John Lesch was first elected State Representative for Minnesota’s District 66A in November of 2002. His Saint Paul district includes Como Park, the North End, Payne-Phalen, East Consolidated and Railroad Island neighborhoods. His focus in the legislature is on crime/public safety and economic justice issues. Legislative committees on which he has served include: Taxes, Local and Property Tax Division, Regulated Industries, Gaming division, Civil Law and Elections, Judiciary Policy and Finance, Governmental Operations and Veterans Affairs Policy, and Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs.

In addition to his role as a legislator, John prosecutes domestic assault crimes as an Assistant City Attorney for Saint Paul. In this role, he is an active member of AFSCME Local #3757, and a delegate to the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. Prior to his job as a prosecutor, John worked for two years as Legislative Aide to then Saint Paul Councilmember (now mayor) Chris Coleman where he addressed affordable housing issues, traffic and safety initiatives, and neighborhood environmental concerns.

John’s past community involvement included a term as Chair of the Senate District 66 DFL party from 2000 – 2002, as well as staff to various local and statewide candidates. He has been a Sunday School teacher and a member of his church finance council for seven years. John was a founding member of South Como Block clubs and an active participant with the District 6 Community Council, North End Area Revitalization, and the Great Northern Corridor redevelopment.

John earned his B.A. from Saint Louis University in 1995 with a double major in Philosophy and Psychology, and a J.D. from Hamline University School of Law in 1998 with a concentration in Government and Regulatory Affairs. John fancies himself an unpublished poet, an unemployed philosopher, and an unrepentant pragmatist. He and his daughter, Alice, live in Saint Paul’s North End neighborhood.