Introduction
Grace Elizabeth Stabell Schwab Keliher (born August 3, 1963) is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate.A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, she represented District 27, which includes all or portions of Freeborn and Mower counties in the southeastern part of the state.
Early life, education, and career
Born Grace Elizabeth Stabell in Tallahassee, Florida.In 1981, she graduated from New Ulm High School in New Ulm, Minnesota.She attended college at Minnesota State University, Mankato in Mankato, Minnesota, graduating with her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in 1986.For 10 years, Grace served on the Albert Lea School Board.
Minnesota Senate
Elections
She was first elected to the Senate in 2000. She ran for re-election in 2002 and was defeated by Dan Sparks by 7 votes after an automatic recount.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Dan Sparks | 15091 | 45.54 | ||
| Republican | Grace Schwab (Incumbent) | 15084 | 45.52 | ||
| Independence | Terry Kelley | 2066 | 8.90 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Pat Piper (incumbent) | 14971 | 47.27 | ||
| Republican | Grace Schwab | 16697 | 52.73 | ||
Committee Assignments
For the 82nd Legislative Session, Schwab was part of the:
- Crime Prevention
- Education
- Education Subcommittee: Early Childhood-Grade 12 Education Budget Division
- Education Subcommittee: Workforce Education
- Taxes
- Taxes Subcommittee: Income and Sales Tax Budget Division
- Transportation
Tenure
Schwab was sworn in on January 3, 2001.On April 6, 2001, Senator Schwab was appointed to the Minnesota Chicano Latino Affairs Council (Board of Directors).Schwab's first legislative action was authoring a bill that raised the standards for school bus drivers and provided more protection for children.
Lawsuit
Malcolm W. Prinzing accused Senator Schwab of theft. Prinzing had put a sign on the property of Northbridge Mall in Albert Lea in opposition to a school levy. Sen. Schwab saw the sign and spoke to the manager of the mall about it. The manager and Sen. Schwab removed letters from the sign to make it more neutral. Prinzing went after her in her 2002 re-election campaign calling her a thief. He took her to court and lost. The jury rewarded Sen. Schwab $150,000 for defamation. Prinzing appealed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, but the court upheld the decision.
Personal life
Grace Elizabeth Stabell married Steve Ray Schwab.They had 3 children, Gracie, Katelyn, and Eric.They got divorced in 2005.In 2008, she remarried to Thomas "Tom" Eugene Keliher.She has 4 step-children: Mike, Andy, Matt, and Katie Keliher.