McGuire Announces Bid For Ramsey County Board

Mary Jo McGuire, a veteran DFL state lawmaker, on Monday announced her candidacy for the Ramsey County Board.

“I know that the work that I have been doing at the state level will make for an easy transition to the county. I am passionate about my work in public health, violence prevention, public safety, and early childhood education and know that the County Board is an ideal place to implement many of the policies that I worked on as a state legislator.” McGuire said in a press statement submitted by her volunteer committee.

This spring, McGuire was thrust into the same Senate district as Roseville Sen. John Marty due to legislative redistricting. In a District 66 DFL endorsing convention, McGuire lost out to Marty and she pledged not to run in a primary to challenge him.

McGuire's volunteer committee said she is running for the Ramsey County Board in District Two, which includes Roseville, New Brighton, Little Canada, Lauderdale, one precinct in St. Anthony Village and one in Mounds View. Jan Parker, the current District Two County Board commissioner, announced her retirement earlier this year.

McGuire is a lifelong resident of Ramsey County; she attended high school at Alexander Ramsey Senior High School in Roseville (now Roseville Area High School), completed her undergraduate degree at The College of St. Catherine in St. Paul and received her law degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul.

McGuire has served as a state legislator for more than 15 years in the Minnesota House and Senate. She has represented Roseville, Falcon Heights. Lauderdale, St. Anthony Village and St. Paul. She was recognized as ‘Legislator of the Year’ by Politics in Minnesota and ‘Best Elected Official’ by the Roseville Review.

McGuire is an adjunct professor and civic educator and is active in her community, currently serving on the Board of Directors for Northwest Youth and Family Services.

Throughout her years as a state legislator, McGuire has been a champion for education, especially early childhood through higher education; violence prevention, public health, energy, the environment; equity and human rights, her committee said.

Of her candidacy, McGuire said, “We continue to face a tough economic and political climate. The realities of these challenging times demand a leader with the fortitude and experience to stand up for our progressive values, to not only push back against the divisive right-wing agenda, but to continually strive to find ways to advance our priorities and move Minnesota forward."