Cal Warwas
Cal Warwas (Republican Party) is a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 7B. He assumed office on January 14, 2025. His current term ends on January 12, 2027.
Warwas (Republican Party) ran for election to the Minnesota House of Representatives to represent District 7B. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Warwas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Cal Warwas was born in Virginia, Minnesota. Warwas' career experience includes working as a miner. He earned a degree from Mesabi Range Community and Technical College in 1999.[1]
Warwas has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- Steelworkers Local 1938
- Clinton Township Board Member
- St. Louis County Association of Townships
- Minnesota Association of Townships
- Better In Our Back Yard (BIOBY)
- Iron Mining Association
- Mining Minnesota
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B
Cal Warwas defeated Lorrie Janatopoulos in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Cal Warwas (R)  | 56.3 | 13,781 |
 | Lorrie Janatopoulos (D) | 43.6 | 10,655 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 23 | ||
| Total votes: 24,459 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B
Lorrie Janatopoulos advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B on August 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lorrie Janatopoulos | 100.0 | 2,703 |
| Total votes: 2,703 | |||
| = 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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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B
Cal Warwas defeated Matt Matasich in the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B on August 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cal Warwas | 84.2 | 2,588 |
 | Matt Matasich | 15.8 | 485 | |
| Total votes: 3,073 | |||
| = 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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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Warwas in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cal Warwas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Warwas' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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In 1996, two events took place that changed the course of my life forever: On April 22, I started a job for United States Steel as a Train Operator, and on May 11, I married my beautiful bride (and best friend) Maria Keller.
Growing up, I didn't realize how unique our hometown was and how the Iron Range has helped to shape domestic industry in the United States. I'm a 3rd generation miner, and a 2nd generation Steelworker member at the Local 1938, where I've been for 28 years now, and have worked in numerous roles. You can read more about that here: https://www.mesabitribune.com/mine/mining-and-me/article_b6fbc538-941d-11ec-96d6-8331ea568bf2.html
Mining is integral to who we are on the Range, and the good paying job I've had in industry is the kind of position that I would love to see more people get to experience. I've been able to raise build my homes and raise my family on just one income, and that is a rare thing in our modern economy.- Minnesota is past the proverbial crossroads that people always talk about in elections: In 2022, a DFL majority took control of the Governor's office, the MN House by 4 seats and MN Senate by a margin of one. If the Democratic Party members in both chambers would work in good faith with their minority party companions, there would be little alarm, but the DFL has effectively cut out the voice of 49% of the voting public by passing bills with little to no input from the Republicans, except where bonding is concerned. We need balance in government so that all of our state is represented, so that everyone has a seat at the table and place to bargain from.
- Mining is the the beginning and end of everything good on the Iron Range. While we've had ups and downs in the mining economy, we've also enjoyed 140+ years in this industry which has provided jobs for countless thousands of people, put kids through college and pumped millions of dollars into education, healthcare and regional infrastructure. We have a solid 100 years ahead in mining, and my goal is to sustain and expand our industry here. Iron Mining continues to carry the region, today, and Copper-Nickel and other precious metal mining will only add to the mineral-rich economy we now enjoy. Responsible mining of our precious metal resources, thereby building the future of the region, and country, is a huge priority of mine.
- The Trifecta has pushed Minnesotans into a tough spot. With record inflation nationally, our taxpayers need a break. That's why I'll push for new formula's that give all Minnesotan's relief on property taxes, which are now penalizing to an extreme level our citizens who have already paid a premium in taxes and materials to build a better life for themselves. By spending roughly 19 billion in surplus monies, and committing to 10 billion in additional spending, the DFL has grown government by about 40%. There's no way that most Minnesotans think that is a responsible way to spend taxpayer dollars. This is a reckless and irresponsible way to govern that must stop, and with a GOP House majority, it will.
Year on year, we see insane rate increases in electricity, which is making it harder for homeowners across the state to afford their monthly bills. The so-called "carbon free by 2040" bill that was passed by the DFL Trifecta will continue to ratchet up costs for consumers, especially industry and small businesses that provide jobs to our citizens.
This same perspective I would take with me to the State House of Representatives. We may or may not agree on a great many things, but having friendships where you can and a solid base of understanding where you can't will serve my constituents best as they expect us to get work done for the people that put us there.
The voice of the people was disregarded, time and again, in the early years since 2020. One person should not have (the perceived or actual) total control of the resource in government in our state.
St. Louis County Republican Party
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Minnesota scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B |
Officeholder Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B |
Personal |
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dave Lislegard (D) |
Minnesota House of Representatives District 7B 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
