Meeker, and Hennepin counties. He has been reelected every two years since his initial election.

McDonald serves as Co-Chair of the Legacy Finance Committee and holds positions on the Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee, as well as the Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee. He also serves as the minority lead for the Labor and Industry Finance and Policy Committee and sits on the Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee.

Regarding his legislative priorities, McDonald has authored bills focused on tax policy, including legislation to fully repeal the estate tax. He has also taken positions on labor issues, opposing legislation that would ban noncompete clauses for many workers and a bill that would allow a lower minimum wage for tipped employees.