Termstart: | January 4, 2023 |
State Senate: | Minnesota |
Party: | Democratic (DFL) |
Residence: | Moorhead, Minnesota |
Birth Date: | 27 November 1968 |
Alma Mater: | State University of New York-Albany |
Profession: | Meteorologist |
Preceded: | Kent Eken |
District: | 4th |
Spouse: | Deb White |
Children: | 1 |
Robert J. Kupec (born November 27, 1968) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he represents Senate District 4, which includes most of Clay and Becker counties. Prior to seeking elected office, he was for a decade the chief meteorologist at KVRR and previously at WDAY-TV.
Kupec was born in eastern Connecticut.[1] Both of his parents were active union organizers. He attended college at the State University of New York-Albany, studying Atmospheric Science, and earned a degree in 1992.[2] He moved to Moorhead, Minnesota in 2000, and began work as a meteorologist, first for WDAY-TV and then served as chief meteorologist for KVRR.
Prior to moving to Minnesota, Kupec ran as a Green party candidate for the Albany County Legislature in 1999.[3] [4]
In 2022, incumbent DFL state senator Kent Eken decided not to seek reelection.[5] Kupec ran, and was unopposed in the DFL primary. He defeated Moorhead City Councilman and Republican Dan Bohmer in the general election, winning 52.5% of the vote compared to Bohmer's 46.8%.[6]
Kupec serves on the following committees:[7]
He is married to Deb White, a Moorhead City Councilwoman. They have one son, Quinn.[8]