DFL History Timeline
2019
Ilhan Omar is the first Somali-American elected to U.S. Congress
2018
Peggy Flanagan first Native American woman elected Lt. Governor
2018
Angie Craig is first openly gay person elected to U.S. Congress from Minnesota
2018
Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, first all-female U.S. Senate delegation from Minnesota
2008
U.S. Rep Keith Ellison is first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress
2006
Amy Klobuchar is first woman elected U.S. Senator from Minnesota
2002
Senator Paul Wellstone tragically dies in plane crash
October 25 at 10:22am Paul Wellstone tragically dies in plane crash. The other victims were his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia, the two pilots, and campaign staffers Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic and Will McLaughlin.
2002
Mee Moua is the First Asian-American woman elected to the Minnesota Legislature
1992
Dee Long is first woman elected Speaker of the Minnesota House
1990
Paul Wellstone elected to U.S. Senate Only candidate to defeat an incumbent that election year
1984
Presidential candidate Walter Mondale names Geraldine Ferraro as first woman candidate for Vice President
1982
Rudy Perpich elected Governor
1977
Walter Mondale inaugurated Vice President with President Jimmy Carter
1970
Wendall Anderson elected Governor, Rudy Perpich Lieutenant Governor
1968
Minnesotans Humphrey and McCarthy both seek Democratic nomination for President
1964
Walter Mondale appointed to U.S. Senate
1964
Hubert H. Humphrey elected Vice President
1964
Walter Mondale appointed to U.S. Senate
1962
Karl Rolvaag defeats incumbent Elmer L. Andersen for governor
1954
Orville Freeman elected as first DFL Governor
1958
Eugenie Anderson is named first women U.S. Ambassador
1954
Coya Knutson Elected first DFL Congresswoman from Minnesota
1954
Orville Freeman elected as first DFL Governor
1948
Humphrey speaks at the Democratic National Convention advocating human rights and is elected to U.S. Senate later that year
1945
Hubert Humphrey Elected Mayor of Minneapolis
1944
The Minnesota DFL Formed
Minnesota’s Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties merge (April 15, 1944)