Patricia Mueller

Patricia Mueller (born March 28, 1981) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2021. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Mueller represents District 23B in southwestern Minnesota, which includes the city of Austin and parts of Freeborn, Mower and Steele Counties.

Early life and education Mueller was born and raised in Oakdale, Minnesota and graduated from Tartan Senior High School. She attended Winona State University, earning her B.S. in English education in 2003. She enrolled at Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she earned an M.S. in curriculum instruction in 2018 and an Ed. D. in 2022. Mueller cites her time abroad as part of her inspiration to become active in politics. Mueller moved to Austin, Minnesota in 2015, where she taught at Austin High School.

Minnesota House of Representatives Mueller was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2020 and was reelected in 2022. She defeated eight-term DFL incumbent Jeanne Poppe after being recruited by local members of the Republican Party to run for the seat, which had been held by the DFL since 2004 but voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

Mueller serves on the Education Policy and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committees.

In 2022, Mueller introduced legislation to speed up the licensing process for substitute teachers in response to workforce shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mueller has opposed state action to provide menstrual products for students in Minnesota public schools, arguing it should be up to local districts.

Electoral history

Personal life Muller lives in Austin, Minnesota with her husband, Dan, whom she met while studying at Winona State University.