Proven Leadership and Experience
With roles on the Met Council, Shoreview City Council, Shoreview Planning Commission, and the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, John brings extensive experience in public service, policymaking, and community representation.
Community-Focused Advocate
John is deeply committed to advancing housing equity, transportation improvements, climate resilience, and support for marginalized communities, including seniors and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Resilient and Compassionate Leader
As a Vietnamese refugee, Navy veteran, and public servant raised by a single mother, John’s personal story reflects resilience and a deep commitment to service, equity, and inclusion.
Collaborative and Ready
to Lead
Known for his ability to build relationships, work across bipartisan lines, and navigate complex committee structures, John is prepared to step into an active legislative session and drive meaningful progress.
I am proud to endorse John Doan to represent our district in the Minnesota House. John is a thoughtful, principled leader with a genuine, longstanding commitment to public service. He brings a wealth of public policy knowledge and experience, including important skills in bringing people together. I know John to be a strong and steady advocate for the issues that matter; we are fortunate that he has stepped up to serve our community at this critical time.
Finally, the unique nature of this special election will require someone with the ability to communicate effectively with voters, and the work ethic to put in long hours between now and January 28th. I am certain that John has what it takes to keep this seat blue, and will make us proud as our next State Representative.
Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn
Hello dear neighbors, friends and fellow DFLers! I’m also proud to now endorse John Q Doan for House in 40B. His experience, intelligence and 100% willingness to focus entirely on making things better for our district is unparalleled and makes him eminently prepared to represent us in the House. A Vietnamese refugee raised by a single mom, Navy veteran, advocate for the infirm and elderly, degrees in civil engineering and public policy, Sr. roles at the Depts of Transportation and Finance, appointed by the Gov to the Met Council, member of the Shoreview Planning Commission and Shoreview City Council, father to kids who attended local public schools, supporter of LGBTQ+ causes, etc. - and the list goes on - these are just a few reasons why John is SO qualified and ready for this important work.
I am looking forward to seeing you all soon to hopefully endorse John as our DFL candidate for House in 40B. Best of luck to all candidates and let’s make this a positive and healthy journey forward. Peace to you all.
Clare Mayo Sorman
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I am honored to support John Doan to be the State Representative for District 40B. He is a proven leader deeply engaged in the community, with diverse experience working and serving in various government roles. Some highlights include his previous appointments to the state Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans and the Met Council, to his current elected position as a Shoreview City Council member, John will be able to hit the ground running in the current legislative context. More importantly, John will continue to serve with integrity and heart, centering on solutions that advance the lives of the District 40B community.
Rose Wan-Mui Chu, PhD, Educator and School Board Member
Friends,
I am supporting John Doan for the endorsement to be our candidate in the upcoming Special Election for MN House district 40B.
I’ve known John for many years, since he was the Met Council member for our area when I was elected to the MN House in 2012. John and his wife Erin live in Shoreview, not far from us.
I worked with John on the Shoreview Planning Commission before he joined the City Council. While we worked on our city’s longe range plans, I appreciated John’s commitment to housing opportunities for all, and his forward thinking on transportation issues.
I believe John is the candidate who has the skills to work effectively in the Legislature under the challenging conditions today. He has experience working well on bipartisan bills and within the committee structure that are the main work of a legislator.
Dear District 40B delegates and voters, I am writing to express my support for endorsing John Doan. As a member of the Shoreview Planning Commission, I have watched Shoreview City Council Member Doan in action representing our community. He has a deep understanding of key issues facing our neighborhoods and is well grounded in our DFL values. I am impressed by his ability to communicate and build positive relationships. His background and experience will serve us well in the state legislature.I respectfully ask that you join me in endorsing John Doan as our candidate for the State House of Representatives.
Lee Helgen
John Doan is a dedicated and hardworking individual committed to taking action on issues that positively impact our communities.
Scott Arcand, Ed.D.
