In his quiet way, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka is scoring victories

Sen. Paul Gazelka is the accidental majority leader. When Republicans took the majority in the 2016 election, their leader at the time, Sen. David Hann, had just lost his seat, leaving them leaderless.

Republicans turned to Gazelka, a soft-spoken, unassuming Nisswa insurance man who was little-known by the public and even most politicos.

But after 2 ½ years on the job, he has quietly scored policy wins that may seem only incremental but have significant long-term ramifications. He has effectively turned the wheel just a smidgen, but over time that can move the car toward a very different destination.

In 2017, with Gazelka leading the Senate, the Legislature passed a package of tax cuts that were relatively small at first but add up over time to significant savings, especially for business. It also diverted sales tax money from the general fund into a special road fund, essentially shrinking government. This year, Gazelka faced an entirely different circumstance when he faced off against a House DFL majority and new DFL Gov. Tim Walz, who won a commanding victory in 2018. Gazelka still managed to beat back a gas tax proposal and win a 10% cut in a health care tax that will mean hundreds of millions of dollars in savings for patients in the next decade.

"Senator Gazelka has an understated leadership style, which is well suited to their slim majority," said Gina Countryman, a GOP operative.

His caucus — ranging from conservatives such as Sen. Andrew Mathews to the more centrist Senate President Jeremy Miller — sing his praises for being an apt listener who delegates and doesn't care about getting credit.

"I come from the conservative side of the spectrum, but I've seen he's been open and fair with all members of the caucus and the Senate," Mathews said. "He's helped people get invested in things they are passionate about and then navigated how we get through differences."

The public's image of a politico is often that of the scheming Machiavellian of "House of Cards" or the more realistic politics show "Veep."

But the savvier long-term play is often to develop a reputation for carrying through on your word, which is what Gazelka has earned, his caucus members say.

"He's one of the most honorable and compassionate people I've ever met," Miller said.

Walz has shared similar sentiments.

But Walz and the DFL will be doing everything they can to turn Gazelka into minority leader in 2020, when Republicans will be defending a narrow 35-32 majority in the face of a massive and well-funded effort to control the Senate.

The campaign is also sure to test Gazelka's attempt at a more civil political culture.

"If we're going to combat the culture of toxic politics, it's going to begin with each of us individually, and he's a great example of that," Mathews said.

But to be sure, nasty, expensive campaigns are not usually where people earn or keep reputations for upstanding character.

J. Patrick Coolican 651-925-5042 Twitter: @jpcoolican patrick.coolican@startribune.com