Before running for the Senate, Rob was a TV-Meteorologist in Fargo for 20 years. Originally from Connecticut, Rob moved to Moorhead, Minnesota in 2000 from Albany, New York where he had been running a small coffee company. He moved to Minnesota with his wife Deb, who took a job at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Rob has his bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Science from the State University of New York at Albany. He and Deb have one son, who currently lives in Seatle. In the Senate, Rob serves on the Labor, Health and Human Services and Higher Education committees. He is also the vice-chair of the Agriculture Committee. Legislatively he considers the Fair Repair Law, the establishment of a Grain Indemnity Fund and a bill about Hospital Closures among his biggest legislative accomplishments. He has also carried many bills about Agriculture, Child Care, Health Care and Rail Safety.