Gilbert Esau
Encyclopedia
Gilbert D. Esau was a Minnesota
politician
and is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from southwestern Minnesota. First elected in 1962, Esau was re-elected in 1964, 1966 and 1968. After sitting out for four years, he opted to run again in 1972, was elected and was re-elected in 1974, 1976, 1978 and 1980.
, Esau, was an automobile garage and body repair shop owner. He served in the United States Army
during World War II
, being deployed in both the European
and Asiatic
theatres between 1941 and 1945. Prior to being elected to the Minnesota Legislature, he was a member of the Mountain Lake
Village Council from 1954-1963.
, Cottonwood
, Jackson
, Murray
and Redwood
counties, changing somewhat after the 1972 legislative redistricting
. He was, along with senators Dennis Frederickson
, Earl Renneke
and Jim Vickerman
, and representatives Aubrey Dirlam, George Mann
, Henry Kalis
and Wendell Erickson
, one of the longest-serving legislators from southern Minnesota in the state's history.
While in the legislature, Esau earned a reputation as a strong advocate for farmer
s, and as a leader on issues relevant to criminal justice
and education
. He allied with the Conservative Caucus
at a time when the legislature was still officially nonpartisan
, and later identified as a Republican
when party affiliation became required of candidates.
Esau served on the House Agriculture, Criminal Justice, Education, General Legislation, Health & Welfare, Transportation and Veterans & Military Affairs committees, and on various other committee incarnations and subcommittees during his nearly 20 years in office.
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 is a former 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 1962, Esau was re-elected in 1964, 1966 and 1968. After sitting out for four years, he opted to run again in 1972, was elected and was re-elected in 1974, 1976, 1978 and 1980.
Background
From the town of Mountain LakeMountain Lake, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,082 people, 817 households, and 531 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,540.3 people per square mile . There were 896 housing units at an average density of 662.9 per square mile...
, Esau, was an automobile garage and body repair shop owner. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
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...
, being deployed in both the European
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
and Asiatic
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
theatres between 1941 and 1945. Prior to being elected to the Minnesota Legislature, he was a member of the Mountain Lake
Mountain Lake, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,082 people, 817 households, and 531 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,540.3 people per square mile . There were 896 housing units at an average density of 662.9 per square mile...
Village Council from 1954-1963.
Service in the Minnesota House
Esau represented the old District 18A and, later, 28A, which included all or portions of BrownBrown 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:...
, 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...
, 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...
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, changing somewhat after the 1972 legislative 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...
. He was, along with senators Dennis Frederickson
Dennis Frederickson
Dennis R. Frederickson is a Republican politician from Minnesota and a former Minnesota State Senator. He was first elected in 1980 when he ran for the seat being vacated by Senator Carl Jensen, who was appointed to the Minnesota Tax Court and did not seek re-election...
, Earl Renneke
Earl Renneke
Earl W. Renneke is a former Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate from southern Minnesota. He was first elected in a March 25, 1969, special election to fill the vacancy that arose due to the unexpected death of Senator Harold Popp in a traffic accident on February 21,...
and Jim Vickerman
Jim Vickerman
James Murray "Jim" Vickerman is a politician from Minnesota and a former Minnesota State Senator, first elected in 1986 in the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's "firestorm" that swept southwestern Minnesota during the height of the 1980s Midwestern farm crisis. In that election, he...
, and representatives Aubrey Dirlam, George Mann
George Mann (Minnesota politician)
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...
, Henry Kalis
Henry Kalis
Henry J. Kalis was a Minnesota politician and is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from southern Minnesota. First elected in 1974, Kalis was re-elected every two years until he opted not to seek re-election in 2002...
and Wendell Erickson
Wendell Erickson
Wendell O. Erickson was a Minnesota politician and is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from southwestern Minnesota.-Service in the Minnesota House:...
, one of the longest-serving legislators from southern Minnesota in the state's history.
While in the legislature, Esau earned a reputation as a strong advocate for farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s, and as a leader on issues relevant to criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. He 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....
, and later identified as a 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 candidates.
Esau served on the House Agriculture, Criminal Justice, Education, General Legislation, Health & Welfare, Transportation and Veterans & Military Affairs committees, and on various other committee incarnations and subcommittees during his nearly 20 years in office.