Joanell Dyrstad
Encyclopedia
Joanell M. Dyrstad was the 43rd Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
. She served January 7, 1991 to January 3, 1995 and was elected with Governor Arne Carlson
. She ran for the U.S. Senate seat in 1994 but lost in the primary to Rod Grams
. She served as an Independent Republican
(this was the official name of the state's Republican Party from 1975 – 1995).
Born and raised in St. James, Minnesota
, Dyrstad (née Sletta) spent most of her adult life in Red Wing
, where she served as mayor from 1985 to 1991. While serving as mayor, Dyrstad served on the local United Way chapter's board and was a member of the Minnesota League of Cities board. She also operated a local drugstore with her husband, Marvin. She is often credited with leading efforts to revitalize the historic riverfront of downtown Red Wing.
Though not the first female lieutenant governor in Minnesota, she did mark a first by being the first lieutenant governor in the state, and perhaps the nation, to deliver part of a state's State of the State address when she spoke for Governor Arne Carlson
in 1991.
Though certainly an underdog in her 1994 attempt for the U.S. Senate, she ran an aggressive campaign in the Republican primary against Congressman Rod Grams
, comparing Grams, a former news reporter, to bumbling fictional TV anchor Ted Baxter
from the Minnesota-based TV program The Mary Tyler Moore Show
. However, many have credited her defeat in the 1994 primary to her pro-choice
& pro-gun control
stances, which are often considered liberal in the Republican Party.
In the 2006 gubernatorial election, Dyrstad endorsed Independence Party nominee Peter Hutchinson
over the more conservative Republican incumbent, Tim Pawlenty
.
She has been married to Marvin Dyrstad since 1965. They have two grown children, Troy and Anika.
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...
. She served January 7, 1991 to January 3, 1995 and was elected with Governor Arne Carlson
Arne Carlson
Arne Helge Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and the 37th Governor of the state of Minnesota.-Early years, education and family:...
. She ran for the U.S. Senate seat in 1994 but lost in the primary to Rod Grams
Rod Grams
Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :...
. She served as an Independent 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:...
(this was the official name of the state's Republican Party from 1975 – 1995).
Born and raised in St. James, Minnesota
St. James, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,695 people, 1,845 households, and 1,186 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,050.3 people per square mile . There were 2,006 housing units at an average density of 876.0 per square mile...
, Dyrstad (née Sletta) spent most of her adult life in Red Wing
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
, where she served as mayor from 1985 to 1991. While serving as mayor, Dyrstad served on the local United Way chapter's board and was a member of the Minnesota League of Cities board. She also operated a local drugstore with her husband, Marvin. She is often credited with leading efforts to revitalize the historic riverfront of downtown Red Wing.
Though not the first female lieutenant governor in Minnesota, she did mark a first by being the first lieutenant governor in the state, and perhaps the nation, to deliver part of a state's State of the State address when she spoke for Governor Arne Carlson
Arne Carlson
Arne Helge Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and the 37th Governor of the state of Minnesota.-Early years, education and family:...
in 1991.
Though certainly an underdog in her 1994 attempt for the U.S. Senate, she ran an aggressive campaign in the Republican primary against Congressman Rod Grams
Rod Grams
Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :...
, comparing Grams, a former news reporter, to bumbling fictional TV anchor Ted Baxter
Ted Baxter
Ted Baxter is a fictional character on the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show . Portrayed by Ted Knight, the Baxter character is a broad parody of a vain, shallow, buffoonish TV newsman. Knight's comedic model was William Powell, and he also drew on various Los Angeles newscasters, including George...
from the Minnesota-based TV program The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
. However, many have credited her defeat in the 1994 primary to her pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
& pro-gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
stances, which are often considered liberal in the Republican Party.
In the 2006 gubernatorial election, Dyrstad endorsed Independence Party nominee Peter Hutchinson
Peter Hutchinson
Peter Hutchinson is an American politician, businessman and philanthropy executive from the U.S. state of Minnesota. He ran as the Independence Party of Minnesota candidate for Governor of Minnesota in 2006....
over the more conservative Republican incumbent, Tim Pawlenty
Tim Pawlenty
Timothy James "Tim" Pawlenty , also known affectionately among supporters as T-Paw, is an American politician who served as the 39th Governor of Minnesota . He was a Republican candidate for President of the United States in the 2012 election from May to August 2011...
.
She has been married to Marvin Dyrstad since 1965. They have two grown children, Troy and Anika.
Electoral history
- 1994 Race for U.S. Senate (Republican Primary)
- Rod GramsRod GramsRodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :...
(R), 58% - Joanell Dyrstad (R), 35%
- Harold StassenHarold StassenHarold Edward Stassen was the 25th Governor of Minnesota from 1939 to 1943. After service in World War II, from 1948 to 1953 he was president of the University of Pennsylvania...
(R), 5%
- Rod Grams
- 1990 Race for Governor/Lieutenant Governor
- CarlsonArne CarlsonArne Helge Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and the 37th Governor of the state of Minnesota.-Early years, education and family:...
/Dyrstad (R), 50% - PerpichRudy PerpichRudolph George "Rudy" Perpich, Sr. was an American politician and the longest-serving governor of Minnesota. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, he served as the 34th and 36th Governor of Minnesota from December 29, 1976 to January 4, 1979, and from January 3, 1983, to January 7, 1991...
/Johnson (D), 47%
- Carlson