REGIONAL- Republican State Senator Justin Eichorn, of Grand Rapids, who was arrested Monday in Bloomington after allegedly attempting to solicit sex from someone he believed was a teenage girl, resigned from  his  seat on Thursday after leaders from both parties called for him to do so.
Eichorn, 40, was taken into custody by Bloomington police after he arranged to meet with what he thought was a 16-year-old girl but was in fact an undercover detective. Authorities said the meeting was set near the 8300 block of Normandale Avenue in the Minneapolis suburb. When Eichorn arrived in a pickup truck, he was arrested without incident by uniformed officers.
Eichorn reportedly remains in custody as felony charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution are pending with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Eichorn represented District 6, which encompasses Grand Rapids and areas to south and west. First elected to the Senate in 2016, he served as assistant minority leader in 2023-24 and is the newly elected chair of the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Advisory Board.
Political fallout
Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson confirmed Thursday morning that Eichorn had signed a letter of resignation effective immediately.
"This is the right thing to do for his family and the Senate," Johnson said. "We are ready to move on and do the important work that  needs to be done at the Capitol."
News of the arrest was met with swift bipartisan calls for Eichorn’s resignation.
The Senate Republican Caucus released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying, “We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation. Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family.”
House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and House Republican Leader Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, echoed those calls in a joint statement.
“Given the seriousness of the charges, Senator Eichorn should resign. While he is entitled to due process, we must hold legislators to a higher standard,” they said.
Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, described the allegations as “deeply disturbing,” adding that the situation “raises serious questions that will need to be answered by the court, as well as his caucus and constituents.”
Reaction on social media was quick and brutal on Tuesday, with commenters flocking to Eichorn’s official Facebook page to leave derogatory comments condemning his actions. Posters also attacked Eichorn on family photos on his wife Brittany’s Facebook page until the account was either blocked or removed by mid-afternoon.
Eichorn’s arrest comes at a time when the Senate is already grappling with ethical controversies. Earlier this year, Republicans led efforts to expel DFL Senator Nicole Mitchell, who faces felony burglary charges for breaking and entering her late father’s residence. That effort stalled after Democrats insisted she receive due process before any action was taken, although Gov. Tim Walz had called on Mitchell to resign last year. Mitchell’s continued presence in the Senate gives the DFL a 34-33 majority.
Just weeks ago, Eichorn himself had publicly criticized Mitchell’s presence in the Senate, saying her case was a “growing scandal” that was a distraction from important legislative work. In a now widely circulated Facebook post, Eichorn said, “We need to end the disruption and let voters choose a new senator.”
Eichorn was already in the news this week for co-authoring a legislative proposal to classify “Trump Derangement Syndrome” as a recognized mental illness. The term “Trump derangement syndrome” has been used by Trump and his supporters to criticize his opponents. The measure received strong pushback from Murphy.
“This is possibly the worst bill in Minnesota history,” Murphy said in a statement. “If it is meant as a joke, it is a waste of staff time and taxpayer resources that trivializes serious mental health issues. If the authors are serious, it is an affront to free speech and an expression of a dangerous level of loyalty to an authoritarian president.”
Eichorn’s biography lists him as an entrepreneur and third-generation employee at his family’s outdoor store in Grand Rapids. He is married with four children.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, Eichorn had not yet been scheduled for arraignment in Hennepin County District Court. The case remains under investigation by the Bloomington Police Department, and additional details may emerge when charges are formalized.