George Mann (Minnesota politician)
Encyclopedia
George L. “Geo” Mann was a Minnesota
politician
and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from southwestern Minnesota.
First elected in 1958, Mann was re-elected every two years through the 1982 general election. He represented the old districts 10, 18A, 27A and, later, District 28B, which included all or portions of Cottonwood
, Jackson
, Martin
, Nobles
and Watonwan
counties, changing somewhat through state redistricting
in 1960, 1970 and 1980.
While in the legislature, Mann earned a reputation as a strong advocate for farmers, and as a leader on issues relevant to agricultural and transportation. He allied with the Liberal Caucus at a time when the legislature was still officially nonpartisan
, and later identified as a Democrat
when party affiliation became required of candidates.
Mann served on the House Agriculture, Appropriations, Commerce, Crime Prevention, Education, Financial Institutions & Insurance, Rules & Legislative Administration, and Transportation committees, and on various other committee incarnations and subcommittees during his 25 years in office. He was chair of the House Agriculture Committee from 1973–1980 and of the House Transportation Committee from 1983–1984, and also served as an assistant majority leader from 1979-1982.
In addition to his legislative service, Mann was also a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Corn Committee in the 1960s and early 1970s, and served as leader of the U.S.D.A.’s agricultural delegation to Europe
and the Soviet Union
in 1967 as part of the department’s “People to People” Program.
Mann and his wife, Alice, were life-long grain farmers just outside of the town of Windom
. After his death, the Minnesota Legislature
and Governor Rudy Perpich
named Minnesota Highway 60
from Mankato
to Brewster
the “George Mann Memorial Highway” in his honor.
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...
from southwestern Minnesota.
First elected in 1958, Mann was re-elected every two years through the 1982 general election. He represented the old districts 10, 18A, 27A and, later, District 28B, which included all or portions of 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:...
, Jackson
Jackson County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,268 people, 4,556 households, and 3,116 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 5,092 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
, Martin
Martin County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 21,802 people, 9,067 households, and 6,047 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 9,800 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, Nobles
Nobles County, Minnesota
Nobles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 21,378. Its county seat is Worthington.-Geography:...
and Watonwan
Watonwan County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,876 people, 4,627 households, and 3,141 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 5,036 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
counties, changing somewhat through state 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 1960, 1970 and 1980.
While in the legislature, Mann earned a reputation as a strong advocate for farmers, and as a leader on issues relevant to agricultural and transportation. He allied with the Liberal Caucus 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....
, and later identified as 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...
when party affiliation became required of candidates.
Mann served on the House Agriculture, Appropriations, Commerce, Crime Prevention, Education, Financial Institutions & Insurance, Rules & Legislative Administration, and Transportation committees, and on various other committee incarnations and subcommittees during his 25 years in office. He was chair of the House Agriculture Committee from 1973–1980 and of the House Transportation Committee from 1983–1984, and also served as an assistant majority leader from 1979-1982.
In addition to his legislative service, Mann was also a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Corn Committee in the 1960s and early 1970s, and served as leader of the U.S.D.A.’s agricultural delegation to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1967 as part of the department’s “People to People” Program.
Mann and his wife, Alice, were life-long grain farmers just outside of the town of Windom
Windom, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,490 people, 1,910 households, and 1,195 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,263.6 people per square mile . There were 2,089 housing units at an average density of 587.9 per square mile...
. After his death, 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...
and 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...
named Minnesota Highway 60
Minnesota State Highway 60
Minnesota State Highway 60 is a highway in southern Minnesota, which runs from Iowa Highway 60 at the Iowa state line and continues east-northeast to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line , where the route becomes Wisconsin Highway 25 upon crossing the Mississippi River.Highway 60 is...
from 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...
to Brewster
Brewster, Minnesota
Brewster is a city in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 473 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Brewster has a total area of , all of it land. It is located one-half mile from the Jackson County line, on section 25 of Hersey Township...
the “George Mann Memorial Highway” in his honor.