# Matt Bliss

Matt Bliss is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2021, who also served from 2017 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Bliss represents District 2B in northern Minnesota, which includes parts of Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, and Mahnomen Counties.

## Early life, education, and career

Bliss was raised on a farm and is one of ten siblings. He joined the Navy after high school and was trained in communications and electronics.
Bliss owns Bliss Point Resort along Cass Lake and worked as an IT director for the Red Lake Nation. He was the president of the Pennington Resort Association.
Bliss ran unsuccessfully for the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners in 2014.

## Minnesota House of Representatives

Bliss was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016. He defeated four-term DFL incumbent John Persell. In 2018, Bliss lost to Persell by 11 votes. A state-mandated recount confirmed Persell's victory. In 2020, Bliss once again defeated Persell, and was reelected in 2022. Bliss criticized Persell for his co-authorship of a red-flag gun control proposal and Democrats for defunding the police, though Persell stated he advocated for more public safety funding.
Bliss serves as the minority lead on the Veteran and Military Affairs Committee and also sits on the Children and Families Finance and Policy and the Elections Finance and Policy Committees.

## Electoral history

2016 Minnesota State House - District 5A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Matt Bliss | 10,318 | 53.88 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | John Persell | 8,808 | 45.99 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 25 | 0.13 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 19,151 | 100.0 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) | Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) | Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) | Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) |
2018 Minnesota State House - District 5A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | John Persell | 8,454 | 50.01 |
| | Republican | Matt Bliss | 8,443 | 49.95 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 7 | 0.04 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 16,904 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic (DFL) gain from Republican | Democratic (DFL) gain from Republican | Democratic (DFL) gain from Republican | Democratic (DFL) gain from Republican |
2020 Minnesota State House - District 5A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Matt Bliss | 11,482 | 53.37 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | John Persell | 9,996 | 46.46 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 36 | 0.17 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 21,514 | 100.0 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) | Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) | Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) | Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) |
2022 Minnesota State House - District 2B :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Matt Bliss | 11,310 | 63.46 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Erika Bailey-Johnson | 6,505 | 36.50 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 8 | 0.04 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 17,823 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
2024 Minnesota State House - District 5A :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Matt Bliss | 14,372 | 63.73 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Michael Reyes | 8,168 | 36.22 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 10 | 0.04 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 22,550 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Personal life

Bliss lives in Pennington, Minnesota with his wife Emily, and has four children. He was previously married to Christine until she died of cancer. He is a member of the Minnesota Deer Hunters’ Association, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, and the Ruffed Grouse Society.