Sen. Jerry Relph is first Minnesota lawmaker to die of COVID-19 Briana Bierschbach, Star Tribune Minnesota state Sen. Jerry Relph, R-St. Cloud, has died of complications related to COVID-19, multiple sources told the Star Tribune Friday night. Relph, 76, is the first Minnesota lawmaker to die of the virus. He was among a number of Republican legislators who contracted COVID-19 after being in contact with colleagues in mid-November. At the time, Rachel Aplikowski, the Senate GOP spokeswoman, said Relph tested positive after having had close contact with someone in the chamber who had the virus. Relph started quarantining on Nov. 10 and did not attend that week's special session.