Jim Abeler

James J. Abeler II (born May 18, 1954) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 35 in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. He formerly represented District 35A in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Jim Abeler
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 35th district
Assumed office
February 22, 2016
Preceded byBranden Petersen
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 35A district
49A (1999–2003), 48B (2003–2013)
In office
January 5, 1999 – January 5, 2015
Preceded byCharlie Weaver
Succeeded byAbigail Whelan
Personal details
Born (1954-05-18) May 18, 1954
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Barb
Children6
ResidenceAnoka, Minnesota
Alma materUniversity of Minnesota
Hamline University
Northwestern College of Chiropractic
OccupationChiropractor

Early life and education

Abeler was born in Minneapolis. He graduated from Anoka High School in Anoka, then attended the University of Minnesota and Hamline University in Saint Paul. He earned his D.C. from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Bloomington in 1979. In the late 1990s, he founded PACT Charter School in Anoka.

Minnesota Legislature

Abeler was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1998 and was re-elected every two years since then until retiring in 2014. Prior to the 2002 legislative redistricting, he represented the old District 49A. He served as chair of the Health Policy and Finance Subcommittee for the Health Care Cost Containment Division during the 2005 to 2006 biennium.[1]

He was elected to the Minnesota Senate in a special election on February 9, 2016 and assumed office on February 22, 2016.[1]

2014 U.S. Senate campaign
Main article: 2014 United States Senate election in Minnesota

Abeler was a candidate of the 2014 U.S. Senate election in Minnesota.[2] He lost the Republican nomination to Mike McFadden.

Political Stances

Jim Abeler formed the MN Autism Council in Fall of 2018. He was subsequently criticized for appointing Wayne Rohde, cofounder of the Vaccine Safety Council of Minnesota, to the council in 2019. Rohde is a prominent vaccine skeptic and an executive for Health Choice, which advocates for health conditions in children "caused by side effects of vaccine choices."[3]

Personal life

Abeler is married to Barb and together they have six children: Jamie, Jesse, Jordan, Josiah (died in 2011), Jude, and Judson. He is a Baptist and a chiropractor.[1]

References
  1. "Abeler, Jim". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  2. Pugmire, Tim and Tom Scheck (June 18, 2013). "State Rep. Abeler running for US Senate". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  3. "Anti-vaccine advocates appointed to Minnesota autism council after measles outbreak".
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