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Biography » Biography - The Senator's Story A passion for change and getting things done has defined the life of Norm Coleman from an early age. It has led him from campus organizer in the sixties, to a prosecutor in the seventies, to Solicitor General of Minnesota in the eighties, to mayor of Saint Paul in the nineties, and now to proudly representing all of Minnesota in the United States Senate. Growing up in a large Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, he has often said that most of his preparation for a life in politics came from sitting around the huge Coleman family kitchen table. Full-throated debate on the issues of the day and mutual goodwill were always on the menu. In college at Hofstra University on Long Island, Norm was student body president and a student activist deeply involved in the anti-war and civil rights movements. He went to the University of Iowa Law School where he also served as student body president and graduated with the highest honors. And then, drawn by a job opportunity in the office of Minnesota’s Attorney General, he headed north to take his first professional job. He spent 17 years in the Attorney General’s office, prosecuting cases all over Minnesota and getting involved in a wide variety of public policy matters including drug abuse and civil rights. In 1993, as a Democrat, Coleman was elected mayor of St. Paul, defeating the endorsed candidate of the Democratic Farm Labor Party. One of his very first actions as mayor was the rejection of a proposed contract with city workers because it included a huge unfunded retirement benefit liability. His action was controversial, but it saved Saint Paul taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. When he took office, the Capital City was experiencing a serious economic decline and increase in crime and other social problems. He set out to reform city services, put a lid on property tax increases and established public-private partnerships. His formula was “hope plus confidence equals investment.” He wanted to prove to the local business community that city government was a reliable partner in their shared goals for the city. His efforts paid off, with more than $3 billion of private investments in St. Paul. In 2002, then-Mayor Coleman received the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ highest award recognizing excellence in public-private partnership. An era of rapid change and economic improvement took hold in Saint Paul. Eighteen thousand new jobs came to the city. A new Science Museum was built. The state’s largest software developer, Lawson Software, moved its headquarters to Downtown St. Paul. Harriett Island Park and the land adjacent to the river were rehabilitated, reconnecting the city to its greatest natural asset: the Mississippi River. Increased community involvement in Saint Paul schools and law enforcement also brought measurable improvements. And finally, he engineered the return of a National Hockey League franchise to Minnesota. The nationally recognized Xcel Energy Center is now one of the premier entertainment venues in America and home to the NHL Minnesota Wild. [  View Television Clip ]
In 1996, Mayor Coleman made a major change. Frustrated that the Democratic party he had been a part of from his youth had assumed the role of defenders of the status quo, he switched to the Republican party because he felt it held the best opportunity to bring about job growth, quality education and greater public safety. In 1997, he was reelected mayor as a Republican, with 59 percent of the vote. In 1998, he ran for governor and narrowly lost to Independent candidate Jesse Ventura in a three way race. At 8 AM on the day after the election, he was back at his desk in Saint Paul. Shortly after his term as mayor ended, he entered the race for one of Minnesota’s seats in the U.S. Senate. He engaged in a close and hard-fought campaign with incumbent Senator Paul Wellstone, who tragically perished in a plane crash eleven days before the election. Former Vice President Walter Mondale replaced him on the ticket. In one of the largest turnout elections in the country, Norm was elected with over 1.1 million votes and a 2 percent margin of victory. Norm Coleman was sworn in as a United States Senator on January 7, 2003. Since taking office, he has quickly gained a reputation as a productive and thoughtful legislator, willing to work with members of both political parties to get things done for Minnesota and the nation. On the campaign, Norm Coleman promised to be a strong advocate for Minnesota’s rural and agricultural communities, and that is a covenant he has kept. Upon taking office, he secured a seat on the Senate Agriculture Committee. Minnesota owes one-third of our overall State economy to agriculture, and Senator Coleman has been tireless in going to bat for the needs of Minnesota’s producers, defending the Farm Bill, ensuring agriculture disaster relief, and promoting rural economic development. Senator Coleman has also brought Minnesota’s commitment to renewable fuels to the United States Senate. Minnesota boasts of 16 ethanol plants 3 biodiesel plants, boundless wind energy, and a coal gasification plant. Realizing the prominent role Minnesota farm families play in feeding our world and fueling our nation, Senator Coleman has led the effort to expand renewable fuel initiatives, serving as the co-chairman of the bipartisan Senate Biofuels Caucus. Senator Coleman is a member of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee where he serves as the Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI). During his first four years in Congress, Coleman served as Chairman of the Subcommittee, an assignment once held by Harry Truman and rarely occupied by a freshman Senator. During his tenure as Chairman, PSI has rooted out over $12 billion in waste, fraud, abuse and potential tax payer savings. The Subcommittee also conducted an historical and groundbreaking investigation into allegations of abuse and misconduct related to the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program. Specifically, the Subcommittee uncovered how Saddam Hussein was able to manipulate the U.N.'s program to generate billions of dollars of illegal cash. Additionally, PSI led a three-year investigation into the security of our nation’s ports—examining the threat of nuclear terrorism and assessing various programs to secure, detect and interdict nuclear and radiological materials domestically and abroad. Senator Coleman also serves as a member of the prestigious Senate Foreign Relations Committee. There he has worked hard to ensure that America remains a powerful force for democracy and compassion in the world. Understanding the importance of having an effective and credible U.N., he has tirelessly led the fight for reform to ensure the U.N. is adequately equipped to face emerging global challenges. He has also been a leader in fostering exchanges of people and ideas, through such initiatives as the Peace Corps and student exchanges. His work on the Foreign Relations Committee also includes the Ranking member on the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. To foster U.S. ties with Latin America, he has traveled to numerous Central and South American destinations, including Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, Uruguay and Argentina. He has been passionate in defending democracy, the rule of law, and hemispheric cooperation. Senator Coleman is also a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. A strong believer in the power of the free market and individual initiative, Coleman is a firm and vocal advocate for common sense government regulation, low taxes, affordable health plans, and entrepreneurial incentive. This committee assignment allows Coleman to turn that philosophy into real and meaningful policy. Eager to tackle the challenges confronting the increasing number of baby boomers approaching retirement, Senator Coleman was recently selected to join the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, which looks out for the interests of America’s seniors. Among the many issues impacting senior citizens, the committee will continue exploring advanced medical research to combat diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s; oversight of Medicaid and Medicare; issues such as prescription drugs; and Social Security reform. Senator Coleman and his wife, Laurie, have two children, Jacob (22) and Sarah (18). |
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