LRL Home

>

Historical Information

>

Legislature

>

Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate

Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota Senate, 1933-present

Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

Compiled from Minnesota legislative manuals and other sources, including previous library compilations and several histories of Minnesota. Where a name or party designation is not given in the list, it was not given authoritatively in the sources so far consulted. It may be available from other sources. While efforts have been made to verify this information in more than one source, the library cannot guarantee the accuracy of sources; errors are possible. Please report any errors to the library staff.

Abbreviations KEY:

A = Alliance, C = Conservative, D = Democrat, DFL = Democratic-Farmer-Labor, E = Extra Session, FL = Farmer-Labor, IR = Independent-Republican, L = Liberal, P = Populist, R = Republican, W = Whig

The position of Majority or Minority Leader, elected at the beginning of the odd year session, is usually held for the full biennium. Changes made during the biennium are noted.

YEAR	MAJORITY LEADER	MAJORITY LEADER PARTY	MINORITY LEADER	MINORITY LEADER PARTY
2020	Gazelka, Paul	R	Kent, Susan ; She was elected Minority Leader by the DFL caucus on February 1, 2020. On February 11, 2020, the Senate passed Senate Resolution No. 122 naming a Majority Leader and a Minority Leader.	DFL
2019	Gazelka, Paul	R	Bakk, Thomas M.	DFL
2017	Gazelka, Paul	R	Bakk, Thomas M.	DFL
2015	Bakk, Thomas M.	DFL	Hann, David W.	R
2013	Bakk, Thomas M.	DFL	Hann, David W.	R
2012	Senjem, David H.; He was elected Majority Leader by the Republican caucus on December 27, 2011. On January 24, 2012, the Senate passed Senate Resolution No. 92 naming a Majority Leader and a Minority Leader.	R	Bakk, Thomas M.	DFL
2011	Koch, Amy T.; Announced on December 15, 2011 that she was stepping down as Majority Leader.	R	Bakk, Thomas M.	DFL
2009	Pogemiller, Lawrence J.	DFL	Senjem, David H.	R
2007	Pogemiller, Lawrence J.	DFL	Senjem, David H.	R
2005	Johnson, Dean1	DFL	Day, Dick	R
2004	Johnson, Dean1 [mid-biennium change]	DFL	Day, Dick	R
2003	Hottinger, John	DFL	Day, Dick	R
2001	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Day, Dick	R
1999	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Day, Dick	R
1997	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Day, Dick; Elected by caucus, 9 July 1997 Johnson, Dean1	R R
1995	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Johnson, Dean1	IR
1993	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Johnson, Dean1	IR
1991	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Benson, Duane D.	IR
1989	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Benson, Duane D.	IR
1987	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Benson, Duane D.	IR
1985	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Taylor, Glen Ulland, James E.; resigned from legislature to become senior vice president for First Bank Systems.	IR IR
1983	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Ulland, James E.	IR
1981	Moe, Roger D.	DFL	Ashbach, Robert O.	IR
1979	Coleman, Nicholas D.	DFL	Ashbach, Robert O.	IR
1977	Coleman, Nicholas D.	DFL	Ashbach, Robert O.	IR
1975	Coleman, Nicholas D.	DFL	Ashbach, Robert O.	R
1973	Coleman, Nicholas D.	DFL	Krieger, Harold G.	R
1971	Holmquist, Stanley W.	C	Coleman, Nicholas D.	L
1969	Holmquist, Stanley W.	C	Grittner, Karl F. (Karl Frederick)	L
1967	Holmquist, Stanley W.	C	Grittner, Karl F. (Karl Frederick)	L
1965	Zwach, John M.	C	Thuet, Paul A.	L
1963	Zwach, John M.	C	Thuet, Paul A.	L
1961	Zwach, John M.	C	Schultz, Harold W.	L
1959	Zwach, John M.	C	Schultz, Harold W.	L
1957	Miller, Archie H.		Schultz, Harold W.	L
1955	Miller, Archie H.	C	Schultz, Harold W.	L
1953	Miller, Archie H.	C	Novak, B. G. (Bolesaw G., "Bill")	L
1951	Miller, Archie H.	C	Novak, B. G. (Bolesaw G., "Bill")	L
1949	Miller, Archie H. Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah); died in car accident	C C
1947	Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah)	C
1945	Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah)	C
1943	Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah)	C
1941	Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah)	C
1939	Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah)	C
1937	Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah)	C
1935	Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah)	C
1933	Orr, Charles N. (Charles Noah)	C

¹Dean Johnson changed political parties and has been both Majority Leader and Minority Leader as a member of different parties.