Al Quie

Albert Harold "Al" Quie ( ; September 18, 1923 – August 18, 2023) was an American politician and farmer from Minnesota. Quie served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Minnesota's 1st congressional district from 1958 to 1979 and as the 35th governor of Minnesota from 1979 to 1983.

Regarded as a moderate Republican, 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, Rice County, Minnesota near Dennison, Minnesota, in Rice County, Minnesota. 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 American Civil War. A third-generation farmer, Quie grew up on the farm learning to ride horses and milk cows. 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. 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.

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.

Congress Quie and other members of Congress attend the signing of the Handicapped Children's Early Education Assistance Act on September 30, 1968, by President Lyndon B. Johnson United States House of Representatives member August H. Andresen died in January 1958 and Quie ran in the by-election to succeed him as the representative for . Quie won the Republican nomination at a party convention and then defeated Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party nominee Eugene Foley by 655 votes in the February special election. He served on the United States House Committee on Agriculture and the United States House Committee on Education and Workforce. the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as well as the Twenty-fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

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.

Governor of Minnesota Quie ran for governor of Minnesota in 1978 against incumbent Rudy Perpich, Quie won the election by 111,775 votes. During his term, he grappled with a budget crisis. Cash-flow problems soon overtook the state government. The old surplus turned into a deficit, estimated at between $600 million and $700 million. A strike by state employees that year symbolized Minnesota’s newfound economic woes. The state had not previously run a deficit since World War II.

In November 1979, five foreign students were arrested for allegedly plotting to kidnap Quie, they were later released due to a lack of evidence.

In 1982, Quie signed the Minnesota Acid Deposition Control Act, the first acid rain regulation in the United States.

Minnesota’s fiscal troubles gave James Florio, a Democratic politician running for governor in New Jersey, ammunition for attacking supply-side economics, the theory, then growing in popularity among Republicans, which holds that cutting taxes, spending and regulations fosters economic growth. After having promised not to raise taxes, Quie was finally forced to do so, “causing much of his political support to evaporate.” He did not run for re-election in 1982.

Later years

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

Quie was a devout Lutheran. He married artist Gretchen Quie, who was born Gretchen Hansen, whom he met at St. Olaf, on June 5, 1948.

Quie lived in a senior living community in Wayzata, Minnesota for the last decade of his life. Although his health had been declining for months into 2023, he was reportedly healthy in his last few days. He died from natural causes on August 18, 2023 in Wayzata at the age of 99, 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. Quie lay in state in the Rotunda of the Minnesota State Capitol on Saturday, September 9, and was buried at Valley Grove Cemetery in Nerstrand, Minnesota later that day, next to his late wife Gretchen.

In popular culture In Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon Days, Quie is said to be the first governor ever to set foot in the mythical town of Lake Wobegon, "slipping quietly away from his duties to attend a ceremony dedicating a plaque attached to the Statue of the Unknown Norwegian" and making a few remarks.

Electoral history

District Incumbent This raceNotes Year Member Party Results Candidates 1958 Special Election August H. Andresen Republican Incumbent died January 14, 1958.New member elected February 18, 1958.Republican hold. 1958 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. 1960 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. 1962 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. 1964 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. 1966 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. 1968 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. 1970 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. B. A. Lundeen 30.7% 1972 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. 1974 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected. 1976 Al Quie Republican Incumbent re-elected.