Jeff Dotseth

Jeff Dotseth is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Dotseth represents District 11A in northeastern Minnesota, which includes the city of Cloquet, Thomson Township, and parts of Carlton, Pine and St. Louis Counties.^[1][2]

Jeff Dotseth
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 11A district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Mike Sundin
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Melissa
Children	3
Residence	Kettle River, Minnesota
Occupation	Real estate Small business owner Farmer Consultant Legislator
Website	Government website Campaign website

Minnesota House of Representatives

Dotseth was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. He first ran unsuccessfully in 2018 against DFL incumbent Mike Sundin, then lost to him again in 2020. Dotseth defeated DFL nominee Pete Radosevich in 2022 after Sundin retired.^[1]

Dotseth serves on the Commerce Finance and Policy and Housing Finance and Policy Committees.^[1]

In 2025, Dotseth co-sponsored a bill to designate messenger RNA (mRNA) treatments, which include several COVID-19 vaccines, “weapons of mass destruction". The bill would make possessing or administering them a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The bill was drafted by a Florida-based hypnotist and conspiracy theorist who believes that mRNA treatments are "nanoparticle injections" that amount to "biological and technological weapons of mass destruction".^[3][4]

Electoral history

2018 Minnesota State House - District 11A^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic (DFL)	Mike Sundin (incumbent)	10,532	58.30
	Republican	Jeff Dotseth	7,518	41.62
	Write-in		14	0.08
Total votes			18,064	100.0
	Democratic (DFL) hold

2020 Minnesota State House - District 11A^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic (DFL)	Mike Sundin (incumbent)	11,452	51.41
	Republican	Jeff Dotseth	10,798	48.48
	Write-in		25	0.11
Total votes			22,275	100.0
	Democratic (DFL) hold

2022 Minnesota State House - District 11A^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Dotseth	9,510	51.16
	Democratic (DFL)	Pete Radosevich	9,056	48.71
	Write-in		24	0.13
Total votes			18,590	100.0
	Republican gain from Democratic (DFL)

Personal life

Dotseth lives in Kettle River, Minnesota, with his wife, Melissa, and three children.^[1]

In 2008, Dotseth was charged with abuse of his then wife, Penny Kowal. He denied the allegations and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.^[8] Kowal said in an affidavit that Dotseth had choked, kicked, and hit her on several occasions over a decade, and also abused their dog.^[9] Dotseth's stepson also alleged that Dotseth had punched, choked, and hit him in violent outbursts.^[9] After a September 2024 Minnesota Star Tribune report on the matter, DFL leadership called for Dotseth to end his reelection campaign.^[10]