Mary Jo McGuire

On March 14, 2011, McGuire announced her candidacy for the open Senate District 66 seat. The vacancy arose after Senator Ellen Anderson resigned to accept appointment by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton as chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. A DFL Primary was held on March 29, 2011, with McGuire challenging District 66A Rep. John Lesch and attorney Steven Marchese. Prior to the primary election, she received the endorsement of District 66B Rep. Alice Hausman, with whom she had previously served in the House. She subsequently won the primary, garnering 54.07% to Lesch's 36.39% and Marchese's 9.54%. She won the April 12, 2011, special election, garnering 80.25% to GOP challenger Greg Copeland's 19.59% She was sworn in on April 18, 2011.

McGuire was first elected to the House in 1988, winning a seat that became vacant after the death of Rep. John Rose on July 19, 1988. She was an assistant majority leader during the 1993–1994 Biennium, and was chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Data Practices from 1993–1999.

Mary Jo McGuire (born July 29, 1956) is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate who represented District 66, which included portions of Ramsey County in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. She previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1989 to 2003, representing District 54A. Prior to the 1992 legislative redistricting, the area was known as District 63A.