Sen. Tom Bakk

REGIONAL– State Sen. Tom Bakk’s decision to retire from the Legislature at the end of the year has the potential to dramatically reshape the politics of the region. His departure, along with that of state Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, will leave two wide-open Senate seats in a region long held by the DFL that has been increasingly tilting toward the GOP.
Bakk, who represents the Third Senate District, has been a fixture in St. Paul for nearly three decades. He first entered elected office in 1994, when he ran for the seat vacated by Rep. David Battaglia. He served four terms in the House before moving to the state Senate upon the retirement of longtime Sen. Doug Johnson. He has since served six terms in the Senate, holding the positions of both majority and minority leader for the DFL caucus. He also served as Senate Tax Chair from 2007-2010. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2010.
As a longtime DFLer, Bakk was widely respected as a thoughtful lawmaker who hewed closely to the center and wielded significant influence over both fellow legislators and governors from both parties.
Bakk left the DFL in the wake of the 2020 election, assumed the label of Independent, and agreed to caucus with the GOP’s Senate majority, although he insists he’s not a Republican. Since then, he has served as chair of the Senate Capital Investment Committee.
Tomassoni said the decision to caucus as Independents in the closely-split Senate gave both him and Bakk the kind of influence they wouldn’t have had if they had stayed within the DFL caucus. “I think it was a very good move not only for us but for our representation of our area of the state,” said Tomassoni.
Bakk’s first entry to the world of politics came as a business agent for the local carpenters’ union and he has long favored public investment as a way to make life better in the state and create jobs for workers in the trades. While he spent years as a DFL leader, he was willing to reach across the aisle when necessary to achieve his goals. He did that most notably in 2010, when he teamed up with then-Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty to push through a measure creating the new Lake Vermilion State Park and, later, funding for its development.
Bakk’s decision to leave the DFL reflected the changing political times in northeastern Minnesota. Bakk faced one of his toughest campaigns in decades in 2020 as the political winds shifted in favor of Republicans in the region. Bakk lost in places like the city of Babbitt and in Koochiching County, where he had previously won by two-to-one margins. Bakk says he hasn’t changed politically, but the way many of the region’s voters view the DFL has changed.
While the prospect of a hard-fought re-election effort in a Senate district altered by redistricting may have been part of Bakk’s calculation, it appears that more personal considerations dominated his decision. His wife, Laura Bakk, served as long-time legislative aide to Sen. David Tomassoni, who is now suffering from ALS. She plans to retire along with Tomassoni this year.
“Laura and I are looking forward to the next chapter of our lives,” said Bakk in his statement. “It’s with excitement that we journey into the future of more soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, football, and hockey, enjoying more time to help and watch our grandchildren learn and grow.”
In an interview last month, Bakk had indicated he was reluctant to leave at the same time as Tomassoni, noting that the loss of two senior senators would be a political body blow to the region. But Bakk said he’s confident that new leaders will pick up the mantle. “There is still a lot more to be done but it is time for me to pass the torch,” he stated. “I’m certain there are new inspiring leaders waiting in the wings. For 28 years it has been my time to serve but now it is finally my time to retire.”  
He said he expects several candidates will now throw their hats in the ring for the seat, on both the GOP and DFL sides (see accompanying story, page 1).
Reaction to Bakk’s announcement was swift. “The Arrowhead has unique challenges due to our geography and economic landscape, but no matter what, Sen. Bakk has been steadfast in his commitment to the region,” said state Rep. Rob Ecklund, DFL-International Falls, in a statement. “He’s also been an unwavering champion for labor, recognizing the value that every single person should have the opportunity for a good job with fair pay, safety at the workplace, and benefits to support a family.”
Tomassoni called Bakk “an incredible legislator” and a close friend. “He’s been the driving force through all kinds of legislation,” he said.
The departure of both Tomassoni and Bakk has been called the end of an era by some and it is bound to influence, and possibly remake, the political landscape of the Iron Range for a generation. While the political changes in the region, which have upset the DFL’s longtime dominance in the region, are one factor, the loss of the two lawmakers’ experience will likely have the most immediate impact. “We have 58 years of combined experience and much of what we learned over the years is only because of the amount of time that we were there,” said Tomassoni. “As my college coach used to say all the time, ‘You can’t substitute experience.’”