{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2011}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Dave Senjem | image = 2016Senjem.jpg | office = Chair of the <br>Olmsted County Board of Commissioners<br> | term_start = January 6, 2026 | term_end = | preceded = Mark Thein | office2 = Member of the <br>Olmsted County Board of Commissioners<br> from the 2nd District | term_start2 = January 3, 2023 | term_end2 = | preceded2 = Ken Brown | office3 = Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate | term_start3 = December 27, 2011 | term_end3 = January 7, 2013 | preceded3 = Amy Koch | succeeded3 = Tom Bakk | office4 = Minority Leader of the Minnesota Senate | term_start4 = January 3, 2007 | term_end4 = January 3, 2011 | preceded4 = Dick Day | succeeded4 = Tom Bakk | state_senate5 = Minnesota | district5 = 25th | prior_term5 = 29th (2003–2013) | term_start5 = January 7, 2003 | term_end5 = January 3, 2023 | preceded5 = ''redrawn district'' | succeeded5 = Liz Boldon | party = Republican | birth_date = {{birth date and age |1942|12|20}} | birth_place = Austin, Minnesota, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = Luther College | occupation = legislator | spouse = Marlys | children = 2 }}
'''David Howard Senjem''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɛ|n|dʒ|ə|m}} {{respell|SEN-jəm}}; born December 20, 1942) is an American politician currently serving on the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners. He is a former member of the Minnesota Senate, serving in that body from 2003 to 2023. He led the Republican caucus as majority leader from 2011 to 2013. A moderate Republican, Senjem has crossed party lines on many occasions, notably environmental policy and women's issues. He represented District 25, which at the time included portions of Dodge and Olmsted counties in the southeastern part of the state. Much of the northern half of Rochester was in his district.
In April 2022, Senjem announced that he would not seek reelection to the Minnesota Senate,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/22/senator-senjem-announces-retirement/ | title=Senator Senjem announces retirement | date=April 22, 2022 }}</ref> and later announced that he would instead run for Olmsted County Commissioner for District 2.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kttc.com/2022/05/17/senator-david-senjem-announces-run-olmsted-county-board-commisioner/ | title=Senator David Senjem announces run for Olmsted County Board Commisioner [sic]| date=May 17, 2022}}</ref> Senjem won election to that seat and was took office in 2023. In January 2026, Senjem was named Chair of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.olmstedcounty.gov/government/county-news-events/county-news/commissioner-senjem-shares-remarks-first-meeting-chair-olmsted-county-board-commissioners | title=Commissioner Senjem shares remarks in first meeting as Chair of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners| date=January 7, 2026}}</ref>
==Early life, education, and career== Senjem grew up in Hayfield, Minnesota and attended Hayfield High School. After graduating, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He served on the Rochester City Park Board for five years, then on the Rochester City Council from 1992 to 2002. He is a retired Environmental Affairs Officer for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.<ref name="leg.state.mn.us" />
Senjem's family originates from Bingen, Buskerud County, Norway; the original family name was Sønju. His great-great-grandfather John N. Hanson served as a Republican state representative from Dodge County from 1873 to 1874.<ref name="leg.state.mn.us" />
==Political positions==
Senjem is generally regarded as a moderate and centrist Republican. He has been reelected multiple times even when his district backed Democratic candidates in other races.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/7-takeaways-how-redistricting-changed-the-political-chessboard-in-rochester-and-southeast-minnesota|title = 7 takeaways: How redistricting changed the political chessboard in Rochester and Southeast Minnesota|date = February 17, 2022}}</ref> He has received praise from both sides for his bipartisanship. In January 2021, Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison described Senjem as "open-minded" and said, "In an age where the parties are as polarized as at any point in our nation's history, Senjem is a guy who's willing to work across the aisle."<ref name="postbulletin.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.postbulletin.com/news/dave-senjem-is-lone-male-on-task-force-for-womens-economic-equality|title = Dave Senjem is lone male on task force for women's economic equality|date = January 29, 2021}}</ref>
===Environment===
Senjem is a member of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/state-lawmakers-get-far-flung-help-to-pass-environmental-bills|title = State Lawmakers Get Far-Flung Help to Pass Environmental Bills}}</ref>
The NCEL awarded Senjem with the 2021 Leon G. Billings Environmental Achievement Award in recognition of his accomplishments in environmental policy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncelenviro.org/articles/ncel-recognizes-nine-state-legislators-for-their-dedication-to-environmental-issues/|title=NCEL Recognizes Nine State Legislators for their Dedication to Environmental Issues}}</ref>
