Former Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic Has Died

(KNSI) – Former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (DFL – Minneapolis) has died of cancer.

She died Friday and her death was announced publicly Saturday afternoon. The 62-year-old northeast Minneapolis native was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and announced her diagnosis in March of 2023 shortly after she was elected leader, but kept working even after several major surgeries to remove her appendix, spleen and a hysterectomy. Scans showed her as cancer free in late 2023, but it came back earlier this year, and she stepped away from her position to focus on her treatment. One of the bills she authored made sure cancer patients had the cost of their wigs covered by insurance. That law will take effect January 1st. She was also working on bills for the next Legislative session starting January 14th.

House Speaker Designate Representative Lisa Demuth (R, Cold Spring) issued a statement on her passing, saying, “My thoughts and prayers are with Senator Dziedzic’s family during this difficult time. Senator Dziedzic was a thoughtful and respected leader that served her constituents and the people of Minnesota with compassion. I will always remember her tremendous resolve and commitment to public service, even in the face of a difficult cancer diagnosis. Please join me in praying for her family, friends, loved ones, and Senate colleagues as we mourn this loss.”

Minnesota DFL Party Chair Ken Martin also issued a statement saying, “My heart is with Senator Dziedzic’s family and all who knew and loved her. It is impossible to overstate the positive impact that Senator Dziedzic’s leadership has had on our state. She devoted her life to making her fellow Minnesotans’ lives better, and she refused to allow cancer to get in her way. Minnesota has lost a giant, but her extraordinary legacy will outlast us all.”

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