Overview
- Draheim, a Republican from Madison Lake first elected in 2016, cited support for term limits and set final-session priorities of public safety, lowering healthcare costs, and term-limit legislation.
- Cwodzinski, a DFL senator from Eden Prairie and chair of the Senate Education Policy Committee since 2022, said he will finish his term with focus on public education, voter access, election security, and environmental protections including the Boundary Waters.
- Draheim’s legislative record features a 2022 mental-health omnibus securing about $92.7 million and a 2024 Legislator of the Year award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
- Both lawmakers will conclude roughly a decade in office after initial wins in 2016 and subsequent reelections; their districts cover southern Minnesota’s District 22 and the west-metro’s District 49.
- The announcements follow other departures such as Sen. Sandy Pappas, signaling more open-seat contests and possible shifts in Senate roles in the 2026 cycle.