Paul Kohls
Encyclopedia
Paul Kohls is a Republican
politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
who represented District 34A, which covers central and western Carver County
and part of Scott County
in the southern part of the state. He was first elected in 2002, and was re-elected in 2004, 2006 and 2008. After running for Minnesota Governor
for several months in 2010
, he dropped out, citing no support from party delegates. On May 3, 2010, he announced that he would not seek a fifth term, stating "I enjoyed the opportunity to be here for eight years and to serve my constituents, but I never intended to be here forever."
and as a law clerk at the Minnesota Court of Appeals
. He worked as an attorney and senior manager at Allianz Life Insurance Company. He took a leave of absence from that position to focus on his campaign for Governor. After withdrawing from the gubernatorial race, he accepted a job with AgStar Financial Services
of Mankato
, one of the nation’s largest farm credit associations.
in Saint Paul
. He was active in College Republicans during college, and was a member of the football team during his first year. He graduated in 1996 with a B.A.
in political science
, Summa Cum Laude. He continued his education at the University of Minnesota Law School
, receiving his J.D.
, Cum Laude, in 1999.
Kohls is married to Kelly (Yetzer) and has two children, Stanley and Caroline .
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:...
politician and 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...
who represented District 34A, which covers central and western Carver County
Carver County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 70,205 people, 24,356 households, and 18,778 families residing in the county. The population density was 197 people per square mile . There were 24,883 housing units at an average density of 70 per square mile...
and part of Scott County
Scott County, Minnesota
Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was organized in 1853 and named in honor of General Winfield Scott. As of 2010, the population was 129,928. Its county seat is Shakopee...
in the southern part of the state. He was first elected in 2002, and was re-elected in 2004, 2006 and 2008. After running for Minnesota Governor
Governor of Minnesota
The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
for several months in 2010
Minnesota gubernatorial election, 2010
The 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the 40th Governor of the U.S. state of Minnesota for a four-year term to begin in January 2011. The general election was contested by the major party candidates State Representative Tom Emmer , former Senator...
, he dropped out, citing no support from party delegates. On May 3, 2010, he announced that he would not seek a fifth term, stating "I enjoyed the opportunity to be here for eight years and to serve my constituents, but I never intended to be here forever."
Political career
Kohls was the lead Republican on the House Finance Subcommittee for the Public Safety Finance Division. He was also a member of the Taxes Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee, and of the Public Safety Policy and Oversight Subcommittee for the Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division. As a legislator, he focused on improving Minnesota’s tax and regulatory environment and garnered statewide attention with his spending freeze proposal in December 2008.Private Sector Experience
Kohls worked as an attorney at the former Minneapolis law firm of Rider BennettRider Bennett
Rider Bennett, LLP was a 47-year-old, Minneapolis-based law firm that closed in May 2007. It was founded by Stu Rider, Gene Bennett and Bill Egan, all three of whom had attended the University of Minnesota Law School together. They were later joined by Chet Johnson and Ed Arundel...
and as a law clerk at the Minnesota Court of Appeals
Minnesota Court of Appeals
The Minnesota Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court for the state of Minnesota. It began operating on November 1, 1983. It is housed in the Minnesota Judicial Center in St...
. He worked as an attorney and senior manager at Allianz Life Insurance Company. He took a leave of absence from that position to focus on his campaign for Governor. After withdrawing from the gubernatorial race, he accepted a job with AgStar Financial Services
AgStar Financial Services
AgStar Financial Services, ACA is a cooperative in Mankato, MN owned by over 23,000 client-shareholders. The company operates in 69 counties located in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, and is one of the larger Farm Credit associations in the nation...
of Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
, one of the nation’s largest farm credit associations.
Education and Family
Kohls attended college at the University of St. ThomasUniversity of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
in Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. He was active in College Republicans during college, and was a member of the football team during his first year. He graduated in 1996 with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, Summa Cum Laude. He continued his education at the University of Minnesota Law School
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,...
, receiving his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
, Cum Laude, in 1999.
Kohls is married to Kelly (Yetzer) and has two children, Stanley and Caroline .