Cal Ludeman
Encyclopedia
Cal R. Ludeman is a Minnesota
politician
, the current Secretary of the Minnesota Senate
, and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from southwestern Minnesota. First elected in 1978, he was re-elected in 1980 and 1982. He represented the old District 20B and, after redistricting
in 1980, District 27A, which included all or portions of Lincoln
and Lyon
counties.
, Ludeman, a farmer, was active on issues relevant to agriculture, the environment and labor-management relations while in the legislature. He served on the House Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources, Government Operation, Labor-Management Relations, and Transportation committees, and on various sub-committees relevant to each area. He was minority whip during the 1983-84 legislative session.
. Despite his efforts, he failed to unseat popular incumbent Governor Rudy Perpich
. In 1992, he tried his hand one more time, running for the congressional seat being vacated by Vin Weber
. After a close, hard-fought race, he lost to David Minge
.
appointed Ludeman to serve on his Commission on Reform and Efficiency (CORE) in 1991, a position he held until 1994. In 2003, newly elected Governor Tim Pawlenty
tapped Ludeman to be his commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Employee Relations. He remained in that position until July 2006, when Pawlenty appointed him acting commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services—a position later made permanent in December of that year.
As Minnesota’s Commissioner of Human Services, Ludeman also served as chair of the governor's Health Cabinet, which is charged with using the state’s health care purchasing influence to buy better health care, to streamline and improve health care regulation, and to drive the market to obtain better health care-related results for Minnesotans. He co-chaired the governor’s Health Transformation Task Force, which resulted in significant health care reform in 2008.
by the incoming Republican
majority.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, the current Secretary of the Minnesota Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
, and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
from southwestern Minnesota. First elected in 1978, he was re-elected in 1980 and 1982. He represented the old District 20B and, after redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
in 1980, District 27A, which included all or portions of Lincoln
Lincoln County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,429 people, 2,653 households, and 1,785 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 3,043 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
and Lyon
Lyon County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,425 people, 9,715 households, and 6,334 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 10,298 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
counties.
State representative
From the town of TracyTracy, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,268 people, 922 households, and 533 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,045.2 people per square mile . There were 1,013 housing units at an average density of 466.8 per square mile...
, Ludeman, a farmer, was active on issues relevant to agriculture, the environment and labor-management relations while in the legislature. He served on the House Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources, Government Operation, Labor-Management Relations, and Transportation committees, and on various sub-committees relevant to each area. He was minority whip during the 1983-84 legislative session.
Gubernatorial and congressional runs
After opting not to run again 1984, Ludeman turned his eyes toward the governor’s chair, running as the Republican-endorsed candidate for Governor of Minnesota in 1986Minnesota gubernatorial election, 1986
The 1986 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1986. Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate Rudy Perpich defeated Independent-Republican Party challenger Cal Ludeman.-Results:...
. Despite his efforts, he failed to unseat popular incumbent Governor Rudy Perpich
Rudy Perpich
Rudolph George "Rudy" Perpich, Sr. was an American politician and the longest-serving governor of Minnesota. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, he served as the 34th and 36th Governor of Minnesota from December 29, 1976 to January 4, 1979, and from January 3, 1983, to January 7, 1991...
. In 1992, he tried his hand one more time, running for the congressional seat being vacated by Vin Weber
Vin Weber
John Vincent Weber is a former Republican Congressman from Minnesota. Weber attended the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities from 1970 to 1974. He had been the co-publisher of Murray County newspaper and the president of Weber Publishing Company...
. After a close, hard-fought race, he lost to David Minge
David Minge
David R. Minge is an American Judge and former political figure. David Minge currently serves as a Judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals...
.
Service as state commissioner
Governor Arne CarlsonArne Carlson
Arne Helge Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and the 37th Governor of the state of Minnesota.-Early years, education and family:...
appointed Ludeman to serve on his Commission on Reform and Efficiency (CORE) in 1991, a position he held until 1994. In 2003, newly elected Governor Tim Pawlenty
Tim Pawlenty
Timothy James "Tim" Pawlenty , also known affectionately among supporters as T-Paw, is an American politician who served as the 39th Governor of Minnesota . He was a Republican candidate for President of the United States in the 2012 election from May to August 2011...
tapped Ludeman to be his commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Employee Relations. He remained in that position until July 2006, when Pawlenty appointed him acting commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services—a position later made permanent in December of that year.
As Minnesota’s Commissioner of Human Services, Ludeman also served as chair of the governor's Health Cabinet, which is charged with using the state’s health care purchasing influence to buy better health care, to streamline and improve health care regulation, and to drive the market to obtain better health care-related results for Minnesotans. He co-chaired the governor’s Health Transformation Task Force, which resulted in significant health care reform in 2008.
Service as Secretary of the Senate
After Governor Pawlenty left office in January of 2011, Ludemann was selected to serve as Secretary of the Minnesota SenateMinnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
by the incoming Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
majority.