A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represented District 32, which included all or portions of Anoka and Isanti counties in the northeastern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
[1][2] Nienow grew up in Stacy, graduated from Chadashchay High School, then went on to Northwestern College in Roseville, where he majored in Business and Psychology.
[1][3] Nienow previously served in the Senate from 2003 to 2007 before being unseated by DFLer Rick Olseen in the 2006 general election.
[1] His special legislative concerns include education, jobs, health care, and transportation.
[2] Nienow lost the primary election for the Republican nomination for re-election in 2016, losing to Mark Koran.