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Jim Vickerman

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Jim Vickerman
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 22nd district
In office
January 6, 1987 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byDoran Isackson
Succeeded byDoug Magnus
Personal details
Born
James Murray Vickerman

(1931-05-01)May 1, 1931
Tracy, Minnesota
DiedJanuary 19, 2021(2021-01-19) (aged 89)
Marshall, Minnesota
Political partyDemocratic-Farmer-Labor Party
SpouseWava Carlson Vickerman
Children6
RelativesBarbara Vickerman (cousin-in-law)
ResidenceTracy, Minnesota
OccupationLegislator, Farmer

James Murray Vickerman (May 1, 1931 – January 19, 2021) was an American politician from Minnesota who served as Minnesota State Senator, first elected in 1986 in the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's "firestorm" that swept southwestern Minnesota during the height of the 1980s Midwestern farm crisis. In that election, he unseated incumbent Senator Doran Isackson, winning by a substantial margin. He was re-elected in 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2006.[1] On February 22, 2010, he announced that he would not seek an eighth term, noting that he was doing so "with the satisfaction that when it's done right, our government can and does serve people."[2][3] His term officially ended on January 3, 2011.

Senate representation and leadership

Vickerman, who lived just outside Tracy, represented District 22, which currently includes all of Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock counties.[4] Prior to redistricting in the early 1990s, the area was known as District 28, and included all or portions of Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Redwood and Watonwan counties.

Vickerman was chair of the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee, and of the Agriculture and Veterans Budget and Policy Division of the Finance Committee. He served on the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, the Finance Committee, the State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee, and the Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Budget Division of the Finance Committee. He also previously served as chair of the Veterans and General Legislation Committee, the State and Local Government Operation Committee, and the Rules and Administration Committee, and as vice chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. He was Majority Whip from 2003 through 2007.[5]

Vickerman served three terms on the Minnesota Rural Health Advisory Committee, being first appointed by Governor Arne Carlson in 1995. He was re-appointed by Governor Jesse Ventura in 1999, and by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2003.[6]

Vickerman sponsored legislation and actively promoted the establishment of the Feeding Minnesota Task Force, which brings together leaders from the agriculture community to find ways to best help food banks across Minnesota. He noted that his motivation for creating the task force was because Minnesota's food shelves have a difficult time keeping up with demand, and the agricultural community is in a unique position to ensure that harvested food that is not sold gets to people who need it, rather than going to waste.[7][8]

Vickerman's special legislative concerns included taxes, the environment and natural resources, health and human services, agriculture, local and metro government and community issues, education, rural health issues, transportation, and veterans.[9]

On May 8, 2010, Vickerman received the Walter and Joan Mondale Award for Outstanding Public Service, recognizing distinguished lifetime achievement in public service. The award was presented at the DFL Party's annual Humphrey Day Dinner in Minneapolis.[10][11]

Rural roots and family background

Vickerman was raised in a Minnesota farm family in Murray County. His father was involved in local township government throughout most of the senator's childhood. This early exposure carved a path for Vickerman's second career in politics. He initially participated in local government as a twelve-year member of the area soil and water board, and later served as a Murray County Commissioner, prior to being elected to the Minnesota Senate. He and his wife, Wava, were married in 1950, and are the parents of six children.[12] His cousin-in-law Barbara Vickerman also served in the Minnesota legislature.[13]

Vickerman died in Marshall, Minnesota at age 89 on January 19, 2021.[14]

Election result: 1986-2006

2006 Minnesota Senate District 22 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jim Vickerman 17,683 57.98%
Republican Bill Weber 12,789 41.94%
N/A Write-In 24 0.08%
2002 Minnesota Senate District 22 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jim Vickerman 20,187 62.04%
Republican Alex Frick 12,325 37.88%
2000 Minnesota Senate District 22 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jim Vickerman 19,456 65.11%
Republican Roger Baumann 10,425 34.89%
1996 Minnesota Senate District 22 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jim Vickerman 26,595 83.85%
Republican No candidate 0 0%
1992 Minnesota Senate District 22 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jim Vickerman 21,999 64.17%
Republican Gary Spaeth 11,414 33.29%
1990 Minnesota Senate District 28 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jim Vickerman 13,396 55.60%
Republican Ron Harder 10,246 42.53%
1986 Minnesota Senate District 28 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jim Vickerman 12,986 54.85%
Republican Doran Isackson (Inc.) 10,166 42.70%

References

  1. ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10688
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 26, 2010. Retrieved February 22, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ http://politicsinminnesota.com/blog/2010/02/vickerman-to-retire-from-state-senate/
  4. ^ "District 22". Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
  5. ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10688
  6. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 23, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/115670/[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1507.1.html&session=ls86
  9. ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10688
  10. ^ http://windomnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=21951
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1065&ls=85/
  13. ^ Minnesota Legislators Past & Present Barbara "Barb" Vickerman
  14. ^ "Former MN state Sen. Jim Vickerman dies at 89". Marshallindependent.com. January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
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