A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 49B, which included west Bloomington, south Edina, northeast Eden Prairie, and southwest Minnetonka in Hennepin County in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

He was an international currency trader by profession, and was also a partner in ADRZ, a nonprofit development group that works to save endangered historic buildings.

[3] He was unseated by Republican Pat Mazorol in the 2010 general election.

[4] In 2012, he won his seat back against Terry Jacobson.

[5] He announced in June 2018 that he had accepted a job as director of external affairs for Western Governors University in the state of Utah and would not seek reelection.