Feb 21, 2025 Story by: Editor
Minnesota marked a historic moment as Garrison McMurtrey was elected to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, becoming the first Black man to hold a seat on a county board in the state’s history. District 3, which McMurtrey will represent, encompasses neighborhoods in Saint Paul, including Saint Anthony Park, Union Park, Como Park, Midway, Frogtown, North End, Payne Phalen, as well as the City of Falcon Heights. The position became available after Board Chair Trista Martinson resigned last August.
McMurtrey secured a commanding victory with 88% of the vote, defeating Joshua David Bau.
“I’m so excited about this opportunity to serve my community on the Ramsey County Board,” McMurtrey said. “Although I didn’t enter this race to be a ‘first,’ it’s not lost on me that my perspective and lived experience has been missing from the county government for too long. I’m eager to get started and work towards centering economic justice in our work at the county,” he added. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, especially as we look at what is happening on the national level. It will be our local governments on the front lines of defense against this administration, and I’m ready to fight alongside my community to ensure we get the resources we need.”
McMurtrey brings over a decade of experience in high-level public service, having served as Regional Field Director for President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign, Outreach Director for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, and currently as the District Director for U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig. Additionally, he has worked in communications and stakeholder engagement at Target and has held leadership roles such as Chair of the Saint Paul DFL and a member of the St. Paul Planning and Charter Commissions.
“I plan to really prioritize creating more deeply affordable housing in our community, investing in key coordinators to spur economic growth, and ensuring that our county services are responsive to the needs of our community,” McMurtrey stated.
McMurtrey resides in the Como Park neighborhood with his wife, State Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten, and their Goldendoodle, Honey. He holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor’s degree from Ripon College.
Source: Monitor Saint Paul
