Cynthia Lonnquist

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Cynthia Lonnquist

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

December 5, 2023

Education

Bachelor's

Metropolitan State University, 1983

Personal

Birthplace

Minneapolis, Minn.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Technology sales

Contact

Campaign website

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Cynthia Lonnquist (Republican Party) ran in a special election to the Minnesota House of Representatives to represent District 52B. She lost in the special general election on December 5, 2023.

Biography

Cynthia Lonnquist was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She earned a bachelor's degree from Metropolitan State University in 1983. Lonnquist's career experience includes working in technology sales and being a business owner.

Elections

2023

See also: Minnesota state legislative special elections, 2023

General election

Special general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B

Bianca Ward Virnig defeated Cynthia Lonnquist and Charles Kuchlenz in the special general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B on December 5, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bianca Ward Virnig (D)	58.2	3,853
		Cynthia Lonnquist (R)	40.9	2,705
	Submit photo	Charles Kuchlenz (L)	0.9	59
		Other/Write-in votes	0.0	1

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,618
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Special Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B

Bianca Ward Virnig defeated Jay Miller, Cynthia Callais, and Chris Whitfield in the special Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B on November 16, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bianca Ward Virnig	39.7	781
		Jay Miller	36.7	721
	Submit photo	Cynthia Callais	19.1	376
		Chris Whitfield	4.4	87

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,965
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Carl Yaeger (D)

Republican primary election

Special Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B

Cynthia Lonnquist advanced from the special Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B on November 16, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cynthia Lonnquist	100.0	230

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 230
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Lonnquist in this election.

2022

See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B

Incumbent Ruth Richardson defeated Cynthia Lonnquist in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ruth Richardson (D)	61.7	13,933
		Cynthia Lonnquist (R)	38.2	8,636
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	23

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 22,592
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Ruth Richardson advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Cynthia Lonnquist advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B.

2020

See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B

Incumbent Ruth Richardson defeated Cynthia Lonnquist in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ruth Richardson (D)	55.5	13,653
		Cynthia Lonnquist (R)	44.5	10,947
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	21

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 24,621
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Ruth Richardson advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Cynthia Lonnquist advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B.

Endorsements

To view Lonnquist's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2023

Bianca Ward Virnig did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Cynthia Lonnquist did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Cynthia Lonnquist completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lonnquist's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A lifelong Minnesotan, daughter of WWII Vet, Single Mom, Grandmother of six I'm invested in this community. I love Minnesota; beautiful lakes, environment; excellent healthcare. But Minnesota is also known as one of the "worst places to do business in the country", and one of the "worst places to retire". We're taxing business and residents so high that they're leaving state. Post COVID-19 we can no longer afford to be driving business and residents out of here; we need them! I will work to revise MN tax policies to ATTRACT business, jobs and residents. We also need our dedicated Law Enforcement community and they deserve our support. Sept. 11 Police Officers and Firefighters rushed into burning buildings to save their fellow citizens of every race, color & creed. Over 400 of them never came home that night. With rare exception Police Officers risk their lives every day to protect us and many will die in the line of duty. Join me to make Minnesota one of the BEST and safest places to live, work and retire.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Post COVID-19 Recovery: It is time to remove the Emergency Order that has shuttered private business, closed Churches and kept children out of school. Protecting the most vulnerable, high-risk people can be done without impacting the entire state economy and sacrificing children's education.
• Minnesotans deserve to feel safe in their homes, communities and places of work; Law Enforcement is key to keeping the peace. Defunding and demonizing Police is not a solution; they deserve our support and respect.
• As Americans, we all enjoy Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness . Life begins at conception and it is time for Minnesota to protect our unborn brothers and sisters and discontinue the Holocaust of abortion.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about revising our tax rates for corporations, making Minnesota at least competitive with surrounding states. This will stop the exodus of businesses leaving state. Our current tax policies are counter-productive; rather than getting 30% of something, we get 100% of nothing when they leave state.

