A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he represents Senate District 4, which includes most of Clay and Becker counties.

Prior to seeking elected office, he was for a decade the chief meteorologist at KVRR and previously at WDAY-TV.

He attended college at the State University of New York-Albany, studying Atmospheric Science, and earned a degree in 1992.

Prior to moving to Minnesota, Kupec ran as a Green party candidate for the Albany County Legislature in 1999.

[4][5] In 2022, incumbent DFL state senator Kent Eken decided not to seek reelection.