James Keller (Minnesota politician)
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" or "J.R." Keller (January 16, 1907 – August 7, 1972) was a Minnesota
politician
and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
and the Minnesota Senate
from southeastern Minnesota.
, Keller was elected to the House in 1948, serving one term, and, in 1950, opted to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Leonard Dernek of Winona
. He was re-elected in 1952, 1956 and 1960, but was unseated by Roger Laufenburger
in the 1962 general election. He represented the old District 2, which included all of Winona County
.
Keller allied with the Conservative Caucus
at a time when the legislature was still officially nonpartisan
, although he identified as and was known to be a Republican
. While in the Senate, he chaired the General Legislation Committee from 1955 to 1962, and was also a member of the Committee on Committees and the Rules Committee.
Dubbed a "gruff-voiced, cigar chomping, hard-bargaining Senate veteran," Keller was a leader in forming tax policy for the state. He also actively promoted highway safety and, in 1959, introduced a bill that would have required seat belts and padded dash boards in all cars made after 1961. In 1961 alone, he was the chief author of 18 bills calling for new and tougher traffic safety laws. He also served as chairman of a legislative interim study commission formed to analyze and make improvements to the Minnesota Highway Department.
, the Knights of Columbus
, and the Winona Association of Commerce, a predecessor of the chamber of commerce
. He was also an executive board member of the Boy Scouts
for ten years. He died in Winona in 1972.
Keller's daughter, Pat Kronebusch
, was later elected to the Senate, unseating Senator Laufenburger in 1980. After taking office, she received her father's old desk on the Senate floor.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a 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 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...
from southeastern Minnesota.
Service in the Minnesota House and Senate
Originally from the small town of RollingstoneRollingstone, Minnesota
Rollingstone is a city in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 664 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, Keller was elected to the House in 1948, serving one term, and, in 1950, opted to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Leonard Dernek of Winona
Winona, Minnesota
Winona is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, in the U.S. State of Minnesota. Located in picturesque bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf....
. He was re-elected in 1952, 1956 and 1960, but was unseated by Roger Laufenburger
Roger Laufenburger
Roger A. Laufenburger was a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate who represented the old District 2 and, after the 1972 redistricting, District 34, which included portions of Olmsted, Wabash and Winona counties in the southeastern part of the state...
in the 1962 general election. He represented the old District 2, which included all of Winona County
Winona County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,985 people, 18,744 households, and 11,696 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 19,551 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
.
Keller allied with the Conservative Caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
at a time when the legislature was still officially nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
, although he identified as and was known to be a Republican
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:...
. While in the Senate, he chaired the General Legislation Committee from 1955 to 1962, and was also a member of the Committee on Committees and the Rules Committee.
Dubbed a "gruff-voiced, cigar chomping, hard-bargaining Senate veteran," Keller was a leader in forming tax policy for the state. He also actively promoted highway safety and, in 1959, introduced a bill that would have required seat belts and padded dash boards in all cars made after 1961. In 1961 alone, he was the chief author of 18 bills calling for new and tougher traffic safety laws. He also served as chairman of a legislative interim study commission formed to analyze and make improvements to the Minnesota Highway Department.
Background and community involvement
Keller was a farmer in the Rollingstone area for many years. He moved to Winona in 1955, where he worked as a contractor and was active in the local community, being involved with such organizations as the Elks LodgeBenevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
, and the Winona Association of Commerce, a predecessor of the chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
. He was also an executive board member of the Boy Scouts
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
for ten years. He died in Winona in 1972.
Keller's daughter, Pat Kronebusch
Pat Kronebusch
Patricia Louise "Pat" Kronebusch was a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate who represented District 34, which included portions of Houston, Olmsted, Wabash and Winona counties in the southeastern part of the state...
, was later elected to the Senate, unseating Senator Laufenburger in 1980. After taking office, she received her father's old desk on the Senate floor.