408:. He resigned that post in 1975 in order to seek treatment for alcoholism. His alcohol addiction eventually led to the end of his 37-year marriage, but he overcame his heavy drinking in the 1980s. Rolvaag stayed out of politics the rest of his life, but helped others work through their problems with alcoholism, attending meetings and giving talks in places as nearby as his hometown of Northfield and as far off as Sweden.
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374:. Formerly, the local school board ran each college separately; Rolvaag designed a coordinated statewide system with the goal of putting every Minnesotan within commuting distance of an institution of higher education. He also bitterly opposed significant expansion plans by the state colleges and vocally opposed designating a second state research university.
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Rolvaag was the first
Minnesota governor to serve a four-year term, but due to continuous wrangling between him and the conservative-controlled legislature, there were few notable achievements during his term. He is remembered for a leadership role in bringing reform to the state's institutions for
523:
Correspondence, political files, subject files, personal files, news clippings, print materials, and sound and visual materials of Karl F. Rolvaag are available for research use at the
Minnesota Historical Society.
358:, where he became the head of the DFL Party. In 1954, he was elected lieutenant governor. After serving in that capacity for eight years, Rolvaag mounted his successful campaign for governor in 1962.
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was held on
November 6, but the results were not known until a 139-day recount was completed in March 1963. Rolvaag won the closest gubernatorial election in state history, defeating the incumbent,
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354:. He then fought in World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant and commanding a tank. After the war, he went to Norway to learn about politics before returning home to
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by 91 votes out of over 1.3 million cast. He is one of only five
Minnesota Democrats to win a gubernatorial election with a Democrat in the White House.
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When
Rolvaag ran for reelection in 1966, his party did not endorse him, opting instead for Lieutenant Governor
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Rolvaag died at his home in
Northfield on December 20, 1990, aged 77, having been ill with a heart condition.
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315:(July 18, 1913 – December 20, 1990) was an American diplomat and politician who served as the
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with a cry of "Let the people decide!" and roundly defeated Keith. He lost to
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366:, leading to improved conditions and treatment for people with
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from March 25, 1963, to
January 2, 1967, as a member of the
404:. He returned to Minnesota in 1970 and was elected to the
370:. Rolvaag also changed the organization of the state's
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In 1967, after leaving office, Rolvaag was appointed
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430:"Can Dayton Catch Lightning in a Bottle Twice?"
448:"About Governors of Minnesota : mnhs.org"
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323:. He was the son of the author and professor
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1404:Ambassadors of the United States to Iceland
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512:Ex-Gov. Karl Rolvaag, Minnesotan, 78, Dies
183:January 3, 1955 – January 8, 1963
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128:March 25, 1963 – January 2, 1967
1394:Democratic Party governors of Minnesota
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420:
428:Ostermeier, Eric (December 6, 2013).
406:Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
71:May 9, 1967 – March 27, 1969
7:
1389:American people of Norwegian descent
398:United States Ambassador to Iceland
321:Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party
393:in the November general election.
25:
1414:20th-century American politicians
1399:Lieutenant governors of Minnesota
1379:Military personnel from Minnesota
1374:People from Northfield, Minnesota
1054:Lieutenant governors of Minnesota
645:Endorsed Gubernatorial Candidate,
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790:
606:Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
545:Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
286:Florence Amelia Boedeker Rolvaag
171:Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
288:Marian Rankin MacKenzie Rolvaag
647:Minnesota DFL State Convention
501:Minnesota Historical Society,
1:
381:. Rolvaag entered the DFL's
56:United States Ambassador to
268:Northfield, Minnesota, U.S.
