Carl Jensen (Minnesota politician)
Encyclopedia
Carl Arthur Jensen was a Minnesota
politician
and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
and the Minnesota Senate
from southwestern Minnesota. He first ran for the House in 1950, when the District 14 seat for Brown County
became vacant due to the unexpected death of Rep. William V. Burroughs. He was re-elected to the House in 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1958.
In 1966, after several years away from public service, Jensen ran successfully for the District 17 state senate seat being vacated by John M. Zwach, Sr.
, who was running for the U.S. Congress
. District 17 later became District 28 after redistricting
in 1970, and included all or portions of Brown
, Cottonwood
, Murray
, Nicollet
and Redwood
counties. He was reelected in 1970, 1972 and 1976.
From the city of Sleepy Eye
, Jensen was a local attorney
and military veteran. He served in the United States Air Force
during World War II
. After returning from the war, he attended law school at the University of Minnesota
and graduated With Honors
in 1949. Once admitted to the bar, he engaged in private practice, and also served as attorney for the Sleepy Eye School District for nine years, and for the City of Sleepy Eye for 14 years.
As representative and senator, Jensen allied with the Conservative Caucus
at a time when the legislature was still officially nonpartisan
. He later identified as Republican
when party affiliation became required of political candidates. His key areas of interest were agriculture, commerce, the judiciary, and taxes and tax laws.
While in the senate, Jensen served on the Commerce, Elections, Environment & Natural Resources, General Legislation, Health, Welfare & Corrections, Judiciary, Public Highways, Rules & Administration, and Taxes & Tax Laws committees, and on various other committee incarnations and subcommittees. He was chair of the General Legislation Committee from 1971 to 1973, and was an assistant minority leader
from 1977 to 1981. He also served on the Minnesota Voyageur's National Park Commission during the 1970s.
Jensen did not to run for re-election in 1980, as he was appointed to the Minnesota Tax Court by Governor Al Quie
. He served on the tax court from 1981 to 1986. Curiously, in 1986, he ran unsuccessfully as a DFL
candidate for the Minnesota Senate, despite being a life-long Republican.
After the death of his wife in 1977, Jensen remarried in 1979. His second wife, Patricia, was a member of Governor Quie's staff. He was the father of five children and three stepchildren.
Jensen died of cancer in 1988 at his home in Arden Hills
.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a 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...
and 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...
from southwestern Minnesota. He first ran for the House in 1950, when the District 14 seat for Brown County
Brown County, Minnesota
Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 25,893. Its county seat is New Ulm.-Geography:...
became vacant due to the unexpected death of Rep. William V. Burroughs. He was re-elected to the House in 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1958.
In 1966, after several years away from public service, Jensen ran successfully for the District 17 state senate seat being vacated by John M. Zwach, Sr.
John M. Zwach
John Matthew Zwach Sr. was a United States Representative from Minnesota. He was born in Gales Township, Redwood County, Minnesota. He attended the public schools and graduated from Milroy High School in 1926. He then received a teaching certificate from Mankato State College in 1927 and graduated...
, who was running for the U.S. Congress
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. District 17 later became District 28 after 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...
in 1970, and included all or portions of Brown
Brown County, Minnesota
Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 25,893. Its county seat is New Ulm.-Geography:...
, Cottonwood
Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Cottonwood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 11,687. Its county seat is Windom.-History:...
, Murray
Murray County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,165 people, 3,722 households, and 2,601 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 4,357 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, Nicollet
Nicollet County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,771 people, 10,642 households, and 7,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile . There were 11,240 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
and Redwood
Redwood County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,815 people, 6,674 households, and 4,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 7,230 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
counties. He was reelected in 1970, 1972 and 1976.
From the city of Sleepy Eye
Sleepy Eye, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,515 people, 1,479 households, and 942 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,099.9 people per square mile . There were 1,591 housing units at an average density of 950.5 per square mile...
, Jensen was a local attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and military veteran. He served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After returning from the war, he attended law school at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
and graduated With Honors
With Honors
With Honors is a 1994 dramatic comedy film starring Joe Pesci and Brendan Fraser. The film was directed by Alek Keshishian who has more famously directed music videos for Madonna and Bobby Brown.-Synopsis:...
in 1949. Once admitted to the bar, he engaged in private practice, and also served as attorney for the Sleepy Eye School District for nine years, and for the City of Sleepy Eye for 14 years.
As representative and senator, Jensen allied with the Conservative Caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
at a time when the legislature was still officially nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
. He later identified as 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:...
when party affiliation became required of political candidates. His key areas of interest were agriculture, commerce, the judiciary, and taxes and tax laws.
While in the senate, Jensen served on the Commerce, Elections, Environment & Natural Resources, General Legislation, Health, Welfare & Corrections, Judiciary, Public Highways, Rules & Administration, and Taxes & Tax Laws committees, and on various other committee incarnations and subcommittees. He was chair of the General Legislation Committee from 1971 to 1973, and was an assistant minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
from 1977 to 1981. He also served on the Minnesota Voyageur's National Park Commission during the 1970s.
Jensen did not to run for re-election in 1980, as he was appointed to the Minnesota Tax Court by Governor Al Quie
Al Quie
Albert Harold Quie is an American politician who served as the 35th Governor of Minnesota from January 4, 1979, to January 3, 1983.-State and national government service:...
. He served on the tax court from 1981 to 1986. Curiously, in 1986, he ran unsuccessfully as a DFL
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...
candidate for the Minnesota Senate, despite being a life-long Republican.
After the death of his wife in 1977, Jensen remarried in 1979. His second wife, Patricia, was a member of Governor Quie's staff. He was the father of five children and three stepchildren.
Jensen died of cancer in 1988 at his home in Arden Hills
Arden Hills, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,652 people, 2,959 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,087.3 people per square mile . There were 3,017 housing units at an average density of 339.9 per square mile...
.