RepublicanIn office since Nov 2020

Gene Dornink

Minnesota State Senator, District 23 since 2020. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2030.

Minnesota State Senator, District 23Born 1962

Official website Wikipedia

In office: 6 yrs; Since 2020
Bills became law: 0; 39 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed: 0.0%; Chamber median 0.0%
With party: 84%; On votes splitting the parties
Last margin: +10.0; Won 2026
Next election: 2030; Nov 5, 2030

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

Labor · ranking member
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 39 sponsored · 0 became law

BillIntroCmteSenateHouseLaw

SF 310 Employee definition modified for the purposes of earned sick and safe time
Labor, Employment, and Labor and Industry Department · Failed in the Senate Feb 2025

SF 5272 City of Austin Hormel Institute Bioimaging Center bond issue and appropriation
Appropriations · Failed in committee May 2026

SF 5059 Minnesota investment fund local government loan repayment funds restrictions temporary modification
Employment and Economic Development Department · Failed in committee Apr 2026

SF 4925 Plant and soil amendment labeling requirements clarification
Agriculture and Agriculture Department · Failed in committee Mar 2026

SF 4780 Misuse of earned sick and safe time definition provision
Labor, Employment, and Labor and Industry Department · Failed in committee Mar 2026

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Dornink sits in the Minnesota State Senate

Dornink is closer to the center than 74% of the chamber's Republicans.

Closest: Warren Limmer, Michael Kreun, Rob Farnsworth

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:53 PM ET

With Dornink’s party

Votes with the chamber's Republicans84%
Cosponsorships of the other party's bills53%

Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Minnesota State Senate.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Dornink’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.

Date	Bill	Dornink	Rep. majority	Dem. majority	Result
May 17, 2026	HF 2484: Bonding bill; spending authorized to acquire and better land and buildings and for other…	No	No	Yes	Passed 50–17
May 17, 2026	SF 2077: Omnibus Outdoor Heritage Fund, Legacy and Lands bill	No	No	Yes	Passed 41–26
May 17, 2026	SF 4612: Omnibus Health and Human Services supplemental appropriations	No	No	Yes	Passed 35–32
May 17, 2026	SF 4401: Omnibus Cannabis bill	No	No	Yes	Passed 35–32
May 16, 2026	HF 3900: Permanent school fund investment, management, and distribution policy modified; and…	No	No	Yes	Passed 38–29

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Dornink was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

2016201720182019202020212022202320242025202620272028Minnesota State Senate, District 27 Minnesota State Senate, District 23

Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Elections

Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.

Year	Race	Result	Margin	Seat	+/−
2026	Minnesota Senate District 23	Won	R+10.0	R+20.2	−10.2
2022	Minnesota State Senate, District 23	Won	R+21.6	—	—
2020	Minnesota State Senate, District 27	Won	R+4.5	—	—
2016	Minnesota State Senate, District 27	Lost	D+9.6	—	—