Representative Frank Hornstein Contact information

Frank Hornstein

Born: September 27, 1959 Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio Political Party: Democratic (DFL) Spouse: Marcia Zimmerman Children: 3 Residence: Minneapolis, Minnesota Education: Macalester College (B.A.), Tufts University (M.A.) Occupation: Community organizer, College instructor, Legislator

Frank Hornstein is an American politician who has been serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2003. He represents District 61A, which includes parts of the city of Minneapolis in Hennepin County, Minnesota.

Early Life, Education, and Career: Hornstein was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1959 to parents of Hungarian and Polish descent who survived the Holocaust in Germany. His grandmother died in the Auchwitz concentration camp. Hornstein received his bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Macalester College. He earned a master’s in urban and environmental policy from Tufts University, and attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute. Hornstein worked as a community organizer for COACT, a grassroots citizens’ action group, and for Clean Water Action, and he volunteered on Paul Wellstone’s 1982 campaign for state auditor. He served on the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council after being appointed by Governor Jesse Ventura in 2000 until his election to the legislature. He has taught at Augsburg University.

Minnesota House of Representatives: Hornstein was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2002 and has been reelected every two years since. After 2012 legislative redistricting, he was put into the same district as fellow legislator Marion Greene and both sought the DFL endorsement. At the convention, Greene conceded to Hornstein, who later endorsed her when she ran for Hennepin County Commissioner. In 2013, he endorsed city-council member Betsy Hodges in the Minneapolis mayoral election. Hornstein supported Bernie Sanders during the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primary and was a delegate for Sanders. He later endorsed Hillary Clinton after Sanders did the same. Hornstein has chaired the Transportation Finance and Policy Committee since 2019. He also sits on the Climate and Energy Finance and Policy, Sustainable Infrastructure Policy, and Ways and Means Committees. Hornstein chaired the Transportation and Transit Policy Committee from 2007 to 2010 and the Transportation Finance Committee from 2013 to 2014.

Transportation: As transportation chair, Hornstein has advocated for increasing transit funding for rapid bus lines, increasing passenger rail services between the Twin Cities and St. Cloud, Duluth, and Chicago, transportation services for the disabled, and increased funding for roads and bridges.