I also am passionate about being a good steward of everything we've been blessed with; life, the environment, and our financial resources. If the people of my District elect me to represent them at the Capitol in St. Paul, I will be a good steward of everything entrusted to me.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Martin Luther King, Jr. as a leader in the civil rights movement. He never advocated violence, and I believe that is why he is so greatly revered. My favorite quote from Dr. King; "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, competence and accountability.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Integrity; competence; common sense.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To be devoted to do the work of the people of your District; representing your Constituents at the Capitol in St. Paul. To work responsibly with other Legislators and the Governor, in good faith.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Faithfulness

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Dating myself; President Kennedy was assassinated Nov. 22, 1963, the day of my 6th birthday Party. From a large family, we did not get a Birthday Party every year, only one year - and this was mine. One by one the guests cancelled, of course. That day is still very vivid in my mind. I often thought of Caroline, who is the same age as me. We lost our President that day, she lost her father.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

At age 15 I landed my first job at the local Dairy Queen. I worked there one year, and continued to work to this day. Among the Positions I've held; Waitress, Retail Clerk, Music Teacher and Performer, Technology Sales, Business Owner and Uber Driver. I value all my experiences and believe I have the background to relate to my Constituents from all walks of life.

What is your favorite book? Why?

365 Days; because it told the story (of the Vietnam War) from a different perspective - that of a Medic.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Crowder's "Come as you are"

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Taking on too much.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

With 67 Senators and 134 Representatives, I consider more "hashing out" of Legislative business to happen at the Representative level before proceeding to Senate.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not necessarily. While it helps to know how the levers of government work, a perspective from outside of Government or politics can be tremendously valuable as well.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Transforming Minnesota's business climate will be our greatest challenge over the next decade.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

Ideally, there should be respect between the governor and state legislature.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I believe it is beneficial to build relationships with other legislators because you must know them, talk with them, hear their viewpoint and share yours if you ultimately want to win them over and accomplish something.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Geographical by population, using natural boundaries such as cities, counties, rivers.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I would like to be part of an Environmental committee, Healthcare, or Commerce committees.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I met a Husband and Wife who both recently retired from their careers in Social Services. They talked about when they first began their work (Child Protection and Social Worker), the goal was to help people in their time of need and get them (back) to a place of self-sufficiency in society. They expressed dismay that over time that goal was lost, in favor of long-term dependency on "the system". This takes away pride and dignity of able-bodied citizens. This does not serve them well, is expensive for other citizens who pay for these services via taxes. When someone is physically or mentally disabled and unable to provide for themselves,, out of humaneness we as a society need to provide for their safety and well-being, But all who are able to provide for themselves should be encouraged to do so.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2023 Elections

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External links

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Candidate

Minnesota House of Representatives District 52B

Website

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Minnesota House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Lisa Demuth

Majority Leader:Harry Niska

Representatives

District 1A

John Burkel (R)

District 1B

Steve Gander (R)

District 2A

Bidal Duran (R)

District 2B

Matt Bliss (R)

District 3A

Roger Skraba (R)

District 3B

Natalie Zeleznikar (R)

District 4A

Heather Keeler (D)

District 4B

Jim Joy (R)

District 5A

Krista Knudsen (R)

District 5B

Mike Wiener (R)

District 6A

Ben Davis (R)

District 6B

Josh Heintzeman (R)

District 7A

Spencer Igo (R)

District 7B

Cal Warwas (R)

District 8A

Pete Johnson (D)

District 8B

Alicia Kozlowski (D)

District 9A

Jeff Backer (R)

District 9B

Tom Murphy (R)

District 10A

Ron Kresha (R)

District 10B

Isaac Schultz (R)

District 11A

Jeff Dotseth (R)

District 11B

Nathan Nelson (R)

District 12A

Paul Anderson (R)

District 12B

Mary Franson (R)

District 13A

Lisa Demuth (R)

District 13B

Tim O'Driscoll (R)

District 14A

Bernie Perryman (R)

District 14B

Dan Wolgamott (D)

District 15A

Chris Swedzinski (R)

District 15B

Paul Torkelson (R)

District 16A

Scott Van Binsbergen (R)

District 16B

Dave Baker (R)

District 17A

Dawn Gillman (R)

District 17B

Bobbie Harder (R)

