Introduction
Jeff Backer Jr.(born January 3, 1967) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 12A, which includes all of Big Stone, Grant, Stevens, Wilkin and Traverse counties and the Western part of Douglas and Pope Counties.
Early Life, Education, and Career
Backer was born and raised in Browns Valley, Minnesota, growing up alongside his identical twin brother Jay. They ran their own lawn business and also worked with their father in his independent mechanic business along with helping area farmers to help pay for college. He graduated from Browns Valley High School. In 1991, he graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. Degree in Chemistry & Public Administration. Since 1993, Backer and his brother have run a catalog business, BW Incorporated, in Browns Valley. In 1995 they were in $300,000 debt and instead of filing for bankruptcy, they paid it off over the course of a decade. Backer has served as a volunteer EMT for Browns Valley Ambulance since 1995. Backer was elected to Browns Valley City Council in 2000 where he served until 2004. In 2004 he was elected as Mayor of Browns Valley where he served until 2010. Backer has also served as a member of the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training and served as a School Board Member for the Browns Valley School District 801.
Minnesota House of Representatives
Elections
Backer was elected on November 4, 2014, defeating the incumbent Rep. Jay McNamar (DFL) by 7.52% or 1057 votes.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFL | Jay McNamar (Incumbent) | 8065 | 47.93 | ||
| Republican | Jeff Backer | 8725 | 51.85 | ||
Tenure
Backer was sworn in on January 6, 2015.
Committee Assignments
For the 89th Legislative Session, Backer is a part of:
- Agriculture Policy Committee
- Capital Investment Committee
- Judiciary Finance and Policy Committee.
Personal life
In 1993, Backer married his wife Judy Gnifkowski. They have one daughter Brittany (born abt 1998). Backer taught fifth and sixth grade release time at Zion Lutheran Church in Browns Valley where he is an active member. Backer is a member of the Browns Valley Lions Club.