I first met John 13 years ago when we both interviewed for the Met Council. There were nine of us, including several prominent local leaders. John introduced himself last, and while he was the least known to the selection committee with no political connections, he impressed everyone in the room. When he was done, my first thought was, “They need to pick THAT guy!” Sure enough, he got the job.
John has an impressive list of life achievements—a child refugee from Vietnam who earned a degree in civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon and a master’s at Harvard University in public policy, and who served our country for eight years in the U.S. Naval Reserves.
Professionally, he has worked as a transportation planner and supported our seniors, bringing an equity focus to the work. In our community, he serves on the Shoreview Community Foundation and sat on the Shoreview Planning Commission for six years, including as chair. Today he is serving on the Shoreview City Council as the first elected council member of color. He has worked to provide energy weatherization assistance for the city’s manufactured housing population and spoke out strongly when white supremacists were hanging their banners over 694 a few months ago.
He is also persuasive! He twisted my arm (three times) to run for office again for Shoreview City Council this year so that we could lead on local climate initiatives. He’s the real deal—an organized, proven leader in local and state government who can hit the ground running at the State Capitol. There is no time to lose! The next two years will be grueling in St. Paul with a split House. John will fight to maintain the gains made during the last two years and lay the groundwork for the future. Please join me in supporting John Doan.
Paul Gardner,
Minnesota House of Representatives 2007-2010, Shoreview City Council Member-Elect
John Doan has the education, professional experience, and political acumen to excel as a State Representative. He has developed government policies and represented community members in SD 40B as a Councilmember on the Metropolitan Council and as a Shoreview City Councilmember.
I have had the opportunity to work with John in his role as a City Councilmember. He has shown an outstanding passion for equity and climate resiliency. His vision is for neighboring cities to collaborate so all benefit.
John has lived a tremendous life. His vast experiences and his kindness are core to making decisions based on democratic values and we need that at all levels of government.
Emily Rousseau, Arden Hills City Council Member & Island Lake Parent
I am pleased to endorse John Doan for the MN House. I only recently met him in person during a City Climate Action Planning session. However, his easy manner and welcoming approach made me see that John is the perfect person for the current situation. We have less than 4 weeks to build a campaign, across cities, that represents the people of Shoreview and Roseville. In addition to John’s time on the Met Council, on the Asian Pacific Council, serving in the military, and overwhelming election to the Shoreview City Council, he is passionate in transportation and climate action. John has the breadth of knowledge and experience that someone needs to step into a legislative session that will “already be in progress”. While we are blessed to have several great people who believe in our community enough to step forward, I believe that John represents someone who is ready for the job at hand. I ask that you join me in supporting his endorsement on January 1, and his election to the MN House on 1/28/25.
Julie Strahan, Roseville City Council Member
I have worked closely with John Doan through the Ramsey County League of Local Governments (RCLLG) for the past two years. John is a man of integrity, dedication, and compassion, and I know that he will best represent the diverse needs and interests of District 40B.
Teresa Miller, Little Canada City Council Member
John is a great candidate to represent the district! He is a thoughtful leader with the qualities to be effective for us in the House. I fully endorse John's candidacy in this special election.
Steve Rogers
Thanks for “throwing your hat in the ring”. After the issues regarding this seat in the general election, we need to re-establish DFL credibility in the district. I think you bring the skills and ability to do that, along with name recognition and proven electability. I think you are the best candidate for this position and you will have my support at the convention!!
Dan Carlson
John Doan has been a collaborative city leader who has reached out directly to me as mayor to explore how he could best support the broader North Metro communities through his service as Treasurer on the Executive Committee of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments. Almost half of New Brighton is in Senate District 40 so I look forward to John as a state representative who will advocate skillfully for our needs.
Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas, Mayor, New Brighton
John will hit the ground running at the Capitol for House District 40. He has the experience, knowledge, and "can-do" attitude to fight for the issues we care about successfully.
Peter Lindstrom
