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    Coleman, Nicholas D. "Nick"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 1963-66 (District 45); Senate 1967-72 (District 46); Senate 1973-80 (District 65)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

    Counties Served:  Ramsey

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 2/23/1925
    Birth Place: Saint Paul, Minnesota
    Birth County: Ramsey
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 3/5/1981
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Nick
    City of Residence (when first elected): Saint Paul
    Occupation (when first elected): Owner, Coleman Advertising Agency

    EDUCATION

    Cretin High School; Secondary; Graduate
    College of St. Thomas; B.A.; Political Science
    University of Minnesota; Attended Graduate School;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Military: United States Navy (World War II); 194? to 194?

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Bridget Rosemarie Finnegan (married in 1949, divorced in the mid-1970s, she died on March 9, 2010); Deborah "Debbie" C. Howell (married in June 1975; she had various editor positions with the Minneapolis and St. Paul newspapers, she died in January 2010)
    Children: Seven children: Nicholas "Nick" J.(columnist with the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Minneapolis Star Tribune), Patrick "Pat", Brendan, Christopher "Chris" (St. Paul Mayor, elected 2005), and Emmett (sons); Maureen (died at 2), and Meghan (daughters).
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: taxes, welfare, labor, environment, gun control, education.

    He was of Irish ancestry.

    He was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

    According to the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1977-78, in 1973 he became the first Democratic Senate Majority Leader in 114 years (since 1858).

    He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party endorsement for Minnesota Governor in 1970.

    He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party endorsement for the United States Senate in 1978.

    He died from leukemia. His body was lain in state in the Minnesota State Capitol.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 6573

    SESSIONS SERVED

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 65
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 1/4/1981
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Advertising Executive; President, Coleman-Goff Advertising
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Elections
    • Rules and Administration (Chair)
    • Rules and Administration: Bill Scheduling (Chair)
    • Rules and Administration: Committees (Chair)
    • Rules and Administration: Personnel (Chair)
    Leadership Position: Majority Leader

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 65
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 1/4/1981
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Advertising Executive; President, Coleman-Goff Advertising
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Elections
    • Rules and Administration (Chair)
    • Rules and Administration: Bill Scheduling (Chair)
    • Rules and Administration: Committees (Chair)
    • Rules and Administration: Late Bills (Joint Rule 2.03)
    Leadership Position: Majority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 65
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/2/1977
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: President, Coleman-Goff Advertising
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
    Committees:
    • Committees
    • Rules and Administration (Chair)
    • Rules and Administration: Interim Commissions (Chair)
    • Rules and Administration: Revisor's (Chair)
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    Leadership Position: Majority Leader

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 65
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/2/1977
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: President, Coleman-Goff Advertising
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
    Committees:
    • Committees
    • Rules and Administration (Chair)
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    Leadership Position: Majority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 46
    Elected: 11/3/1970
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/4/1971 to 12/31/1972
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Owner, Coleman Advertising Agency
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Health and Welfare
    • Labor Relations
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    Leadership Position: Minority Leader

    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 46
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/3/1971
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Owner, Coleman Advertising Agency
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs
    • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Problems Division
    • Elections and Reapportionment
    • Labor
    • Public Welfare
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 46
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/3/1971
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Owner, Coleman Advertising Agency
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs
    • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Problems Division
    • Election and Reapportionment
    • Labor
    • Public Welfare
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 45
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/1/1967
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Owner, Coleman Advertising Agency
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the First Class
    • Elections and Reapportionment
    • Labor
    • Military Affairs and Civil Defense
    • Public Welfare

    63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 45
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/1/1967
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Owner, Coleman Advertising Agency
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the First Class
    • Elections and Reapportionment
    • Military Affairs and Civil Defense
    • Public Buildings
    • Public Welfare
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    • Milton, John Watson. For the Good of the Order, Nick Coleman and the High Tide of Liberal Politics in Minnesota, 1971-1981. Ramsey County Historical Society, 2012.
    • Lacy, Robert. "A Very Fine Fellow from Frogtown. Remembering Nick Coleman - from Many Viewpoints." Minnesota Law and Politics, February/March 2009, p. 12-16.
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    News Sources

    The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.

    Photographs

    Senator Nick Coleman speaks on the floor of the Senate, St. Paul, Minnesota. 1/1/1977. Photo credit: , Senate Media Services.

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