Bakk, Thomas M. "Tom"
House 1995-2002 (District 6A); Senate 2003-2012 (District 6); Senate 2013-2022 (District 3)
Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Counties Served:
Carlton, Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
6/8/1954
Birth Place:
Virginia, Minnesota
Birth County:
St. Louis
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Lutheran
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
Tom
City of Residence (when first elected):
Cook
Occupation (when first elected):
Labor Representative/Carpenter
EDUCATION
Cook High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1972
Mesabi Community College; A.A.;
University of Minnesota, Duluth; B.A.; Business Administration and Labor-Management Relations, also listed as a B.B.A.
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Municipal Government:
Iron Range Area, Minnesota (Volunteer Firefighter);
[Dates Unknown]
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Iron Range Resources Board;
1995 to 2???
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Laura (second wife, married around 2001; she was a Legislative Assistant to Sen. David Tomassoni)
Children:
Four children
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
Special Legislative Concerns: economic development, taxes, natural resources.
He grew up in Cook, Minnesota.
He ran unsuccessfully to become the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate for Governor of Minnesota in the 2010 election. He dropped out of the race in March 2010.
He announced he would not seek reelection in 2022.
Religion provided by Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/3/2020
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/5/2021 to 1/2/2023
Counties Represented:
Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Retired labor official
Party:
Independent-No Party Affiliation
Party Notes: Sen. Tom Bakk and Sen. David Tomassoni formed a separate and independent caucus. Their party endorsement in the election was DFL.
Committees:
-
Capital Investment (Chair)
-
Redistricting
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Subcommittee on Committees
-
Taxes
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/8/2016
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/3/2017 to 1/4/2021
Counties Represented:
Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Retired labor official
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
-
Rules and Administration
-
Taxes
Leadership Position:
Minority Leader
Leadership Notes: He was Minority Leader for 2019 only.
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/8/2016
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/3/2017 to 1/4/2021
Counties Represented:
Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Retired Labor Official
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Special Session Bills Authored: 2017 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
-
Rules and Administration
-
Taxes
Leadership Position:
Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/6/2012
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/8/2013 to 1/2/2017
Counties Represented:
Occupation: Retired Labor Official
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Rules and Administration (Chair)
-
Rules and Administration: Committees Subcommittee (Chair)
-
Rules and Administration: Conference Committees Subcommittee (Chair)
-
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules Subcommittee (Chair)
-
Taxes
Leadership Position:
Majority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/6/2012
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/8/2013 to 1/2/2017
Counties Represented:
Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Retired Labor Official
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Rules and Administration (Chair)
-
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules Subcommittee
-
Rules and Administration: Subcommittee on Committees
-
Taxes
Leadership Position:
Majority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 06
Elected: 11/2/2010
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/4/2011 to 1/7/2013
Counties Represented:
Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Official
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Committees
-
Rules and Administration: Conference Committees
-
Rules and Administration: Redistricting
-
Taxes
Leadership Position:
Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 06
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011
Counties Represented:
Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Official
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Business, Industry and Jobs
-
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division
-
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Natural Resources
-
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Parks and Trails Legacy
-
Rules and Administration
-
Taxes (Chair)
-
Taxes: Property Tax Division
Body: Senate
District: 06
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011
Counties Represented:
Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Official
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Business, Industry and Jobs
-
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division
-
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Natural Resources
-
Rules and Administration
-
Taxes (Chair)
-
Taxes: Property Taxes Division
Body: Senate
District: 06
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative, Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters and Joiners Union Local 606
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Finance: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division
-
Jobs, Energy and Community Development
-
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Economic Development and Tourism (Chair)
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
-
Taxes
Body: Senate
District: 06
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Party Notes: When the 2003 1st Special Session ended, he left the DFL caucus, but remained in the DFL party. He returned to the DFL caucus before the 2004 session convened. The legislature was not in session while he was not a member of the DFL caucus.
Committees:
-
Finance: Early Childhood-Grade 12 Education Budget Division-2003/K-12 Education Budget Division-2004
-
Finance: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division
-
Jobs, Housing and Community Development-2003/Jobs, Energy and Community Development-2004
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
-
Taxes
Session Notes:
He served on the 2003 Early Childhood-Grade 12 Education Budget Division.
Body: House
District: 06A
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented:
Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Commerce, Jobs, and Economic Development
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Policy
Minutes
Body: House
District: 06A
Elected: 11/3/1998
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Commerce
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Policy
Minutes
Body: House
District: 06A
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
Counties Represented:
Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Land Sales
Minutes
-
Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Taxes
Minutes
-
Taxes: Sales and Income Tax Division
Minutes
Body: House
District: 06A
Elected: 11/8/1994
Residence: Cook
Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative/Carpenter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
International Trade and Economic Development
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Sales and Income Tax Division
Articles & Books About
McKenzie, Sarah. "Iron Range Advocate: Bakk Hopes to Continue His Efforts for Residents of Northeast Minnesota in the Senate." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, May 10, 2002, p. 12.
Specktor, Mordecai. "Bakk Represents Land of Three 'Ts': Timber, Taconite and Tourism." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, January 20, 1995, p. 10.
District Files
District File - 2000 District 06A
District File - 2002 District 06A
District File - 2003 District 06
District File - 2004 District 06
District File - 2005 District 06
District File - 2006 District 06
District File - 2007 District 06
District File - 2008 District 06
District File - 2009 District 06
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.