Dean Johnson
Encyclopedia
Dean Elton Johnson is a former Minnesota
politician and a member of the Board of Regents
of the University of Minnesota
. He is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
, and a former member, majority leader
and minority leader
of the Minnesota Senate
.
, the area was known as District 15. Through the years, he represented all or portions of Chippewa
, Kandiyohi
, McLeod
, Meeker
, Pope
, Renville
, Stearns
and Yellow Medicine
counties in the southwestern part of the state.
As a Republican, Johnson served as Senate Minority Leader
from 1993 to 1997. In 2000, he switched parties, leaving the Republican Party
to join the DFL Party
. He subsequently served as Majority Leader from 2004 until 2007. He is the only Minnesota Senator to have led both caucuses in that chamber, and one of only two to serve as both Minority and Majority Leader.
justice, who supposedly gave him informal assurances that the court would not overturn Minnesota's statute defining marriage as between one man and one woman. There was concern that the Minnesota Supreme Court might strike down the Minnesota statute the way the Massachusetts Supreme Court
had struck down a similar statute in that state, thus legalizing gay marriage.
When a tape recording of Johnson's remarks surfaced, the justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court denied that any such conversation had ever taken place. Republicans filed an ethics complaint against Johnson. He subsequently apologized for embellishing the story. This controversy contributed to the loss of his senate seat to Republican Joe Gimse in the general election that November.
. He is widowed, has one child, two grandchildren, and is a minister
in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
. His wife of 21 years, Avonelle Johnson, died of cancer in 2005.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College
, a Master of Divinity
from Luther Seminary
, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College
. He is a chaplain holding a general's rank in the National Guard. In 2007, he was selected as a Regent
of the University of Minnesota
, with his current term expiring in 2013.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
politician and a member of the Board of Regents
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. He is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
, and a former member, majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
and minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
of the Minnesota Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
.
Service in the Minnesota House and Senate
Johnson was first elected to the House in 1978, representing the old District 21A, and served from 1979 to 1983. He was elected to the Senate in 1982 and represented District 13 in the west central part of the state. Prior to the 2002 legislative redistrictingRedistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
, the area was known as District 15. Through the years, he represented all or portions of Chippewa
Chippewa County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,088 people, 5,361 households, and 3,597 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 5,855 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, Kandiyohi
Kandiyohi County, Minnesota
Kandiyohi County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, its population was 42,239. Its county seat is Willmar.- History :...
, McLeod
McLeod County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,898 people, 13,449 households, and 9,427 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 14,087 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
, Meeker
Meeker County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,644 people, 8,590 households, and 6,133 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 9,821 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
, Pope
Pope County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,236 people, 4,513 households, and 3,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile . There were 5,827 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
, Renville
Renville County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,154 people, 6,779 households, and 4,623 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile . There were 7,413 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
, Stearns
Stearns County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 133,166 people, 47,604 households, and 32,132 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 people per square mile . There were 50,291 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...
and Yellow Medicine
Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota
-External links:***...
counties in the southwestern part of the state.
As a Republican, Johnson served as Senate Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
from 1993 to 1997. In 2000, he switched parties, leaving the Republican Party
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
to join the DFL Party
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
. He subsequently served as Majority Leader from 2004 until 2007. He is the only Minnesota Senator to have led both caucuses in that chamber, and one of only two to serve as both Minority and Majority Leader.
2006 controversial remarks
In March 2006, controversy arose over remarks Johnson made in January of that year to a group of pastors. Johnson said he had a conversation with an unnamed Minnesota Supreme CourtMinnesota Supreme Court
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota and consists of seven members. The court was first assembled as a three-judge panel in 1849 when Minnesota was still a territory. The first members were lawyers from outside of the region who were appointed by...
justice, who supposedly gave him informal assurances that the court would not overturn Minnesota's statute defining marriage as between one man and one woman. There was concern that the Minnesota Supreme Court might strike down the Minnesota statute the way the Massachusetts Supreme Court
Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts
Same-sex marriage in the U.S. state of Massachusetts began on May 17, 2004, as a result of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruling in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that it was unconstitutional under the Massachusetts constitution to allow only heterosexual couples to marry...
had struck down a similar statute in that state, thus legalizing gay marriage.
When a tape recording of Johnson's remarks surfaced, the justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court denied that any such conversation had ever taken place. Republicans filed an ethics complaint against Johnson. He subsequently apologized for embellishing the story. This controversy contributed to the loss of his senate seat to Republican Joe Gimse in the general election that November.
Background, education and professional career
Johnson resides in WillmarWillmar, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,549.9 people per square mile . There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 657.8 per square mile...
. He is widowed, has one child, two grandchildren, and is a minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
. His wife of 21 years, Avonelle Johnson, died of cancer in 2005.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College
Luther College (Iowa)
Luther College is a four-year, residential liberal arts institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Decorah, Iowa, USA...
, a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary is the largest seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Located in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood of St...
, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
. He is a chaplain holding a general's rank in the National Guard. In 2007, he was selected as a Regent
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, with his current term expiring in 2013.