Fred G. Aandahl

Fred George Aandahl (April 9, 1897 – April 7, 1966) was a Republican politician from North Dakota. He served as the 23rd Governor of North Dakota from 1945 to 1951 and as a U.S. Representative from 1951 to 1953.

Biography

Aandahl was born in Svea, Barnes County, North Dakota, the son of Norwegian emigrant Soren "Sam" J. Aandahl and his American-born wife, Mamie C. (Lawry) Aandahl. He graduated from Litchville High School, and then from the University of North Dakota in 1921 and became a farmer. He was a schoolteacher, a principal, and then superintendent of Litchville's schools from 1922 to 1927.^[1] On June 28, 1926 he married Luella Brekke, and they had three daughters, Louise, Margaret, and Marilyn.^[2]

Career

In 1931, 1939 and 1941 Aandahl was member of the North Dakota State Senate. From 1945 to 1951 he was governor of the state, and during his tenure, natural resources were protected and conservation programs were promoted.^[3] He was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-second United States Congress (January 3, 1951-January 3, 1953). He was not a candidate for the Eighty-third Congress in 1952, but was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate, losing 58%-42% to incumbent William Langer in the Republican Primary.^[4] Aandahl then ran in the General Election against Langer and Democrat Harold A. Morrison and finished in third place and 10% of the vote. From 1953 to 1961 he was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Interior during both of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administrations.^[5]

Death

Aandahl died in Fargo, North Dakota and was interred in Hillside Cemetery, Valley City, North Dakota.

See also

• North Dakota United States Senate election, 1952

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fred G. Aandahl.

• Fred G. Aandahl Papers at The University of North Dakota

• Fred G. Aandahl at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• National Governors Association
• Find A Grave
• Soylent Communications

v t e Governors and Lieutenant Governors of North Dakota Governors Miller A. Burke Shortridge Allin Briggs Devine Fancher White Sarles J. Burke Hanna Frazier Nestos Sorlie Maddock Shafer Langer O. Olson Moodie Welford Langer Moses Aandahl Brunsdale Davis Guy Link A. Olson Sinner Schafer Hoeven Dalrymple Lieutenant Governors Dickey Allin Wallace Worst Devine Bartlett Lewis Burdick Kraabel Fraine Kraabel Wood Hyland Maddock Carr Olson Welford Thoresen Patterson Oscar Hagen Holt Dahl Schnell Dahl Duffy Dahl Hagen Wenstrom Tighe Larsen Sanstead Sands Meiers Omdahl Myrdal Dalrymple Wrigley