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Arne Helge Carlson
Arne Helge Carlson
37th Governor of Minnesota
In office January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999
Lieutenant(s)	Joanell Dyrstad Joanne E. Benson
Preceded by	Rudy Perpich
Succeeded by	Jesse Ventura
Born	September 24, 1934 (1934-09-24) (age 73) New York City, New York
Political party	Independent-Republican / Republican
Spouse	(1) Barbara Duffy (divorced) (2) Joanne Chabot (divorced) (3) Susan Shepard
Profession	politician

Arne Helge Carlson (born September 24, 1934) is an American politician active in the state of Minnesota.

Born in New York City, the son of Goteborg immigrants from Sweden, he attended Choate Rosemary Hall and was graduated from Williams College in 1957.

He served one term on the Minneapolis City Council from 1965 to 1967 and was the Republican candidate for mayor in 1967, losing to Democratic-Farmer-Labor incumbent Arthur Naftalin. He served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from January 1971 to January 4, 1979.

From 1965 to 1977, he was married to Barbara Carlson (who became known in her own right after their divorce). Together, they had a son, Tucker, (no relation to the MSNBC personality) and two daughters, Christina (deceased) and Anne. Carlson's second wife was Joanne. They had no children. Carlson had a daughter, Jessica, with his third wife, Susan, who served as First Lady of Minnesota.

He was state auditor from January 4, 1979 to January 7, 1991. He served as the 37th governor of Minnesota from January 7, 1991 to January 4, 1999.

He won election as a member of the Independent-Republican Party (The party, in September 1995, reverted to the name Republican Party); his positions were generally considered moderate. His election followed a scandal where the party-endorsed candidate, businessman Jon Grunseth, was accused of sexual improprieties with two then-underaged girls several years prior and withdrew from the race. Carlson had initially sought the nomination, which the more conservative Grunseth won; then Carlson and running mate Dyrstad launched a write-in campaign; as Grunseth's campaign disintegrated in the final weeks, Carlson became the Independent-Republican candidate. Presenting himself finally as a less polarizing successor to a governor whose policy successes had been undermined by personal idiosyncrasies, Carlson managed to win by 3 percentage points.

During his terms in office, Carlson had two lieutenant governors: Joanell Dyrstad from 1991 – 1995, and Joanne Benson from 1995 – 1999.

Carlson was noted, as governor, as a fan of University of Minnesota sports; his official portrait at the Minnesota State Capitol shows him wearing a letter jacket for the school.

• 1994 Race for Governor
  • Arne Carlson (I-R) (inc.), 63%
  • John Marty (DFL), 34%
• 1990 Race for Governor
  • Arne Carlson (I-R), 50%
  • Rudy Perpich (DFL) (inc.), 47%
• 1986 Race for state Auditor
  • Arne Carlson (I-R) (inc.)
  • John Dooley (DFL)
• 1982 Race for state Auditor
  • Arne Carlson (I-R) (inc.), 55%
  • Paul Wellstone (DFL), 45%
• 1978 Race for state Auditor
  • Arne Carlson (I-R)
  • Robert W. Mattson, Jr. (DFL) (inc.)

• Arne Carlson at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
• Minnesota Historical Society

v • d • e Governors of Minnesota
Sibley • Ramsey • Swift • Miller • Marshall • Austin • Davis • Pillsbury • Hubbard • McGill • Merriam • Nelson • Clough • Lind • Van Sant • Johnson • Eberhart • Hammond • Burnquist • Preus • Christianson • Olson • Petersen • Benson • Stassen • Thye • Youngdahl • E. Anderson • Freeman • Andersen • Rolvaag • LeVander • W. Anderson • Perpich • Quie • Perpich • Carlson • Ventura • Pawlenty

v • d • e State Auditors of Minnesota
Dunbar • McIlrath • Whitcomb • Braden • Biermann • Dunn • Iverson • Preus • Chase • King • O'Brien • Hatfield • Mattson • Carlson • Dayton • Dutcher • Anderson • Otto