When Jim Hagedorn’s father, Tom, became a congressman from Minnesota, the family split the year between their home in rural Truman and bustling Northern Virginia, where the younger Hagerdorn went to school, eventually graduating in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics from George Mason University.
Now it’s the son’s turn to represent Minnesota in Congress: Last week Jim won the 1st District seat in his fourth attempt since 2010. The 56-year-old Republican won 16 of 21 counties, securing over 60 percent of the vote in six counties, and exceeded his 2016 performance in 15 counties.
“Without a doubt, this victory was made possible because our team of grassroots volunteers walked the parades, knocked [on] the doors, completed the phone calls, and engaged in meaningful conversations with voters in every county of the district,” Hagedorn said after the election.
“I appreciate the faith and confidence the people of southern Minnesota have shown in me, and I am honored to have the opportunity to represent them in Congress.”
After graduating from what is now Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government, Hagedorn was hired as the Legislative Assistant to former Minnesota Congressman Arlan Stangeland, where he managed the legislative agenda, including stewardship of H.R. 916, a bipartisan “workfare” bill that required able-bodied welfare recipients to work for benefits.
He later served as Director of Legislative and Public affairs for the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Management Service, where he helped pass the Mandatory Electronic Funds Transfer Act of 1995, a measure he devised to require the use of electronic funds transfer/direct deposit to disburse hundreds of millions of federal payments, saving taxpayers more than $100 million each year.
He also served as Congressional Relations Officer for the U.S. Treasury Department Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and has worked as a Government Affairs Officer for Electromed, Inc. of New Prague, Minnesota.