Al Quie

Albert Harold Quie (/kwiː/ KWEE; September 18, 1923 – August 18, 2023) was an American politician and farmer. Quie served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1958 to 1979 and as Governor of Minnesota from 1979 to 1983.

Al Quie
Congressional portrait, 1977
35th Governor of Minnesota
In office
January 4, 1979 – January 3, 1983
LieutenantLou Wangberg
Preceded byRudy Perpich
Succeeded byRudy Perpich
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Minnesota's 1st district
In office
February 18, 1958 – January 3, 1979
Preceded byAugust Andresen
Succeeded byArlen Erdahl
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 18th district
In office
January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1958
Preceded byHomer Covert
Succeeded byArnin Sundet
Personal details
Born
Albert Harold Quie

(1923-09-18)September 18, 1923
Wheeling Township, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedAugust 18, 2023(2023-08-18) (aged 99)
Wayzata, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1948; died 2015)​
Children5
EducationSt. Olaf College (BA)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
Years of service1943–1945
UnitNaval Air Force Atlantic
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsWorld War II Victory Medal

Regarded as a moderate Republican,[1] Quie was considered by Ronald Reagan for his choice of a running mate for the office of Vice President of the United States during the 1980 presidential election. He was also on Gerald Ford's list for possible vice presidents following the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974.

Early life

The third of four children, Quie was born on September 18, 1923, on his family's farm in Wheeling Township near Dennison, Minnesota, in Rice County.[2] Three of his grandparents were Norwegian immigrants.[3] The farm on which he was born and grew up on had been purchased by his grandfather upon returning to Minnesota from fighting in the Civil War. A third-generation farmer, Quie grew up on the farm learning to ride horses and milk cows.[4]

Quie graduated from Northfield High School in Northfield, Minnesota, in 1942.[5] He served in the United States Navy during World War II as a fighter pilot, finishing flight school just as the war ended. Quie never saw active combat. [4] Following his military service, he graduated from St. Olaf College in 1950, with a degree in political science. It was during this time that he met his future wife Gretchen Hansen.[5][6]

State and national government service

Like his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father before him, Quie became a dairy farmer. A Republican, Quie ran a campaign as a write-in candidate to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1952, but lost. He served in the Minnesota State Senate from 1955 to 1958, representing the old 18th District, which encompassed Rice County in the southeastern part of the state.[5][7]

Congress

U.S. Representative August Andresen died in January 1958 and Quie ran in the special election to succeed him as the representative for Minnesota's 1st congressional district. Quie won the Republican nomination at a party convention and then defeated Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominee Eugene Foley by 655 votes in the February special election.[6][5] He defeated Foley in the November 1958 general election to win a full term.[5] Quie was a member of the 85th, 86th, 87th, 88th, 89th, 90th, 91st, 92nd, 93rd, 94th, and 95th Congresses.[8] He served on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee.[5]

Quie voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1960,[9][10] 1964,[11][12] and 1968,[13][14] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[15][16][17]

Quie was briefly considered for Vice President of the United States in 1974 after Gerald Ford became president upon the resignation of Richard Nixon. The position was eventually taken by Nelson Rockefeller.[18]

Governor

Quie ran against incumbent Rudy Perpich and was elected governor of Minnesota in 1978.[6][19] During his single term, he grappled with a budget crisis. He opted not to run again in 1982.[20]

Later years
Quie in 2014

After leaving politics, Quie became involved with a nonprofit prison ministry. He sold the family farm and traveled extensively, including horseback riding excursions.[6]

Personal life

Quie's grandfather joined the newly founded Republican Party and supported Abraham Lincoln for president in the 1860 United States presidential election.[21]

Quie was a devout Lutheran.[22] He married artist Gretchen Quie, whom he met at St. Olaf, on June 5, 1948.[2] She died of Parkinson's disease on December 13, 2015, at the age of 88.[23]

Quie died on August 18, 2023, at his home in Wayzata, Minnesota, one month before his 100th birthday. At the time of his death, he was both the oldest living former American governor and the oldest living former U.S. representative.[2]

