Brion Curran | |
|---|---|
 Curran in 2023 | |
| Member of theMinnesota House of Representatives from the 36B district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Ami Wazlawik |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1985-05-27)May 27, 1985 (age 39) |
| Political party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Residence | Vadnais Heights, Minnesota |
| Education | Century College (AAS) Concordia University, St. Paul (BS) |
| Occupation | |
| Website | Government websiteCampaign website |
Brion Curran (/ˈbriːɒnˈkʌrən/BREE-onKURR-ən;[1] born May 27, 1985) is an American politician serving in theMinnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of theMinnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), Curran represents District 36B in the northTwin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities ofWhite Bear Lake andVadnais Heights and parts ofRamsey andWashington Counties.[2][3]
Curran graduated fromCentennial High School inCircle Pines, Minnesota. They earned an associate of applied sciences degree in law enforcement fromCentury College and a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice fromConcordia University, St. Paul.[2]
Curran has worked in disability services for 20 years.[2] They joined theWhite Bear Lake Police Department, serving as a volunteer police sergeant and as a 911 dispatcher from 2015 to 2018. Curran served as a deputy in theChisago County Sheriff's Office in 2018, quitting after responding to a traumatic incident and developing PTSD.[2][4]
Curran was elected to theMinnesota House of Representatives in2022. They first ran after two-termDFL incumbentAmi Wazlawik announced she would not seek reelection.[2]
Curran serves as vice chair of the Sustainable Infrastructure Policy Committee, and sits on the Human Services Policy, Judiciary Finance and Civil Law, and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committees.[2] Curran is the vice chair of the Queer Caucus, a group of LGBTQ+ legislators that formed during the 2023 legislative session.[5][6]
Curran supported legislation to ban the use ofconversion therapy for minors and vulnerable adults in Minnesota, which passed the House in 2023. They have called the practice "abusive brainwashing", and spoke on the House floor about their experience with it, arguing that it does more harm than good.[7][8]
A former deputy sheriff, Curran left the force in 2018 due to PTSD and has advocated for more mental health support funding for officers.[4][9] They authored a bill that would prohibit courts from issuing or approvingno-knock search warrants, saying it puts citizens and law enforcement at risk and violates theFourth Amendment protection from unlawful searches and seizures.[10] During the bill's hearing, the father ofAmir Locke, who was killed during a no-knock warrant search in which Amir was not named, testified in support of the proposal.[10]
Curran authored legislation creating a working group led by theMetropolitan Council that would work with municipalities in the Twin Cities East Metro struggling with managing drinking water services aroundWhite Bear Lake.[11]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Brion Curran | 11,337 | 53.48 | |
| Republican | Heidi Gunderson | 9,833 | 46.38 | |
| Write-in | 29 | 0.14 | ||
| Total votes | 21,199 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL)hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Brion Curran (incumbent) | 1,852 | 62.59 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | T.J. Malaskee | 1,107 | 37.41 | |
| Total votes | 2,959 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Patty Bradway | 12,152 | 48.29 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Brion Curran (incumbent) | 12,977 | 51.57 | |
| Write-in | 37 | 0.15 | ||
| Total votes | 25,166 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL)hold | ||||
Curran lives inVadnais Heights, Minnesota.[2] They identify as queer[5][15] and nonbinary.[16] According to public court records, Curran and their wife, Brandi, divorced in 2023.[17]
On October 9, 2023, Curran was arrested on suspicion ofdriving while intoxicated (DWI) inChisago County, Minnesota.[18] They pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree DWI in exchange for having other charges dismissed and served a two-day jail sentence in early 2024.[19]