Arne Carlson
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Arne Helge Carlson (born September 24, 1934) is an American politician active in the state of Minnesota.
He was born in New York City attended Choate Rosemary Hall and graduated from Williams College in 1957.
He served one term on the Minneapolis City Council from 1965 to 1967 and was the Republican candidate for mayor in 1967, losing to Democratic-Farmer-Labor incumbent Arthur Naftalin. He served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from January 1971 to January 4, 1979.
From 1965 to 1977, he was married to Barbara Carlson (who became known in her own right after their divorce). Together, they had a son, Tucker, (no relation to the MSNBC personality) and two daughters, Christina (deceased) and Anne. Carlson's second wife was Joanne. They had no children. Carlson had a daughter with his third wife, Susan, who served as First Lady of Minnesota.
He was state auditor from January 4, 1979 to January 7, 1991. He served as the 37th governor of Minnesota from January 7, 1991 to January 4, 1999.
He won election as a member of the Independent-Republican Party (The party, in September 1995, reverted to the name Republican Party); his positions were generally considered moderate. His election followed a scandal where the party-endorsed candidate, businessman Jon Grunseth, was accused of sexual improprieties with two then-underaged girls several years prior and withdrew from the race. Carlson had initially sought the nomination, which the more conservative Grunseth won; then Carlson and running mate Dyrstad launched a write-in campaign; and then, as Grunseth's campaign disintegrated in the final weeks, Carlson became the Independent-Republican candidate. Presenting himself finally as a less polarizing successor to a governor whose policy successes had been undermined by personal idiosyncrasies, Carlson managed to win by 3 percentage points.
Carlson distinguished himself in office as a friend of education in the state, continuing his predecessor's emphasis on a skilled and educated work force for the state of Minnesota. He is remembered as a champion of bipartisanship.
During his terms in office, Carlson had two lieutenant governors: Joanell Dyrstad from 1991-1995, and Joanne Benson from 1995-1999.
Carlson was noted, as governor, as a fan of University of Minnesota sports; his official portrait at the Minnesota State Capitol shows him wearing a letter jacket for the school.
In September 2004, he described himself politically as an independent from any political party and no longer a Republican.
He is currently looking into adopting a teenager within the state of Minnesota.
Electoral history
- 1994 Race for Governor
- *Arne Carlson (I-R) (inc.), 63%
- *John Marty (DFL), 34%
- 1990 Race for Governor
- *Arne Carlson (I-R), 50%
- *Rudy Perpich (DFL) (inc.), 47%
- 1986 Race for state Auditor
- *Arne Carlson (I-R) (inc.)
- *John Dooley (DFL)
- 1982 Race for state Auditor
- *Arne Carlson (I-R) (inc.), 55%
- *Paul Wellstone (DFL), 45%
- 1978 Race for state Auditor
- *Arne Carlson (I-R)
- *Robert W. Mattson, Jr. (DFL) (inc.)
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