Electoral history
District Incumbent This race Notes
Year Member Party Results Candidates
Minnesota 1 1958 Special Election August H. Andresen Republican Incumbent died January 14, 1958.
New member elected February 18, 1958.
Republican hold.
[24][25]
Minnesota 1 1958 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
[26][27]
Minnesota 1 1960 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Al Quie (Republican) 60.5%
  • George Shepherd (DFL) 39.5%
 [28][29]
Minnesota 1 1962 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Al Quie (Republican) 57.5%
  • George Shepherd (DFL) 42.5%
 [30][31]
Minnesota 1 1964 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
[32][33]
Minnesota 1 1966 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Al Quie (Republican) 65.9%
  • George Daley (DFL) 34.1%
 [34][35]
Minnesota 1 1968 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Al Quie (Republican) 68.7%
  • George Daley (DFL) 31.3%
 [36][37]
Minnesota 1 1970 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Al Quie (Republican) 69.3%
 [38][39]
Minnesota 1 1972 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
[40][41]
Minnesota 1 1974 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
[42][43]
Minnesota 1 1976 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Al Quie (Republican) 68.2%
  • Robert C. Olson Jr. (DFL) 30.5%
  • Lloyd Duwe (American) 1.3%
 [44][45]
1978 gubernatorial election[46][47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ind.-Republican Al Quie 830,019 52.35% +22.99%
Democratic (DFL) Rudy Perpich (incumbent) 718,244 45.30% -17.51%
American Richard Pedersen 21,058 1.33% n/a
Socialist Workers Jill Lakowske 6,287 0.40% -0.34%
Honest Government 87 Tom McDonald 4,254 0.27% n/a
Libertarian Robin E. Miller 3,689 0.23% +0.06%
Savings Account Edwin Pommerening 2,043 0.13% n/a
Majority 111,775 7.05%
Turnout 1,585,594
Ind.-Republican gain from Democratic (DFL) Swing

References
  1. "Quie, Carlson and Ramstad speak". MPR News. September 3, 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  2. Nelson, Emma (August 19, 2023). "Former Minnesota Gov. Al Quie dies at age 99". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  3. "United States Census, 1930", FamilySearch, retrieved March 18, 2018
  4. "As Al Quie turns 94, a tribute". MinnPost. September 18, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  5. "Article clipped from The Winona Daily News". The Winona Daily News. Newspapers.com. March 17, 1968. p. 6. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  6. Emma Nelson (August 19, 2023). "Former Minnesota Governor Al Quie Dies at Age 99". Minneapolis Star Tribune.
  7. Minnesota Legislators Past & Present – Legislator Record – Quie, Albert Harold "Al". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved on September 18, 2011.
  8. QUIE, Albert Harold – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on September 18, 2011.
  9. "House – March 24, 1960" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 106 (5): 6512. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  10. "House – April 21, 1960" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 106 (7): 8507–8508. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  11. "House – February 10, 1964" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 110 (2): 2804–2805. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  12. "House – July 2, 1964" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 110 (12): 15897. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  13. "House – August 16, 1967" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 113 (17): 22778. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  14. "House – April 10, 1968" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 114 (8): 9621. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  15. "House – August 27, 1962" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 108 (13): 17670. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  16. "House – July 9, 1965" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 111 (12): 16285–16286. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  17. "House – August 3, 1965" (PDF). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office. 111 (14): 19201. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  18. The Talent Search – Time. Time.com (August 19, 1974). Retrieved on September 18, 2011.
  19. Al (Albert Harold) Quie : Governors of Minnesota Archived June 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Mnhs.Org. Retrieved on September 18, 2011.
  20. Crossing the partisan divide: Minnesota budgets and politics in the 1980s Archived June 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. MinnPost. Retrieved on September 18, 2011.
  21. "As Al Quie turns 94, a tribute". MinnPost. September 18, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  22. "Quie, Albert Harold "Al" – Legislator Record – Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  23. Salisbury, Bill (December 14, 2015). "Gretchen Quie, opened governor's house to public, dies at 88". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  24. "Our Campaigns – MN District 1 – Special Election Race – Feb 18, 1958". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  25. "U.S. House, District 01, 1958 Election - Special". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  26. "The Winona Daily News 05 Nov 1958, page 16". Newspapers.com. November 5, 1958. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  27. "U.S. House, District 01, 1958 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  28. "The Winona Daily News 09 Nov 1960, page 8". Newspapers.com. November 9, 1960. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  29. "U.S. House, District 01, 1960 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  30. "The Winona Daily News 07 Nov 1962, page 3". Newspapers.com. November 7, 1962. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  31. "U.S. House, District 01, 1962 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  32. "The Winona Daily News 04 Nov 1964, page 8". Newspapers.com. November 4, 1964. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  33. "U.S. House, District 01, 1964 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  34. "The La Crosse Tribune 09 Nov 1966, page 3". Newspapers.com. November 9, 1966. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  35. "U.S. House, District 01, 1966 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  36. "The Bismarck Tribune 06 Nov 1968, page 17". Newspapers.com. November 6, 1968. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  37. "U.S. House, District 01, 1968 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  38. "The Minneapolis Star, 17 Nov 1970, page 9". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  39. "U.S. House, District 01, 1970 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  40. "Star Tribune 09 Nov 1972, page Page 8". Newspapers.com. November 9, 1972. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  41. "U.S. House, District 01, 1972 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  42. "The La Crosse Tribune 06 Nov 1974, page 8". Newspapers.com. November 6, 1974. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  43. "U.S. House, District 01, 1974 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  44. "The Winona Daily News 03 Nov 1976, page 28". Newspapers.com. November 3, 1976. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  45. "U.S. House, District 01, 1976 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  46. "St. Cloud Times 08 Nov 1978, page Page 8". Newspapers.com. November 8, 1978. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  47. "Governor, 1978 Election - General". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
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