add site
services
publishers
database
health videos
toolbar
stats
live show
health store
more stuff
JOIN/LOGIN
| advertise add site services publishers database health videos
| | about toolbar stats live show health store more stuff JOIN/LOGIN |
U.S. Senators Introduce Veterinary Services Legislation avma.org | SENATORS CHOSE BIG PHARMA OVER THE BEST INTERESTS OF U.S. CITIZENS zeusinfoservice.com | Hanover Hospital Welcomes U.S. Senator Rick Santorum hanoverhospital.org | Wolfson Children's Hospital | News & Events - U.S. Senator Bill... wolfsonchildrens.org |
This article is about the Senator from South Dakota. For the Congressman from Illinois, see Timothy Johnson (U.S. Representative). For other names, see Timothy Johnson.
Timothy Peter "Tim" Johnson (born December 28, 1946) is the senior United States Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a third term on November 4, 2008. He was the subject of national attention in December 2006 when his ill health raised the possibility that, were he to die, the Governor of South Dakota might appoint a Republican to fill his seat, thereby returning the Senate to Republican control after the November election had given the Democratic Party a slim majority. Johnson has since recovered.
[edit] Early life and state politicsJohnson was born in Canton, South Dakota to Ruth Jorinda Ljostveit and Vandel Charles Johnson.[1] Raised in Vermillion, Johnson earned a B.A. in 1969 and an M.A. in 1970 from the University of South Dakota, where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. After doing post-graduate studies at Michigan State University from 1970 to 1971, he earned his J.D. from the University of South Dakota in 1975. Immediately after earning his law degree, he went into private practice. Johnson served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1979 to 1982 and in the South Dakota Senate from 1983 to 1986. Johnson served as Clay County deputy state's attorney in 1985 during his tenure in the South Dakota Senate. [edit] House of RepresentativesJohnson was elected to the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota's At-large congressional district in 1986. During his first term, he introduced more legislation than any other freshman member of the House. [2] Between 1991 and 1994, he served as a regional whip for the Democratic Party. He left the House in 1997, when he took up his newly acquired Senate seat. [edit] United States Senate career[edit] ElectionsJohnson defeated three-term Senator Larry Pressler (R) in the 1996 U.S. Senate election, making him the only Senate candidate to defeat an incumbent in a year that saw thirteen open seats. In 2002, he defeated his successor in the at-large House seat, U.S. Representative John Thune (R), by 524 votes to win re-election. Johnson's re-election race was widely seen as a proxy battle between President George W. Bush, who had carried South Dakota comfortably in 2000, and the state's senior Senator and Johnson's fellow Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who was subsequently up for re-election in 2004 and lost to Thune. [edit] Positions and votes While in the House, Johnson was among the minority of his party to vote in favor of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 – a welfare reform bill – and another bill to repeal the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. He was among the minority of Democrats to vote for Bush's 2001 tax cut. On January 31, 2006, Johnson was one of only four Democrats to vote to confirm Judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court. He has also called for "broadened use" of the death penalty.[3] Johnson was, however, among the minority of senators to vote against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which was strongly supported by pro-life groups. While a member of the House, he was one of only 16 congressmen to vote against the Telecom Act of 1996, which provided for deregulation and competition in the communication sector and was given firm support by Republicans, business groups, and most Democrats. In May 2007, Johnson received an Honored Cooperator award from the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) for his support of cooperative businesses. Paul Hazen, NCBA president, made the presentation to Johnson’s staff at the NCBA annual meeting in Arlington, Virginia. Hazen praised Johnson for consistently supporting the Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG) program which, typically funded at $6 million annually, is the only federal grants program devoted solely to forming and expanding co-ops. [edit] Committee assignments
[edit] HealthJohnson was treated for prostate cancer in 2004 and further tests showed that he was clear of the disease.[4][5] In Washington, D.C., on December 13, 2006, during the broadcast of a live radio interview with WNAX radio in Yankton, South Dakota, Johnson suffered bleeding in the brain caused by cerebral arteriovenous malformation, a congenital problem that causes enlarged and tangled blood vessels. He underwent successful surgery at George Washington University Hospital to drain the blood and stop further bleeding.[6] As of January 19, 2007, Johnson was undergoing physical, occupational, and speech therapy every day for three hours. This included strengthening exercises to gain mobility and work with parallel bars. His recovery was expected to take "several months."[7] In his 2007 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush wished Johnson well.[8] On February 10, 2007, it was reported that Johnson was reading news clippings and starting to do some office work from the hospital. "At this point, he has requested more contact with office and is looking for updates from staff," a member of his staff said in a statement.[9] On February 15, Johnson co-sponsored his first piece of legislation since his hospitalization, the Emergency Farm Relief Act of 2007.[10] On February 20, he left the hospital and moved to a private facility.[11][12] On March 13, 2007, Johnson issued his first public statement:
Johnson was discharged from the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington on April 27.[14] On June 11, 2007, his doctor said that he would be able to resume his full duties in the Senate.[15] Though suffering from permanent brain damage, Johnson returned to work in the Senate on September 5, 2007 to both tributes and standing ovations. It was reported that Democrats and Republicans alike had tears in their eyes during his first speech on the Senate floor.[16] [edit] 2008 electionJohnson ran for reelection in 2008. While he was recovering earlier in the campaign season, fellow Democratic senators raised funds on behalf of his campaign. Early polls showed Johnson likely to beat the Republican challenger, Joel Dykstra, [17] and he did, with 62.5% of the vote. In January 2008, Johnson endorsed Barack Obama for President in the Democratic primary.[18] [edit] Personal lifeJohnson's elder son, Brooks, serves in the U.S. Army, making him the only Senator with a child in the U.S. Armed Forces when the United States invaded Iraq. Michael Moore stated in his film Fahrenheit 9/11 that only one member of the Senate had a son serving in the military at the time; Moore was referring to Johnson, although he didn't mention his name. He and his wife Barbara, a professional social worker, have another son, Brendan, and a daughter, Kelsey. [edit] Electoral history
*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1992, Ann Balakier received 2,780 votes.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Categories: 1946 births | Living people | United States Senators from South Dakota | Members of the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota | Delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention | South Dakota State Senators | Members of the South Dakota House of Representatives | Prosecutors | South Dakota lawyers | University of South Dakota alumni | Michigan State University alumni | Norwegian Americans | People from Sioux Falls, South Dakota | South Dakota Democrats | American Lutherans | Stroke survivors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ↑ top of page ↑ | about thumbshots |
