Minnesota Report
First candidate announces for the DFL endorsement to replace retiring Sen Chuck Wiger (DFL-43, Maplewood).
Lienemann announces run for Minnesota Senate
Leslie Lienemann has announced she will seek the DFL endorsement for the current Senate District 43 seat. An attorney, Lienemann has dedicated her career to representing employees in employment and civil rights cases.
“My experience working to help people fight injustice has given me a broad understanding of the barriers that need to be removed for people to succeed,” Lienemann said. “When people have equal access to jobs, housing and education, we have strong families and strong communities.”
Lienemann has represented plaintiffs in discrimination and harassment cases based on sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, and national origin in settings including employment, education, housing, public accommodation, and public service. She has drafted legislation and testified before the Legislature on the Minnesota Whistleblower Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
“Working with marginalized communities has convinced me that we need to engage more people in the political process,” Lienemann said. “As a state senator, I will stand strong for our communities’ values – an education system that supports educators and families and prepares our students for the future; affordable and accessible healthcare when we need it, including reproductive freedoms; and addressing the needs of employers and employees for good-paying jobs as we move out of the pandemic.”
Lienemann and her husband, Greg Hansen, an electrician and IBEW steward, live in Maplewood. Senate District 43 is currently represented by Sen. Chuck Wiger who is retiring after 25 years in the Minnesota Senate.
“I would like to thank Sen. Wiger for his dedication to our district,” Lienemann said. “It would be an honor to carry on the tradition of serving residents and making sure our voice is heard at the State Capitol.”