Rep. Pryor says she’ll retire rather than seek reelection

Add another one to the list of state lawmakers not running for reelection this year.

Rep. Laurie Pryor, DFL-Minnetonka, said Tuesday that she plans to retire at the end of her term this year.

“It has been my great honor to represent residents of Minnetonka and Eden Prairie since 2017 as a State Representative. I sought to bring people together across the political spectrum to strengthen our schools, protect our air and water, and prevent gun violence, among other initiatives, and I would like to think those efforts met with some success,” Pryor’s announcement said in part.

She currently serves as the chair of the House Education Policy Committee and has served in the House since 2017.

Pryor said she’s “looking forward to the joys of retirement” but is first focused on the upcoming session, which is scheduled to start on Feb. 12.

In a statement, House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brookyln Park, applauded Pryor’s achievements as a state lawmaker.

“Representative Pryor has spent her life and career working to strengthen her community — and she succeeded,” Hortman said. “She is respected on both sides of the aisle and delivered great results for Minnesota’s public schools, improved our climate and environment, championed reducing gun violence, and more. Rep. Pryor has been a steady and dependable leader in our caucus, and I’m grateful for her service.” 

Her announcement comes the same day Rep. Pat Garofalo announced his intent to retire.