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Shop NowThe late Al Quie was a beloved figure in Minnesota politics, having served as both a congressman and governor.
He represented southern Minnesota in Congress for 20 years before returning home to serve one term as governor.
This Friday, he passed away at the age of 99, surrounded by family.
Quie grew up on a dairy farm – the third generation to do so – and was known for his stoic Norwegian demeanor and deep Lutheran faith.
His lifelong commitment to these values would come to shape his entire political career.
Despite coming from small-town roots, Quie had impressive staying in power as he never lost an election over two decades of service in office.
In 1978, Quie made history when he ousted an incumbent Democratic Governor during what came to be known as the Minnesota Massacre – a bellwether event that accurately predicted Ronald Reagan’s victory in 1980.
Throughout his career, he worked across party lines with particular focus on agriculture and education policies that earned him bipartisan appeal among Republicans and Democrats alike.
In particular, it was noted that people who knew him personally liked him and trusted him.
This no doubt helped propel him into elected office post-Watergate scandal even more than usual.
Despite all of his successes throughout his political career, Quie remained humble about it all due to the strength of his faith which informed every decision he made throughout life.
When asked about running for Governor because God told him so (as some reports suggested), he instead replied “I know [God] wants me to serve him, whatever I do. But I don’t like the whole idea of God magically telling me what to do.”
It’s clear that Al Quei dedicated himself wholly not just to politics but also to following the tenets of his faith above everything else – truly admirable.
