Wendell Anderson

Wendell Anderson
United States Senator from Minnesota
In office December 30, 1976 – December 29, 1978
Appointed by	Rudy Perpich
Preceded by	Walter Mondale
Succeeded by	Rudy Boschwitz
33rd Governor of Minnesota
In office January 4, 1971 – December 29, 1976
Lieutenant	Rudy Perpich
Preceded by	Harold LeVander
Succeeded by	Rudy Perpich
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Member of the Minnesota Senate
Personal details
Born	Wendell Richard Anderson February 1, 1933 St. Paul, Minnesota
Political party	Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Mary Christine McKee
Alma mater	University of Minnesota University of Minnesota Law School
Profession	politician
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1956–1957

Wendell Richard "Wendy" Anderson (born February 1, 1933) is an American politician and was the 33rd Governor of Minnesota from January 4, 1971 to December 29, 1976. In late 1976, he resigned the governor's office in order to be named U.S. Senator to replace Walter Mondale, who had been elected Vice President of the United States. He served in the U.S. Senate from December 30, 1976 until his resignation on December 29, 1978 to give his successor seniority.^[1] Anderson faced backlash from voters when he arranged to have himself appointed to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Walter Mondale by resigning the governorship. He was not elected to the Senate.^[2]

Background

Anderson was born in Saint Paul in 1933. He attended Johnson High School and went on to the University of Minnesota, where he received a B.A. in 1954. He later served in the United States Army during 1956 and 1957 and earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1960.

Hockey career

Anderson played defense for the University of Minnesota from 1951 to 1954, and was a member of the U.S. hockey team that won a silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics. Long after his on-ice career ended, he was drafted by the Minnesota Fighting Saints in the inaugural World Hockey Association draft of 1972, in what was seen as a publicity stunt. (Not to be outdone, another WHA team selected Soviet premier Alexei Kosygin.) While flattered, he chose to remain Governor.

Political career

Anderson's signature accomplishment as governor was helping to create the "Minnesota Miracle of 1971," an innovative reform in financing of Minnesota public schools and local governments that created a fairer distribution in taxation and education. For his efforts, Anderson was featured on a 1973 cover of Time Magazine.^[3]

Nearly the entire DFL Party ticket was defeated in 1978, including Gov. Rudy Perpich and the candidates for both U.S. Senate seats, Anderson and Bob Short. Anderson's previous arrangement to have himself appointed to the Senate seat—and Perpich's role in that appointment—were deemed central factors in the defeats.

From 1995 to 2001, Anderson served as a director for and head of the legal committee of Turbodyne Technologies Inc. (TRBD) in Carpinteria, California. Today, he is regularly called upon to act as a commentator on Minnesota politics for local stations such as KSTP-TV.^[4]

Personal

Anderson married Mary Christine McKee of Bemidji, Minnesota in 1963. They have three children: Amy, Elizabeth, and Brett. In 1975, Wendell R. Anderson was honored by two of the Swedish District lodges of the Vasa Order of America and was selected to be Swedish-American of the Year.^[5]

References

1. Minnesota Historical Society
2. Nathanson, Iric (27 October 2010). "'Spendy Wendy' and the 1970 gubernatorialelection". MinnPost. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
3. (Time Magazine, Aug. 13, 1973 )
4. Minnesota Legislators Past and Present
5. Wendell R. Anderson (Vasa Order of America)

External links

• Wendell Anderson at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
• United States Congress. "Wendell Anderson (id: A000202)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Wendell Anderson on the cover of TIME magazine: August 13, 1973