Meet Ryan Winkler

Ryan Winkler grew up in Bemidji in a working-class family that knew what it meant to struggle—living in rental housing and a trailer park, often without health insurance, and working hard to make ends meet. His dad, a disabled veteran who ran a small business, and his mom, an x-ray technician, taught him that persistence and community support can turn setbacks into opportunity.

With financial aid and student loans, Ryan went from Bemidji public schools to Harvard, then returned home for law school and a career in public service.
Today, Ryan lives in Golden Valley with his wife, Hannah, and their five kids—all Hopkins public school students. Hannah works in children’s mental health, giving Ryan a daily connection to the challenges Minnesota families face and strengthening his commitment to policies that support people.

The lessons Ryan learned growing up—and the perspective he sees through his own family today—shape how he leads. He believes government should make it easier for Minnesotans to get ahead, not harder to get by. In office, he’s worked to raise the minimum wage and tie it to inflation, expand childcare scholarships, and fought for paid family and medical leave. He wrote the law that legalized cannabis in Minnesota, strengthened election transparency, advanced drivers’ licenses for immigrant residents, and passed reforms to prevent fraud in state government.

With the federal government in chaos—rolling back protections, ignoring families, and undermining basic rights—Ryan believes Minnesota has to hold the line. He’s focused on building a state that protects rights, strengthens communities, and creates real opportunity for people to get ahead. He knows lasting progress starts close to home—by restoring trust, investing in communities, and making sure the economy supports people’s hopes for the future.

Ryan is running for the Minnesota House to build a future people can trust—where government delivers real results, communities look out for one another, and everyone has a fair shot. Because when we do,

We rise together.