Dick Cohen

Richard J. Cohen
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 64th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 6, 1987
Preceded by Ron Sieloff
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 64B district
In office
January 4, 1983 – January 5, 1987
Preceded by John Drew
Succeeded by Howard Orenstein
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 63B district
In office
January 4, 1977 – January 2, 1979
Preceded by Ron Sieloff
Succeeded by John Drew
Personal details
Born December 10, 1949 (1949-12-10) (age 62)
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Political party DFL
Residence Saint Paul, Minnesota
Alma mater Northwestern University
William Mitchell College of Law
Occupation attorney, legislator
Religion Jewish

Richard J. "Dick" Cohen (born December 10, 1949) is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota State Senate, representing District 64, which includes portions of the city of Saint Paul in Ramsey County. A Democrat, Cohen currently serves on the Senate's Finance, Jobs and Economic Growth, Rules and Administration, and State Government Innovation and Veterans committees. He was chair of the Senate Finance Committee from 2003 to 2011, and chair of the Senate State Government Finance Committee from 1997 to 2001.[1]

Cohen was first elected to the Minnesota Legislature in 1976. He served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for District 63B and, after redistricting in 1982, for District 64B. He was elected senator for District 64 in 1986.[2] after defeating the lone Republican senator within the Twin Cities.[3] He was re-elected in the 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2010 elections.[4]

On November 3, 2009, President Barack Obama announced Cohen's appointment to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Cohen is considered by many to be the leading champion for the arts in the Minnesota Legislature. He led the campaign to include funding for the arts in the Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment that Minnesota voters approved in 2008, and he serves on boards of the Guthrie Theater and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.[5][6]

Cohen was born in Saint Paul and graduated from Highland Park High School. He earned his B.A. from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul.[2]

Electoral history

Minnesota Senate Election District 64, 1986[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Dick Cohen 11,497 52.5
Republican Bill Ridley (Incumbent) 10,404 47.5
Minnesota Senate Election District 64, 1996[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Dick Cohen (Incumbent)
Republican Joe Zappa
Minnesota Senate Election District 64, 2000[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Dick Cohen (Incumbent)
Republican Christopher Berg
Minnesota Senate Election District 64, 2002[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Dick Cohen (Incumbent) 26,695 71.9
Republican Christopher Johnston 10,425 28.1
Minnesota Senate Election District 64, 2006[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Dick Cohen (Incumbent) 27,427 76.6
Republican Christine Van Tassel 8,369 23.4

References

  1. ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10106
  2. ^ a b Minnesota Legislators Past & Present Minnesota Legislature Retrieved on March 3, 2008
  3. ^ Gregor W. Pinney, (August 13, 1986), "DFL hopes to win the seat in lone IR district in Cities", Star Tribune
  4. ^ Senator Richard J. Cohen (DFL) District 64 Minnesota Senate Retrieved on March 3, 2008
  5. ^ Salisbury, Bill (2009-11-03). "Obama picks Cohen for arts group - The Political Animal". Blogs.twincities.com. http://blogs.twincities.com/politics/2009/11/obama-picks-cohen-for-arts-gro.html. Retrieved 2010-07-20. 
  6. ^ "St. Paul state senator put on presidential arts panel". TwinCities.com. http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_13702372. Retrieved 2010-07-20. 
  7. ^ Gregor W. Pinney; Dean Rebuffoni, (November 5, 1986), "DFL may have strengthened control over Minnesota Senate", Star Tribune
  8. ^ (November 6, 1996), Pioneer Press
  9. ^ (November 8, 2000), Pioneer Press
  10. ^ (November 7, 2002), "ELECTION 2002 - LEGISLATURE - MINNESOTA SENATE", Star Tribune
  11. ^ (November 8, 2006), "Election 2006 - MINNESOTA SENATE RACES", Star Tribune

External links

Members of the Minnesota State Senate
   
  1.    LeRoy A. Stumpf (DFL)
  2.    Rod Skoe (DFL)
  3.    Tom Saxhaug (DFL)
  4.    John Carlson (R)
  5.    David Tomassoni (DFL)
  6.    Thomas M. Bakk (DFL)
  7.    Roger Reinert (DFL)
  8.    Tony Lourey (DFL)
  9.    Keith Langseth (DFL)
  10.    Gretchen Hoffman (R)
  11.    Bill Ingebrigtsen (R)
  12.    Paul Gazelka (R)
  13.    Joe Gimse (R)
  14.    Michelle Fischbach (R)
  1.    John Pederson (R)
  2.    Dave Brown (R)
  3.    Sean Nienow (R)
  4.    Scott Newman (R)
  5.    Amy Koch (R)
  6.    Gary Kubly (DFL)
  7.    Gary Dahms (R)
  8.    Doug Magnus (R)
  9.    Kathy Sheran (DFL)
  10.    Julie Rosen (R)
  11.    Al DeKruif (R)
  12.    Mike Parry (R)
  13.    Dan Sparks (DFL)
  14.    John Sterling Howe (R)
  1.    David Senjem (R)
  2.    Carla Nelson (R)
  3.    Jeremy Miller (R)
  4.    Warren Limmer (R)
  5.    Gen Olson (R)
  6.    Julianne Ortman (R)
  7.    Claire Robling (R)
  8.    Dave Thompson (R)
  9.    Chris Gerlach (R)
  10.    Ted Daley (R)
  11.    James Metzen (DFL)
  12.    Dan Hall (R)
  13.    Geoff Michel (R)
  14.    David Hann (R)
  1.    Terri Bonoff (DFL)
  2.    Ron Latz (DFL)
  3.    Ann Rest (DFL)
  4.    Chris Eaton (DFL)
  5.    Benjamin Kruse (R)
  6.    Mike Jungbauer (R)
  7.    Michelle Benson (R)
  8.    Barb Goodwin (DFL)
  9.    Pam Wolf (R)
  10.    Ray Vandeveer (R)
  11.    Roger Chamberlain (R)
  12.    John Marty (DFL)
  13.    Charles Wiger (DFL)
  14.    Ted Lillie (R)
  1.    Katie Sieben (DFL)
  2.    Linda Higgins (DFL)
  3.    Vacant
  4.    D. Scott Dibble (DFL)
  5.    Jeff Hayden (DFL)
  6.    Patricia Torres Ray (DFL)
  7.    Ken Kelash (DFL)
  8.    Dick Cohen (DFL)
  9.    Sandy Pappas (DFL)
  10.    Mary Jo McGuire (DFL)
  11.    John Harrington (DFL)