Newton, Jerry
House 2009-2010 (District 49B); House 2013-2016 (District 37A); Senate 2017-2022 (District 37); House 2023-2024 (District 35B)
Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Counties Served:
Anoka
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
9/15/1937
Birth Place:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Birth County:
Hennepin
Birth Country:
Date of Death:
Gender:
Male
Religion:
United Church of Christ
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Coon Rapids
Occupation (when first elected):
School Board Director/Retired Grocery Store Owner
EDUCATION
Osseo High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1955
University of Maryland; B.A.; Government
Boston University; M.A.; International Relations
University of Minnesota; Doctoral Work;
University of Louvain, Belgium; Doctoral Work;
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Northstar Corridor Development Authority (Member);
[Dates Unknown]
Municipal Council/Aldermen:
Anoka, Minnesota (Human Rights Council);
[Dates Unknown]
Military:
United States Army (Vietnam War; Middle East, 7 years, Turkish Military Adviser; Retired Command Sergeant Major, Bronze Star and Vietnamese Gallantry Cross Recipient);
1955 to 1978
Municipal Council/Aldermen:
Coon Rapids, Minnesota (City Council, Member);
1994 to 2000
[Elected]
School Board/Administration:
Anoka-Hennepin Independent School District 11, Minnesota (School Board, Member and Director, appointed to fill a vacancy and then reelected, twice);
2000 to 2008
[Appointed]
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Rita Deschaumes
Children:
Six children: Ariane, Sabrina, Rebecca, Eric, Sophia, and Kimball
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
Charles Leonard Todd
- Great Uncle
Robert Carmichael
- Great Great Uncle
GENERAL NOTES
Of those legislators with known birth dates, he is one of the oldest legislators to serve in the Minnesota Legislature. Rep. Willard Munger was the oldest at 88 years 6 months when he died in office. Rep. Newton is the oldest known Senator to serve. He was 85 years and 3 months at the end of his senate term on January 2, 2023.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1998 and 2000 elections. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota Senate in the 2006 election.
He announced he would not seek reelection in 2024.
He was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Anoka, Minnesota.
Religion provided by Politics in Minnesota, The Directory, 2009-2010.
Body:
House
District:
35B
Elected:
11/8/2022
Residence:
Coon Rapids
Term of Office:
1/2/2023 to 1/5/2025
Counties Represented:
Anoka
Occupation:
Retired business owner, sergeant major and college professor
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Climate and Energy Finance and Policy
Minutes
-
State and Local Government Finance and Policy
Minutes
-
Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy (Chair)
Minutes
Body:
Senate
District:
37
Elected:
11/3/2020
Residence:
Coon Rapids
Term of Office:
1/4/2021 to 1/1/2023
Counties Represented:
Anoka
Occupation:
Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major; retired business owner
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Energy and Utilities Finance and Policy
-
Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy
Body:
Senate
District:
37
Elected:
11/8/2016
Residence:
Coon Rapids
Term of Office:
1/2/2017 to 1/3/2021
Counties Represented:
Anoka
Occupation:
Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major, Retired Business Owner
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Family Care and Aging
-
Higher Education Finance and Policy
-
Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy
Body:
Senate
District:
37
Elected:
11/8/2016
Residence:
Coon Rapids
Term of Office:
1/2/2017 to 1/3/2021
Counties Represented:
Anoka
Occupation:
Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major, Retired Business Owner
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Aging and Long-Term Care Policy
-
Higher Education Finance and Policy
-
Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy
Body:
House
District:
37A
Elected:
11/4/2014
Residence:
Coon Rapids
Term of Office:
1/5/2015 to 1/1/2017
Counties Represented:
Anoka
Occupation:
Educator/Teacher
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Special Session Bills Authored: 2015 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Aging & Long-Term Care Policy
Minutes
-
Education Finance
Minutes
-
State Government Finance: Veterans Affairs Division
Minutes
Body:
House
District:
37A
Elected:
11/6/2012
Residence:
Coon Rapids
Term of Office:
1/7/2013 to 1/4/2015
Counties Represented:
Anoka
Occupation:
Educator/Teacher
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Education Finance
Minutes
-
Health and Human Services Finance
Minutes
-
Jobs and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Minutes
-
State Government Finance and Veterans Affairs
Minutes
Body:
House
District:
49B
Elected:
11/4/2008
Residence:
Coon Rapids
Term of Office:
1/5/2009 to 1/2/2011
Counties Represented:
Anoka
Occupation:
School Board Director/Retired Grocery Store Owner
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Special Session Bills Authored: 2010 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs: Veterans Affairs Division
Minutes
-
Finance: K-12 Education Finance Division
Minutes
-
Finance: Transportation Finance and Policy Division
Minutes
-
K-12 Education Policy and Oversight
Minutes
Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election
Articles & Books About
Session Interviews
District Files
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
Photographs
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.