On February 16, 2018, Representative Jon Applebaum announced that he will not seek reelection to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018.
“It has been an honor to serve my hometown district, all of my constituents and the people of Minnesota for the past four years,” Rep. Applebaum said. “Thank you to my constituents for electing me as their representative. Thank you to my colleagues and the staff at the legislature for all the work they do. And thank you to my family, friends, supporters and volunteers, who helped in all my campaigns. Your support has meant the world to me.
“While I have enjoyed serving in the legislature, I am very excited to have the time to enjoy the future outside of it, including becoming a father for the first time with welcoming a daughter into our family this April, and continuing to help Minnesotans through my growing private legal practice.”
An example of a Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) politician who focused on economic issues, Rep. Applebaum was first elected to represent District 44B (Minnetonka, Plymouth and Woodland) in 2014. After just one term, his DFL colleagues elected him Deputy Minority Leader of the DFL House Caucus prior to the 2017-2018 session. He has never lost an election and has been the legislature’s most prodigious fundraiser throughout each of his campaigns.
“I am very proud of what I was able to accomplish at the legislature. In particular, I was successful in creating the nation’s first student loan debt tax credit, which is expected to provide direct relief to 65,000 student loan debtors in its first year and provide nearly $120 million in relief over a four-year period,” Rep. Applebaum added. “I also was the first to provide legislation for legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in Minnesota, which effectively started a statewide conversation that will lead to its enactment in the not too distant future.”
In his final session at the legislature, Rep. Applebaum will be concentrating on passing his latest piece of bold, tax-cutting legislation, which will be introduced on Tuesday, February 22. The measure resolves many of the problems caused by President Trump’s tax bill and accomplishes one critical objective: it saves Minnesotans’ money.
Rep. Applebaum has received recognition, accolades and support for his legislative work from groups as diverse as labor organizations, soybean growers, the Police Federation, Minnesota Professional Firefighters, Conservation Minnesota, Minnesota Farmers Union and the Libertarian Party of Minnesota, which invited him to speak at its 2017 State Convention.