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Louis P. Johnson
Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 12th district
In office January 2, 1923 – January 5, 1931
Preceded by	Floyd Lindsley
Succeeded by	J.V. Weber
Personal details
Born	(1876-06-30)June 30, 1876 Marshalltown, Iowa, U.S.
Died	June 8, 1954(1954-06-08) (aged 77)
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Alice
Children	4
Education	Lake Forest College

Louis P. Johnson (June 30, 1876 – June 8, 1954) was an American politician who served in the Minnesota Senate from 1923 to 1931. He was a member of the Republican Party.

Early life

Johnson was born on a farm in Marshalltown, Iowa, on June 30, 1876, and his family moved to Lincoln County, Minnesota, in 1890. He married Alice, with whom he had four children.

Johnson graduated from Lake Forest College with a legal degree and was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association in 1903, and Minnesota State Bar Association in 1905. He served as president of the Minnesota State Bar Association. He practiced law in Ivanhoe from 1903 to 1932, Mankato from 1932 to 1943, and Marshall from 1942 to his retirement in 1951.

Johnson served as the Lincoln County attorney from 1910 to 1918. He unsuccessfully ran to be a delegate for Albert B. Cummins from Minnesota's 2nd congressional district during the 1916 Republican primary.

Career

State Senate

Johnson ran for a seat in the Minnesota Senate from the 12th district in the 1922 election. He placed first in the top-two primary, which eliminated incumbent senator Floyd Lindsley. He defeated George Gurley in the election. He narrowly defeated Charles F. Norwood in the 1926 election, in which a recount was conducted, after spending $307. He lost reelection to J.V. Weber in 1930.

During Johnson's tenure in the state senate he served on the Agriculture, Civil Administration, Finance, Game and Fish, and Judiciary committees. He chaired the Temperance and Elections committees. Johnson was a county delegate for Frank O. Lowden during the 1928 presidential campaign.

In 1927, Johnson opposed launching an investigation into allegations that Thomas D. Schall used corruption in his 1924 senatorial campaign. He was a member of the five member committee that investigated Schall. The committee unanimously supported a report ruling in favor of Schall. In 1929, Johnson made a motion to expel Senator Ambrose Leo Lennon after Lennon was convicted of violating prohibition laws, but it failed.

Congressional campaigns and later life

Johnson sought the Republican nomination in the 1932 U.S. House of Representatives election, but lost in the primary. He was the first person to file for the primary. In 1934, he defeated Paul Freidrich Dehnel for the Republican nomination in the 2nd congressional district, but placed third behind Democratic nominee Elmer Ryan and incumbent Minnesota Farmer–Labor U.S. Representative Henry M. Arens in the election. He sought the Republican nomination in the 1936 election, but lost in the primary to Christian J. Laurisch. He sought the Republican nomination in 1938, but lost in the primary to Joseph P. O'Hara. He considered running as an independent in the 1940 election, but declined to do so.

Johnson was speculated as a possible candidate for the 1928 U.S. Senate election and for lieutenant governor or governor in the 1930 election. He ran as the Republican nominee for mayor of Mankato in 1935, but lost to Frank J. Mahowald. He supported Franklin D. Roosevelt during the 1944 presidential election. He died on June 8, 1954.

Electoral history

References

1. ^ "Johnson, Louis P." Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024.
2. "Louis P. Johnson, Ex-Senator, Dies". Albert Lea Tribune. June 9, 1954. p. 16. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Sample Ballot". Redwood Gazette. March 8, 1916. p. 9. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Christopherson High Man". Albert Lea Tribune. March 25, 1916. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "1922 12th district primary". Minnesota Historical Election Archive Reference Library. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
6. ^ "1922 12th district election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive Reference Library. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
7. ^ "1926 12th district election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive Reference Library. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
8. "Senator L.P. Johnson Wins Election Contest". Minneapolis Journal. December 15, 1926. p. 24. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Vote Contest Cases To Cost State $10,000". Albert Lea Tribune. April 14, 1927. p. 14. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ Legislative Manual 1933, pp. 371.
11. "Delegate". Star Tribune. March 18, 1928. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Lowden Forces Fail To Tie Up Clear Majority". Minneapolis Journal. March 18, 1928. p. 7. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Senate Orders Quiz Of Charge Against Schall". Austin Daily Herald. March 3, 1927. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Nolan Places 3 Republicans On Committee". Star Tribune. March 4, 1927. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Unanimous Committee Report Says Schall Charges Unproved". Glenville Progress. April 28, 1927. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "State Senate Asked To Oust Mill City Man". Austin Daily Herald. January 8, 1929. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
17. ^ Primary 1933, pp. 188–191.
18. "L.P. Johnson First to File". Minneapolis Journal. April 18, 1932. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
19. ^ Primary 1935, pp. 195.
20. ^ Moore, Preimesberger & Tarr 2001, pp. 1059.
21. ^ Primary 1937, pp. 196.
22. ^ Primary 1939, pp. 201.
23. "Mankato Attorney Quits Ryan Race". Star Tribune. October 9, 1940. p. 21. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Senator L.P. Johnson May Seek U.S. Toga". Brainerd Daily Dispatch. January 20, 1928. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "Henry Rutledge to Be Lt. Governor Candidate". St. Cloud Times. December 24, 1929. p. 11. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "Latest Filings Made At St. Paul". Brainerd Daily Dispatch. March 3, 1930. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
27. "Mankato to Name New Mayor Tuesday". Minneapolis Journal. March 31, 1935. p. 25. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "1935 Mankato Mayoral election". Albert Lea Tribune. April 5, 1935. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "Lifelong Republican to Speak for FR". Austin Daily Herald. October 31, 1944. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.

Works cited

• Moore, John; Preimesberger, Jon; Tarr, David, eds. (2001). Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections. Congressional Quarterly. ISBN 1-56802-602-1.
• Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota Compiled for the Legislature of 1931 (PDF). Minnesota Legislature. 1933.
• Primary Election Returns of Election Held June 20th, 1932 (PDF). Minnesota Legislature. 1933.
• Primary Election Returns of Election Held June 18th, 1934 (PDF). Minnesota Legislature. 1935.
• Primary Election Returns of Election Held June 15th, 1936 (PDF). Minnesota Legislature. 1937.
• Primary Election Returns of Election Held June 20th, 1938 (PDF). Minnesota Legislature. 1939.

• 1876 births
• 1954 deaths
• 20th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature