Jim Ramstad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Ramstad
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Frenzel |
| Succeeded by | Erik Paulsen |
| Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 45th district 43rd (1981–1983) |
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| In office January 6, 1981 – January 3, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Emily Anne Staples |
| Succeeded by | Judy Traub |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Marvin Ramstad
May 6, 1946 Jamestown, North Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | November 5, 2020 (aged 74) Wayzata, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Kathryn Mitchell
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | University of Minnesota (BA) George Washington University (JD) |
| Occupation | attorney, political assistant |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army Reserve |
| Years of service | 1968–1975 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
James Marvin Ramstad (May 6, 1946 – November 5, 2020) was an American lawyer and politician who represented Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Ramstad served in the Minnesota Senate from 1981 to 1991.
Ramstad was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1981 and was reelected until 1990, when he was elected to represent Minnesota’s 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Ramstad won reelection in the suburban congressional district eight times, all by landslide margins. He had a reputation as a moderate Republican. Ramstad chose to retire and not seek reelection in 2008. He was succeeded by Republican State Representative Erik Paulsen.
In 2020, Ramstad died from Parkinson's disease at the age of 74.
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Early life and education
Ramstad was born in Jamestown, North Dakota on May 6, 1946. He was educated at the University of Minnesota and the George Washington University Law School. He was an officer in the United States Army Reserve from 1968 to 1974. He also worked as a private practice attorney and as a legislative aide to the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Career
He served on the Wayzata-Plymouth Chemical Health Commission, Plymouth Human Rights Commission, and the Minnesota State Human Rights Advisory Committee from 1979 to 1980.
Ramstad was a Republican member of the Minnesota State Senate from 1981 to 1990 before entering the U.S. Congress. He served in the 102nd, 103rd, 104th, 105th, 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 110th congresses, beginning on January 3, 1991. He first defeated former Minneapolis city councilman Lou DeMars in the 1990 election.
Tenure
Ramstad was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1991 until 2009, representing Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota. On September 17, 2007 Ramstad announced he would not seek reelection in 2008. He reiterated his statement on December 19, 2007.
Ramstad worked under both Republican and Democratic majorities to pass a Mental Health Parity Bill. Mental Health Parity was eventually passed and signed into law in December, 2008.
Ramstad was mentioned as a possible candidate for Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy in the administration of President Barack Obama. However, the position eventually went to former Seattle police chief Gil Kerlikowske.
Ramstad considered running for Governor of Minnesota in the 2010 election, but decided not to.
At the time of his death, Ramstad was a resident fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics.
Political positions
Ramstad was a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership. He was opposed to gay marriage. He voted in favor of an amendment to a whistleblower protection bill that would have allowed the government to influence stem-cell research.
He was considered to be the most moderate Republican member of the Minnesota delegation in the 109th Congress, scoring 68 percent conservative by a conservative group and 21% progressive by a liberal group.
Personal life and death
Ramstad's sister, Sheryl Ramstad, is a Tax Court judge in Minnesota. Ramstad was a member of the United Church of Christ.
He died of Parkinson's disease on November 5, 2020, aged 74, at his home in Wayzata, Minnesota.
Committee assignments
- Ways and Means Committee
- Subcommittee on Oversight (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Health
- Co-chair of the Addiction Treatment and Recovery Caucus
- Co-chair of the Disabilities Caucus
- Co-chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus
- Co-chair of the Medical Technology Caucus
Electoral history
| Year | DFL | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | |||||
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| 1990 | Lou Demars | 96,395 | 33% | Jim Ramstad | 195,833 | 67% | Write-ins | 624 | <1% | ||||||||||
| 1992 | Paul Mandell | 104,606 | 33% | Jim Ramstad | 200,240 | 64% | Dwight Fellman | Grass Roots | 9,164 | 3% | Write-ins | 721 | <1% | ||||||
| 1994 | Bob Olson | 62,211 | 26% | Jim Ramstad | 173,223 | 73% | Write-ins | 1,097 | <1% | ||||||||||
| 1996 | Stan J. Leino | 87,350 | 30% | Jim Ramstad | 205,816 | 70% | * | ||||||||||||
| 1998 | Stan J. Leino | 66,505 | 23% | Jim Ramstad | 203,731 | 72% | Derek W. Schramm | Minnesota Taxpayers | 12,823 | 5% | * | ||||||||
| 2000 | Sue Shuff | 98,219 | 30% | Jim Ramstad | 222,571 | 68% | Bob Odden | Libertarian | 5,302 | 2% | Arne Niska | Constitution | 2,970 | 1% | |||||
| 2002 | Darryl Stanton | 82,575 | 28% | Jim Ramstad | 213,334 | 72% | * | ||||||||||||
| 2004 | Deborah Watts | 126,665 | 35% | Jim Ramstad | 231,871 | 65% | * | ||||||||||||
| 2006 | Wendy Wilde | 99,588 | 35% | Jim Ramstad | 184,333 | 65% | * |
Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1996, write-ins received 417 votes. In 1998, write-ins received 250 votes. In 2002, write-ins received 309 votes. In 2004, write-ins received 356 votes. In 2006, write-ins received 323 votes.
See also
In Spanish: Jim Ramstad para niños