Senjem served as the chair of the Senate Energy and Utilities Finance and Policy Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.mn/committees/committee_bio.html?cmte_id=3092|title = MN State Senate}}</ref> In 2021, he supported the Energy Conservation and Optimization Act despite opposition from other Republicans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://energynews.us/2021/01/21/in-minnesota-key-energy-lawmakers-see-potential-despite-divided-legislature|title=In Minnesota, key energy lawmakers see potential despite divided Legislature|date=January 21, 2021}}</ref>
===Women's Issues===
Senjem is the only male and sole Republican to serve on the Advisory Task Force on Expanding the Economic Security of Women. He was appointed to the task force by Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison. Ellison stated that Senjem's voting record shows his concern for women's issues.<ref name="postbulletin.com"/>
===Medical Marijuana===
Senjem supports legalized medical marijuana. In 2014, he was one of eight Republican senators to back a bill allowing for medical marijuana in the state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://minnlawyer.com/2014/05/16/compromise-medical-marijuana-bill-heads-to-governor/|title = Compromise medical marijuana bill heads to governor – Minnesota Lawyer|date = May 17, 2014}}</ref>
===Economy===
Senjem is rated highly by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/interest-group/266/rating/12929|title=The Voter's Self Defense System}}</ref> and the National Federation of Independent Business.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/interest-group/1661/rating/12235|title = The Voter's Self Defense System}}</ref>
==Minnesota Senate== Senjem was first elected in 2002, and was reelected in 2006, 2010, 2012, 2016, and 2020. He served as minority leader from 2007 until January 3, 2011.<ref name="leg.state.mn.us">[http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10806 Minnesota Senators Past and Present ]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/11/04/minnesota-house-senate-minority-majority-leaders/ |title=Bakk elected new Senate minority leader; GOP ponders leadership |first=Tim |last=Pugmire |date=2010-11-04 |access-date=2017-12-13}}</ref> On December 27, 2011, Senjem was elected majority leader after the previous majority leader, Amy Koch, resigned over an affair with a Senate staffer.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S2430041.shtml?cat=10217 |title=Rochester Senator David Senjem Elected Majority Leader |access-date=December 28, 2011 |archive-date=January 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106091754/http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S2430041.shtml?cat=10217 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Senjem became the third person to serve as both minority and majority leader, and the first to serve in both roles as a Republican.
Senjem tested positive for COVID-19 in November 2020. Upon finding out, the Minnesota Senate Republican chief of staff warned other Republicans of the positive test, but did not tell Democratic state legislators about the positive test, thus preventing them from taking the appropriate precautions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minnesota GOP sent virus alert only to its side of the aisle|url=https://www.startribune.com/memo-warned-that-minnesota-senators-staff-had-covid-19/573072342/|access-date=2020-11-14|website=Star Tribune|date=November 14, 2020 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|10806}} *[http://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1058 Senator Dave Senjem] ''official Minnesota Senate website'' *[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/legislator_view.php?id=40 Minnesota Public Radio Votetracker: Senator Senjem Voting Record] *''Follow the Money'' – David Senjem Campaign Contributions **[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=82576 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=11053 2002] *[http://www.senjemforsenate.com/ Senator Dave Senjem] ''official campaign website''
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-mn-sen}} {{s-new|district|reason=Redistricting}} {{s-ttl|title=Senator from the 25th District<br />29th (2003–2013)|years=2003–present}} {{s-inc}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Dick Day}} {{s-ttl|title=Minnesota Senate Minority Leader|years=2007–2011}} {{s-aft|after=Tom Bakk}} |- {{s-bef|before=Amy Koch}} {{s-ttl|title=Minnesota Senate Majority Leader|years=2011–2013}} {{s-aft|after=Tom Bakk}} {{s-end}}
{{MNMajorityLeaders}} {{MNSenMinority}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Senjem, David H.}} Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Rochester, Minnesota Category:Republican Party Minnesota state senators Category:Lutherans from Minnesota Category:American people of Norwegian descent Category:Luther College (Iowa) alumni Category:People from Austin, Minnesota Category:People from Hayfield, Minnesota Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature Category:County commissioners in Minnesota