District 18A

Erica Schwartz (R)

District 18B

Luke Frederick (D)

District 19A

Keith Allen (R)

District 19B

Tom Sexton (R)

District 20A

Pam Altendorf (R)

District 20B

Steven Jacob (R)

District 21A

Joe Schomacker (R)

District 21B

Marj Fogelman (R)

District 22A

Bjorn Olson (R)

District 22B

Terry Stier (R)

District 23A

Peggy Bennett (R)

District 23B

Patricia Mueller (R)

District 24A

Duane Quam (R)

District 24B

Tina Liebling (D)

District 25A

Kim Hicks (D)

District 25B

Andy Smith (D)

District 26A

Aaron Repinski (R)

District 26B

Greg Davids (R)

District 27A

Shane Mekeland (R)

District 27B

Bryan Lawrence (R)

District 28A

James Gordon (R)

District 28B

Max Rymer (R)

District 29A

Joe McDonald (R)

District 29B

Marion Rarick (R)

District 30A

Walter Hudson (R)

District 30B

Paul Novotny (R)

District 31A

Harry Niska (R)

District 31B

Peggy Scott (R)

District 32A

Nolan West (R)

District 32B

Matt Norris (D)

District 33A

Patti Anderson (R)

District 33B

Josiah Hill (D)

District 34A

Danny Nadeau (R)

District 34B

Vacant

District 35A

Zack Stephenson (D)

District 35B

Kari Rehrauer (D)

District 36A

Elliott Engen (R)

District 36B

Brion Curran (D)

District 37A

Kristin Robbins (R)

District 37B

Kristin Bahner (D)

District 38A

Huldah Hiltsley (D)

District 38B

Samantha Vang (D)

District 39A

Erin Koegel (D)

District 39B

Sandra Feist (D)

District 40A

Kelly Moller (D)

District 40B

David Gottfried (D)

District 41A

Wayne Johnson (R)

District 41B

Tom Dippel (R)

District 42A

Ned Carroll (D)

District 42B

Ginny Klevorn (D)

District 43A

Cedrick Frazier (D)

District 43B

Mike Freiberg (D)

District 44A

Peter Fischer (D)

District 44B

Leon Lillie (D)

District 45A

Andrew Myers (R)

District 45B

Patty Acomb (D)

District 46A

Larry Kraft (D)

District 46B

Cheryl Youakim (D)

District 47A

Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (D)

District 47B

Ethan Cha (D)

District 48A

Jim Nash (R)

District 48B

Lucille Rehm (D)

District 49A

Alex Falconer (D)

District 49B

Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (D)

District 50A

Julie Greene (D)

District 50B

Steve Elkins (D)

District 51A

Michael Howard (D)

District 51B

Nathan Coulter (D)

District 52A

Liz Reyer (D)

District 52B

Bianca Virnig (D)

District 53A

Mary Clardy (D)

District 53B

Rick Hansen (D)

District 54A

Brad Tabke (D)

District 54B

Ben Bakeberg (R)

District 55A

Jessica Hanson (D)

District 55B

Kaela Berg (D)

District 56A

Robert Bierman (D)

District 56B

John Huot (D)

District 57A

Jon Koznick (R)

District 57B

Jeff Witte (R)

District 58A

Kristi Pursell (D)

District 58B

Drew Roach (R)

District 59A

Fue Lee (D)

District 59B

Esther Agbaje (D)

District 60A

Sydney Jordan (D)

District 60B

Mohamud Noor (D)

District 61A

Katie Jones (D)

District 61B

Jamie Long (D)

District 62A

Aisha Gomez (D)

District 62B

Anquam Mahamoud (D)

District 63A

Samantha Sencer-Mura (D)

District 63B

Emma Greenman (D)

District 64A

Kaohly Her (D)

District 64B

Dave Pinto (D)

District 65A

Samakab Hussein (D)

District 65B

Maria Isa Pérez-Vega (D)

District 66A

Leigh Finke (D)

District 66B

Athena Hollins (D)

District 67A

Liz Lee (D)

District 67B

Jay Xiong (D)

Republican Party (67)

Democratic Party (66)

Vacancies (1)