Robert J. Kupec (born November 27, 1968) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he represents Senate District 4, which includes most of Clay and Becker counties. Prior to seeking elected office, he was for a decade the chief meteorologist at KVRR and previously at WDAY-TV.

Kupec was born in eastern Connecticut.^[1] Both of his parents were active union organizers. He attended college at the State University of New York-Albany, studying Atmospheric Science, and earned a degree in 1992.^[2] He moved to Moorhead, Minnesota in 2000, and began work as a meteorologist, first for WDAY-TV and then served as chief meteorologist for KVRR.

Prior to moving to Minnesota, Kupec ran as a Green party candidate for the Albany County Legislature in 1999.^[3][4]

In 2022, incumbent DFL state senator Kent Eken decided not to seek reelection.^[5] Kupec ran, and was unopposed in the DFL primary. He defeated Moorhead City Councilman and Republican Dan Bohmer in the general election, winning 52.5% of the vote compared to Bohmer's 46.8%.^[6]

Kupec serves on the following committees:^[7]

• Vice Chair: Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development
• Health and Human Services
• Higher Education
• Labor

He is married to Deb White, a Moorhead City Councilwoman.^[4] They have one son, Quinn.^[8]