Heather Gustafson
Photo: Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, Public domain
DemocratIn office since Nov 2022

Heather Gustafson

Minnesota State Senator, District 36 since 2022. Ran in 1 election in 2022, winning 1. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2030.

Minnesota State Senator, District 36School teacher

In office
3 yrs
Since 2022
Bills became law
1
75 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed
0.0%
Chamber median 0.0%
With party
99%
On votes splitting the parties
Last margin
+14.1
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.

  • Education Finance · vice chair
  • State and Local Government · vice chair
  • Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development
  • Jobs and Economic Development

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

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 75 sponsored · 1 became law
BillIntroCmteSenateHouseLaw
SF 856 Office of the Inspector General creation and appropriation
Commissions · Became law May 2026

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

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Gustafson sits in the Minnesota State Senate

Gustafson is closer to the center than 54% of the chamber's Democrats.

Dem. medianRep. medianGustafsonMore liberalMore conservative

Closest: Aric Putnam, Scott Dibble, Clare Oumou Verbeten

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

With Gustafson’s party

  • Votes with the chamber's Democrats99%
  • Cosponsorships of the other party's bills45%

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

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

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

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

Career

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

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.

YearRaceResultMarginSeat+/−
2026Minnesota State Senate, District 36WonD+14.1D+9.4+4.7
2022Minnesota State Senate, District 36WonD+5.7D+9.9−4.2

Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Minnesota Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET

Campaign money, 2025–26

Raised
$129.8K
Spent
$116.9K
Cash
$46.9K

Source: Minnesota Campaign Finance Board filings through Oct 19, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 3:53 AM ET

Campaign committees

Open committees can still raise and spend money.

Gustafson, Heather Senate Committee
State
Active

Source: Minnesota Campaign Finance Board filings through Oct 19, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 3:53 AM ET

Seats Gustafson has held

Source: 99chambers results archive

Who Gustafson has run against

Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Minnesota Secretary of State (unofficial)

How we know Gustafson

One person, matched across every source we use.

Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET