Paul Gardner (born 1967) is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 53A, which includes all or portions of the northern suburbs of Lino Lakes, Circle Pines, Lexington, North Oaks, Shoreview and Blaine. A Democrat, he was first elected in 2006 in a huge upset, narrowly defeating 16-year incumbent Rep. Phil Krinkie by 51 votes. He was re-elected in 2008, defeating challenger John Louis Kappler by 1035 votes, but was unseated by Republican former state senator Linda Runbeck in the 2010 general election.