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Justin Eichorn
American politician (born 1984) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Justin David Eichorn (born May 7, 1984) is an American politician who served as a member of the Minnesota Senate from 2017 to 2025. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represented District 5 from 2017 to 2023 and District 6 from 2023 until his arrest in 2025.
On March 17, 2025, Eichorn was arrested during a sting operation on suspicion of soliciting a minor for sex. On March 20, he was charged in federal court and resigned from the Senate as Republicans and Democrats prepared to expel him.
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Education and early career
Eichorn attended Itasca Community College and Concordia University St. Paul. He served on the Grand Rapids Housing and Redevelopment Authority.[1]
Eichorn has worked at his family's outdoor store in Grand Rapids,[2][3] where he later started a small business.[3][4]
Political career
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Eichorn ran for the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 5B in 2014, losing to incumbent Tom Anzelc.[1] He was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2016 from District 5, narrowly defeating incumbent Tom Saxhaug by 553 votes.[5] He was reelected in 2020, but opted to run in District 6 in 2022, where he won by nearly 30 points.[6]
On March 17, 2025, Eichorn was one of five Republican authors of a bill, SF2589, that would designate "Trump derangement syndrome" as an officially recognized mental illness in Minnesota.[7][8]
Arrest and resignation
On March 17, 2025, during a sting operation, Eichorn was arrested in Bloomington, Minnesota, on suspicion of soliciting a minor for sex.[9][10] The arrest occurred after he allegedly sexually solicited a detective posing as a minor.[11][9] His fellow Republican legislators, as well as Minnesota GOP chair Alex Plechash, called on him to resign.[11][12] On March 20, Eichorn submitted his letter of resignation, effective immediately.[13] That day, he was charged in federal court for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.[14] After appearing in court, Eichorn was released on his own recognizance pending placement in a halfway house.[15][16][17] On March 23, 2025, prosecutors asked a judge to return Eichorn to jail after he prevented investigators from examining one of his laptops.[18]
On April 21, 2025, Eichorn pleaded not guilty at his federal arraignment hearing.[19]
In an April 29 special election, Keri Heintzeman was elected to the Senate seat Eichorn vacated.[20]
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Personal life
Eichorn and his wife, Brittany, have four children and reside in Grand Rapids.[1] A week after his arrest, his wife filed for divorce.[21]
Electoral history
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See also
References
External links
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