22 Facts About Harry Niska

Harry Niska is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023.

Harry Niska grew up in Andover, Minnesota, and graduated from Anoka High School.

Harry Niska received his bachelor's degree in political science from Concordia College, Moorhead, and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Harry Niska worked as a law clerk on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals for Judge Roger Leland Wollman from 2005 to 2006, and for Judge David Stras in 2018.

In 2015, Harry Niska brought a complaint against a Republican activist who he claimed misled voters by making false claims of endorsement in a judicial race for the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Harry Niska said, "fraud, meaning lies that are actually meant to induce people to do something, are not protected by the First Amendment in the same way [as] even innocent or even white lies".

In 2016, Harry Niska opposed Donald Trump in the Republican primary, saying he "did everything I knew to prevent the party from making what I think is a historic mistake".

Harry Niska signed up to volunteer for independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin, saying that he believed that Trump had "abused every lever of power that's been available to him".

Harry Niska ran in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Minnesota in 2018, saying he would focus on consumer protection and criticizing incumbent Lori Swanson for signing onto a lawsuit challenging Trump's travel ban from some Muslim-majority countries.

In 2012, Harry Niska urged the Minnesota attorney general to join a lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act.

Harry Niska withdrew from the primary in November 2017, citing family considerations.

Harry Niska was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022.

Harry Niska first ran after legislative redistricting and after three-term Republican incumbent Cal Bahr announced he would not seek reelection and would run for a seat in the Minnesota Senate.

Harry Niska serves on the Commerce Finance and Policy and the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committees.

Harry Niska has said that many laws the DFL majority passed in 2023 are unconstitutional, resulting in multiple legal challenges.

Harry Niska opposed legislation that prohibited post-secondary institutions participating in PSEO from requiring faith statements, saying it infringed on religious liberties.

Harry Niska supported legislation that would repeal fees for those seeking copies of civil and criminal court documents.

Harry Niska is anti-abortion, and called DFL abortion-rights legislation passed in 2023 "the most extreme abortion policy possible".

Harry Niska opposed legislation restoring voting rights to felons on parole, saying voting was a sacred right that should be taken away if people violate certain laws.

Harry Niska has long supported requiring voters to present a valid government-issued photo ID when voting.

Harry Niska opposed legislation banning the discredited practice of conversion therapy, saying there were "free speech violations" in the bill.

Harry Niska proposed removing sections of the bill that categorize advertising for the procedure's efficacy or "representing homosexuality as a mental disease, disorder, or illness", as consumer fraud.