Roger Laufenburger
Encyclopedia
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. A Democrat
, he was elected to the Senate in 1962, and was re-elected in 1966, 1970, 1972, and 1976.
. While unsuccessful in that race, he did unseat Keller in 1962. Keller's daughter, Pat Kronebusch
, would later unseat Laufenburger in 1980.
When Laufenburger was first elected, the Minnesota Legislature
was officially non-partisan, divided into the Liberal
and Conservative caucuses. This structure remained in effect until 1976, when declaring party affiliation became a requirement for candidates.
While in the Senate, Laufenburger chaired the Transportation and General Legislation Committee from 1973 to 1976, and the Employment Committee from 1977 to 1980. He was a member of the Agriculture, Civil Administration, Commerce and Insurance, Game and Fish, General Legislation, Labor Relations, Military Affairs and Civil Defense, Municipal Affairs, Public Highways, Rules and Administration, and Taxes and Tax Laws committees. He also served on the Commerce Subcommittee for Banking, the Labor and Commerce Subcommittee for Commerce and Insurance, the Rules and Administration subcommittees for Interim Commissions and for Joint Rule 20 (Deadlines), and the Transportation and General Legislation subcommittees for Highways and Bridges, for Joint Fuel Oil (which he chaired from 1973 to 1974), for Public Transportation, and for Transportation Policy (which he chaired in 1979). An early advocate for rural highways in Minnesota, his special legislative concerns included transportation, business, agriculture, and labor-employment.
in Winona County, Laufenburger was active in the community before and after his time in the Senate. A graduate of Winona High School
, he was a local insurance agency owner and radio announcer, perhaps best known for his radio show "Roger's Rumpus Room." He served as a justice of the peace
in Lewiston from 1951 to 1953, and was later a member of the village council from 1956 to 1962. After leaving the Senate, he again served on the city's council from 1989 to 1992, and was mayor
from 1992 to 2001. He was named to the Winona County Fair Hall of Fame in 1986.
Continuing his involvement in state transportation issues after leaving the legislature, Laufenburger chaired Minnesota's State Transportation Regulation Board from 1983 to 1989. He was appointed to the position by Governor Rudy Perpich
.
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 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...
who represented the old District 2 and, after the 1972 redistricting
Redistricting
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...
, District 34, which included portions of Olmsted
Olmsted County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 124,277 people, 47,807 households, and 32,317 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 49,422 housing units at an average density of 76 per square mile...
, Wabash
Wabasha County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 21,610 people, 8,277 households, and 5,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile . There were 9,066 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
and Winona
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...
counties in the southeastern part of the state. A Democrat
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 was elected to the Senate in 1962, and was re-elected in 1966, 1970, 1972, and 1976.
Service in the Senate
Laufenburger first ran for the Senate in 1958 against incumbent Senator James "J.R." KellerJames Keller (Minnesota politician)
James "Jim" or "J.R." Keller was a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate from southeastern Minnesota.-Service in the Minnesota House and Senate:...
. While unsuccessful in that race, he did unseat Keller in 1962. 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...
, would later unseat Laufenburger in 1980.
When Laufenburger was first elected, the Minnesota Legislature
Minnesota Legislature
The Minnesota Legislature is the legislative branch of government in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is a bicameral legislature located at the Minnesota Capitol in Saint Paul and it consists of two houses: the lower Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate...
was officially non-partisan, divided into the Liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and Conservative caucuses. This structure remained in effect until 1976, when declaring party affiliation became a requirement for candidates.
While in the Senate, Laufenburger chaired the Transportation and General Legislation Committee from 1973 to 1976, and the Employment Committee from 1977 to 1980. He was a member of the Agriculture, Civil Administration, Commerce and Insurance, Game and Fish, General Legislation, Labor Relations, Military Affairs and Civil Defense, Municipal Affairs, Public Highways, Rules and Administration, and Taxes and Tax Laws committees. He also served on the Commerce Subcommittee for Banking, the Labor and Commerce Subcommittee for Commerce and Insurance, the Rules and Administration subcommittees for Interim Commissions and for Joint Rule 20 (Deadlines), and the Transportation and General Legislation subcommittees for Highways and Bridges, for Joint Fuel Oil (which he chaired from 1973 to 1974), for Public Transportation, and for Transportation Policy (which he chaired in 1979). An early advocate for rural highways in Minnesota, his special legislative concerns included transportation, business, agriculture, and labor-employment.
Service to the state and community
From the town of LewistonLewiston, Minnesota
Lewiston is a city in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,620 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
in Winona County, Laufenburger was active in the community before and after his time in the Senate. A graduate of Winona High School
Winona Senior High School
Winona Senior High School is a publicly funded high school in Winona, in Winona County, which is located in southeastern Minnesota. The high school has over 1200 students in grades 9-12 and its principal as of 2010 Kelly Jansen. The school's mascot is "Herky," the Winhawk. The school is part of...
, he was a local insurance agency owner and radio announcer, perhaps best known for his radio show "Roger's Rumpus Room." He served as a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in Lewiston from 1951 to 1953, and was later a member of the village council from 1956 to 1962. After leaving the Senate, he again served on the city's council from 1989 to 1992, and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
from 1992 to 2001. He was named to the Winona County Fair Hall of Fame in 1986.
Continuing his involvement in state transportation issues after leaving the legislature, Laufenburger chaired Minnesota's State Transportation Regulation Board from 1983 to 1989. He was appointed to the position by Governor Rudy Perpich
Rudy Perpich
Rudolph 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...
.