Anderson, Wendell Richard, 1933-

Wendell Anderson was born in St. Paul on February 1, 1933, and graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1960. Prior to receiving his law degree, he was an army infantry officer and played on the U.S. Amateur Hockey Team (1955, 1957) and the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team (1956).

In 1958, while still in law school, Anderson, a Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party member, was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, and was re-elected in 1960. He was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1962 and 1966, and was selected as one of two outstanding Minnesota legislators by the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. He also served as chairman of the 1968 Humphrey for President campaign in Minnesota.

Anderson was elected governor of Minnesota in 1970, focusing his campaign on the need to reduce the burden of high property taxes, and to provide local communities--primarily schools--with major non property revenues from the state. He chaired the Democratic Governor's Conference (1974-1975) and was a member of the Democratic National Committee during the same period. He was re-elected governor in 1974, but resigned in December 1976 to accept appointment to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Walter F. Mondale after his election as vice-president. Anderson was defeated by Independent-Republican Rudy Boschwitz in the 1978 general election.

Following his senate service, Anderson remained active in the DFL Party and served for a number of years on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.

Anderson married Mary Christine McKee of Bemidji. They have three children: Amy, Elizabeth, and Brett.

From the guide to the Wendell R. Anderson papers., 1930s-2004., (Minnesota Historical Society)