Jonette Engan
Encyclopedia
| Jonette Engan | |
| Born | November 29, 1951 |
| Place of Birth | Willmar, Minnesota Willmar, 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... |
| Spouse | Dale |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Willmar, Minnesota Willmar, 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... |
| Profession | political activist, community organizer |
| Political Affiliation | Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor 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... |
| Years Active | 1983 - Present |
Jonette Ellen Engan (born November 29, 1951) is an American politician and a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor 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...
.
DFL Party leader
A resident of Willmar, MinnesotaWillmar, 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...
, Engan is a former 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...
leader. She served as chair of the old 2nd Congressional District
Minnesota's 2nd congressional district
Minnesota’s 2nd congressional district covers the south Twin Cities metro area and contains all of Carver, Scott, Le Sueur, Goodhue and Rice Counties. It also contains most of Dakota County and south Washington County including the cities of Cottage Grove and the southern part of Woodbury...
DFL from 1989 to 1997, succeeding longtime chair Harold Windingstad
Harold Windingstad
Harold Oliver Windingstad, Jr. was an American politician and farmer from Minnesota, and a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.-Political "go to" man:...
. The sprawling district encompassed southwestern Minnesota, and included all or portions of 31 counties. Prior to being elected chair, she had served as associate chair of the district from 1983 to 1989.
In addition to her activism in congressional district politics, Engan was also involved at the state and national level. She was a member of the Minnesota DFL’s central and executive committees, and was selected as a presidential elector for the 1992 presidential election in which Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
defeated George H. Bush and Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
. The support of Engan and the ten other Minnesota members of the Electoral College went to Clinton, who had solidly won the state in the November election. She was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in 1984
1984 Democratic National Convention
The 1984 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California from July 16 to July 19, 1984, to select a candidate for the 1984 United States presidential election. At the convention Walter Mondale was nominated for President and Geraldine...
and 2000
2000 Democratic National Convention
The 2000 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention for the Democratic Party. The convention nominated Vice President Al Gore as its candidate for President and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman as its candidate for Vice President. The convention was held at...
, and also attended the 1996
1996 Democratic National Convention
The 1996 Democratic National Convention of the was held at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois from August 26 to August 29, 1996. Incumbent Democrat Bill Clinton was renominated for President of United States.-Site selection:...
convention as a DFL official.
Congressional campaign manager and adviser
Engan served as campaign manager for MadisonMadison, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,768 people, 789 households, and 462 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,737.6 people per square mile . There were 882 housing units at an average density of 866.9 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.21% White,...
teacher Doug Peterson’s unsuccessful 1991 bid for Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
against incumbent Vin Weber
Vin Weber
John Vincent Weber is a former Republican Congressman from Minnesota. Weber attended the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities from 1970 to 1974. He had been the co-publisher of Murray County newspaper and the president of Weber Publishing Company...
. In 1993, she was a key adviser to David Minge
David Minge
David R. Minge is an American Judge and former political figure. David Minge currently serves as a Judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals...
in his successful bid for the same congressional seat against opponent Cal Ludeman
Cal Ludeman
Cal R. Ludeman is a Minnesota politician, the current Secretary of the Minnesota Senate, and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from southwestern Minnesota. First elected in 1978, he was re-elected in 1980 and 1982...
. Minge later honored Engan by entering official remarks into the Congressional Record
Congressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
thanking her for her service to the DFL and the congressional district, and for her valued counsel and advice to him as a candidate and congressman.
DFL "woman of distinction"
Engan opted not to run for re-election as chair of the congressional district in 1997. She was later honored by the state party as a “woman of distinction,” and was inducted into the Minnesota DFL Women’s Hall of Fame. In 2004, she served as a co-chair of the John Kerry for PresidentJohn Kerry presidential campaign, 2004
The Presidential Campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party challenged Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. Ultimately, Kerry conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Bush...
organization in Minnesota.
While Engan has cut back on her political involvement, she is active in her community and her church. She remains involved in the DFL at the local level, currently serving as vice chair of the Kandiyohi County
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 :...
party organization.