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701:U.S. Ambassador to Iceland
368:developmental disabilities
317:31st governor of Minnesota
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503:Karl F. (Fritjof) Rolvaag
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589:Party political offices
1409:St. Olaf College alumni
1419:20th-century Lutherans
753:Governors of Minnesota
473:"Karl Fritjof Rolvaag"
663:Governor of Minnesota
572:Governor of Minnesota
348:Northfield, Minnesota
252:Northfield, Minnesota
116:Governor of Minnesota
452:collections.mnhs.org
313:Karl Fritjof Rolvaag
239:Karl Fritjof Rolvaag
18:Karl Fritjof Rolvaag
514:, December 21, 1990
479:. November 19, 2023
379:A. M. (Sandy) Keith
27:American politician
1384:American Lutherans
711:Luther I. Replogle
555:Alexander M. Keith
530:Political offices
508:The New York Times
220:Alexander M. Keith
192:Orville L. Freeman
139:Alexander M. Keith
108:Luther I. Replogle
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763:(1849–1858)
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708:Succeeded by
694:James K. Penfield
686:Diplomatic posts
676:Succeeded by
627:Succeeded by
579:Succeeded by
565:Elmer L. Andersen
552:Succeeded by
364:mentally disabled
336:Elmer L. Andersen
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196:Elmer L. Andersen
151:Elmer L. Andersen
96:James K. Penfield
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604:nominee for
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483:November 19,
481:. Retrieved
477:Ancestry.com
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455:. Retrieved
451:
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346:A native of
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264:(1990-12-20)
215:Succeeded by
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158:Succeeded by
123:
103:Succeeded by
66:
36:Karl Rolvaag
29:
1369:1990 deaths
1364:1913 births
972:W. Anderson
947:E. Anderson
203:Preceded by
146:Preceded by
91:Preceded by
1358:Categories
1205:Richardson
705:1967–1969
602:Democratic
576:1963–1967
549:1955–1963
457:August 29,
415:References
387:Republican
297:Politician
293:Profession
277:Democratic
245:1913-07-18
134:Lieutenant
1348:mnhs.org
1313:Fischbach
1160:Burnquist
1100:Wakefield
1085:Armstrong
942:Youngdahl
902:Burnquist
847:Pillsbury
356:Minnesota
283:Spouse(s)
179:In office
169:36th
124:In office
114:31st
76:President
67:In office
1318:Flanagan
1308:T. Smith
1273:Wangberg
1233:Anderson
1218:Anderson
1213:Lindsten
1208:(acting)
1200:Petersen
1170:Frankson
1165:Sullivan
1150:E. Smith
1145:Eberhart
1135:L. Smith
1080:Sherwood
1070:Donnelly
1065:Holcombe
1002:Pawlenty
967:LeVander
957:Andersen
922:Petersen
892:Eberhart
882:Van Sant
832:Marshall
389:nominee
188:Governor
1346:Library
1283:Dyrstad
1278:Johnson
1263:Perpich
1248:Rolvaag
1195:Solberg
1175:Collins
997:Ventura
992:Carlson
987:Perpich
977:Perpich
962:Rolvaag
952:Freeman
932:Stassen
897:Hammond
887:Johnson
862:Merriam
852:Hubbard
496:Sources
383:primary
301:soldier
58:Iceland
1298:Molnau
1293:Schunk
1288:Benson
1243:Wright
1238:Nelsen
1228:Miller
1155:Gordon
1120:Clough
1105:Gilman
1007:Dayton
927:Benson
872:Clough
867:Nelson
857:McGill
837:Austin
827:Miller
817:Ramsey
812:Sibley
801:State
782:Medary
777:Gorman
772:Ramsey
519:Papers
254:, U.S.
1268:Olson
1258:Goetz
1253:Keith
1190:Arens
1185:Adams
1180:Nolan
1140:Jones
1130:Gibbs
1095:Barto
1075:Swift
917:Olson
907:Preus
842:Davis
822:Swift
1223:Thye
1115:Ives
1110:Rice
1090:Yale
1012:Walz
982:Quie
937:Thye
877:Lind
672:1966
668:1962
652:1962
623:1960
619:1958
615:1956
611:1954
485:2023
459:2018
362:the
330:The
259:Died
235:Born
1125:Day
1360::
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299:,
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243:(
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.