Charles Stenvig
Encyclopedia
Charles A. Stenvig served as mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota
for three two-year terms from 1969–1973 (two terms) and 1976–1978 (one term). Stenvig was a police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department
before and after his service as mayor. Stenvig was an independent politician who espoused a "law and order
" platform amid the social unrest of the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the time, Stenvig was compared to other law-and-order mayors such as Sam Yorty in Los Angeles
and Frank Rizzo
in Philadelphia.
where he won a Minnesota state high school boys' golf championship. Stenvig attended Augsburg College
and received a degree in sociology
. After graduation, he joined the Minneapolis Police Department. Stenvig worked his way up to the rank of detective, working with the burglary squad, prior to entering Minneapolis politics.
In 1969, Stenvig entered the mayoral election as an independent candidate. DFL Mayor Arthur Naftalin
had declined to run for a fifth term as mayor and the race for the open seat attracted several candidates. Stenvig ran an unconventional campaign for mayor that relied on limited funds and volunteer labor. After winning a three-way primary election, forcing out DFL candidate Gerard Hegstrom, he went on to defeat the Republican
candidate, 7th Ward alderman and Council President Dan Cohen in the general election. Stenvig received 62 percent of the vote in the election, surprising many veteran political observers in the city. Stenvig was re-elected in 1971 when he defeated Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) candidate W. Harry Davis
by a wide margin. In the 1973 election, Stenvig lost to DFL candidate Albert Hofstede. Stenvig won back the mayor's office in a 1975 rematch with Hofstede. Stenvig lost to Hofstede again in 1977. In 1978, he lost the Republican primary for Minnesota secretary of state. In 1979, Stenvig ran again for mayor and lost to Donald M. Fraser
. In 1982, Stenvig ran for Hennepin County Sheriff and lost.
In 1981, Stenvig and members of his family appeared on an episode of the game show Family Feud
, where they faced the Tuck family. The Stenvig family lost 422–0.
After retiring from the police department, Stenvig moved to Arizona
around 1990 and died there on February 22, 2010.
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...
for three two-year terms from 1969–1973 (two terms) and 1976–1978 (one term). Stenvig was a police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department
Minneapolis Police Department
The Minneapolis Police Department is the police department for the city of Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Formed in 1867, it is the second oldest police department in the state of Minnesota, after the Saint Paul Police Department . A short-lived Board of Police Commissioners existed...
before and after his service as mayor. Stenvig was an independent politician who espoused a "law and order
Law and order (politics)
In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
" platform amid the social unrest of the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the time, Stenvig was compared to other law-and-order mayors such as Sam Yorty in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Frank Rizzo
Frank Rizzo
Francis Lazarro "Frank" Rizzo, Sr. was an American police officer and politician. He served two terms as mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from January 1972 to January 1980; he was Police Commissioner for four years prior to that.-Police Commissioner:Rizzo joined the Philadelphia Police...
in Philadelphia.
Biography
Stenvig was born in Minneapolis in 1928. Growing up in South Minneapolis, Stenvig attended Roosevelt High SchoolRoosevelt High School (Minneapolis)
Roosevelt High School is a public school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is part of the Minneapolis Public Schools. The school is named after US President Theodore Roosevelt...
where he won a Minnesota state high school boys' golf championship. Stenvig attended Augsburg College
Augsburg College
Augsburg College is a selective liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Augsburg was named for the Augsburg Confession, the document of Lutheran belief. The school was founded in 1869 in Marshall, Wisconsin as Augsburg Seminary and moved...
and received a degree in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
. After graduation, he joined the Minneapolis Police Department. Stenvig worked his way up to the rank of detective, working with the burglary squad, prior to entering Minneapolis politics.
In 1969, Stenvig entered the mayoral election as an independent candidate. DFL Mayor Arthur Naftalin
Arthur Naftalin
Arthur Naftalin was an American political scientist and politician. A member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party , he served as mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota from July 3, 1961, to July 6, 1969. He was the city's only Jewish mayor.Naftalin was born in Fargo, North Dakota, one of four...
had declined to run for a fifth term as mayor and the race for the open seat attracted several candidates. Stenvig ran an unconventional campaign for mayor that relied on limited funds and volunteer labor. After winning a three-way primary election, forcing out DFL candidate Gerard Hegstrom, he went on to defeat the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate, 7th Ward alderman and Council President Dan Cohen in the general election. Stenvig received 62 percent of the vote in the election, surprising many veteran political observers in the city. Stenvig was re-elected in 1971 when he defeated Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) candidate W. Harry Davis
W. Harry Davis
W. Harry Davis, Sr. was an American civil rights activist, amateur boxing coach, civic leader and businessman in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He overcame poverty, childhood polio, and racial prejudice to become a humanitarian...
by a wide margin. In the 1973 election, Stenvig lost to DFL candidate Albert Hofstede. Stenvig won back the mayor's office in a 1975 rematch with Hofstede. Stenvig lost to Hofstede again in 1977. In 1978, he lost the Republican primary for Minnesota secretary of state. In 1979, Stenvig ran again for mayor and lost to Donald M. Fraser
Donald M. Fraser
Donald MacKay Fraser is an American politician from Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Early life:Donald Fraser played a critical role in making human rights an important part of U.S. policy. Fraser was born on 20 February 1924 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Everett and Lois Fraser. His parents were émigrés...
. In 1982, Stenvig ran for Hennepin County Sheriff and lost.
In 1981, Stenvig and members of his family appeared on an episode of the game show Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
, where they faced the Tuck family. The Stenvig family lost 422–0.
After retiring from the police department, Stenvig moved to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
around 1990 and died there on February 22, 2010.