Dick Cohen
Dick Cohen | |
---|---|
Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 64th district | |
In office January 6, 1987 – January 5, 2021 | |
Preceded by | Ron Sieloff |
Succeeded by | Erin Murphy |
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 64B district | |
In office January 4, 1983 – January 5, 1987 | |
Preceded by | redrawn district |
Succeeded by | Howard Orenstein |
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 63B district | |
In office January 4, 1977 – January 2, 1979 | |
Preceded by | Ron Sieloff |
Succeeded by | John Drew |
Personal details | |
Born | Saint Paul, Minnesota | December 10, 1949
Political party | Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party |
Residence | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
Alma mater | Northwestern University William Mitchell College of Law |
Occupation | attorney, legislator |
Richard J. Cohen (born December 10, 1949) is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 64, which includes portions of the city of Saint Paul in Ramsey County.[1]
Early life and education
Cohen was born in Saint Paul and graduated from Highland Park High School. He earned his B.A. from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul.
Minnesota Legislature
Cohen was first elected to the Minnesota Legislature in 1976. He served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for District 63B and, after redistricting in 1982, for District 64B. He was elected senator for District 64 in 1986, gaining the lone Republican-held Senate seat within the Twin Cities.[2] He was reelected in the 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2012, and 2016 elections.
Cohen was chair of the Senate Finance Committee from 2003 to 2011 and chair of the Senate State Government Finance Committee from 1997 to 2001.[1]
On November 3, 2009, President Barack Obama announced Cohen's appointment to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Cohen is considered by many to be the leading champion for the arts in the Minnesota Legislature. He led the campaign to include funding for the arts in the Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment that Minnesota voters approved in 2008.[3]
In 2019, Erin Murphy announced that she would be running to unseat Cohen in the DFL primary.
On November 17, Cohen announced that he would not be running for re-election in 2020.[4]
Personal life
Cohen serves on the board of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He previously served on the Guthrie Theater board.[5]
Electoral history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen (incumbent) | 33,008 | 69.67 | ||
Republican | Sharon Anderson | 9,069 | 19.14 | ||
Independent | Scott Larson | 5,196 | 10.97 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen (incumbent) | 23,854 | 70.74 | −5.74pp | |
Republican | Tony Hernandez | 9,817 | 29.11 | +5.77pp |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen (incumbent) | 27,427 | 76.48 | +4.65pp | |
Republican | Christine Van Tassel | 8,369 | 23.34 | −4.61pp |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen (incumbent) | 27,408 | 71.83 | ||
Republican | Christopher Johnston | 10,664 | 27.95 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen (incumbent) | 26,215 | 72.31 | +11.27pp | |
Republican | Chris Berg | 10,039 | 27.69 | −6.48pp |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen (incumbent) | 22,539 | 61.04 | −1.40pp | |
Republican | Joe Zappa | 12,618 | 34.17 | +3.52pp |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen (incumbent) | 25,025 | 62.44 | ||
Ind.-Republican | Joseph P. McCabe | 12,285 | 30.65 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen (incumbent) | 10,841 | 69.33 | +21.73pp | |
Ind.-Republican | G. Hess | 3,702 | 23.68 | −19.22pp |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic (DFL) | Dick Cohen | 11,499 | 47.6 | ||
Ind.-Republican | Bill Ridley | 10,408 | 42.9 |
References
- ^ a b "Cohen, Richard J." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ Gregor W. Pinney, (August 13, 1986), "DFL hopes to win the seat in lone IR district in Cities", Star Tribune
- ^ "Longtime state arts advocate is named to Obama's panel on arts, humanities". Star Tribune. November 3, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "DFL state Sen. Dick Cohen announces he will not run for reelection". Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ "About Dick Cohen". Cohen Volunteer Committee. Archived from the original on October 24, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Results for All State Senate Races, 2012". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Results for All State Senate Races, 2010". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 26, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Results for All State Senate Races, 2006". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Results for All State Senate Races, 2002". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Results for All State Senate Races, 2000". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Minnesota Election Results 1996" (PDF). Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Minnesota Election Results 1992" (PDF). Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Minnesota Election Results 1990" (PDF). Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Minnesota Election Results 1986" (PDF). Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
External links
- Dick Cohen at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
- Senator Dick Cohen official Minnesota Senate website
- Senator Dick Cohen Archived 2014-05-26 at the Wayback Machine official campaign website
- Minnesota Public Radio - Votetracker: Richard J. Cohen Voting Record
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Richard J. 'Dick' Cohen Profile
- Follow the Money - Richard Cohen Campaign Contributions
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Living people
- 1949 births
- Democratic Party Minnesota state senators
- Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
- Jewish American state legislators in Minnesota
- People from Ramsey County, Minnesota
- Politicians from Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Northwestern University alumni
- William Mitchell College of Law alumni
- Minnesota lawyers
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American Jews