Laura Johnsen

**Laura Abigail Johnsen** (born June 2, 1978) is an American politician and educator serving as the junior U.S. Senator from Minnesota since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the Mayor of Duluth from 2016 to 2018, and as a member of the Duluth City Council at-large from 2014 to 2016.

Born in West Fargo, North Dakota, Johnsen grew up a Republican and graduated from West Fargo High School in 1996. After graduating, Johnsen enrolled in North Dakota State University, and graduated with degrees in health education and physical education in 2000. While a college student, Johnsen began associating herself with more liberal causes and switched her party affiliation to Democratic in 1998. After finishing her undergraduate degree, Johnsen moved to Duluth, Minnesota to accept a position teaching health classes at Marshall School. She received her master's degree in education from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2003, and afterwards began teaching health at Denfeld High School in 2005. Johnsen left her teaching career in 2014, in order to enter politics.

Johnsen first began considering a political career in 2005, running for the Minnesota House of Representatives; she lost in the Democratic primary. In 2010, Johnsen announced her campaign for Minnesota's 8th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, but dropped out of the Democratic primary after becoming pregnant. In 2013, she launched her campaign for the Duluth City Council, and went on to win the election. While serving her first term, Johnsen ran for Mayor of Duluth in 2015, and was elected Mayor. She served for one-term, until being appointed to the United States Senate by Governor of Minnesota Denise Baumer to fill the seat vacated by Victor Nygaard.

Johnsen has been theorized as a possible future President of the United States, and was described as one of the most prominent freshmen U.S. Senators in 2019.

## Early life and family

Johnsen was born on June 2, 1978 in West Fargo, North Dakota to parents Jeremiah (born 1949) and Bethany Johnsen (née *Cott*; born 1950). Her father was the CEO and founder of a marketing firm in Fargo, North Dakota, while her mother owned an interior decorating business. Johnsen is of primarily Norwegian ancestry, and also has a maternal great-great-grandfather who came to Norway from Tallinn, Estonia in the 19th-century. Johnsen's family immigrated to the United States in the 1890s. She was raised in the Lutheran faith. Both of Johnsen's parents are Republicans who support politically conservative causes. After turning 18, Johnsen registered as a Republican due to her family's influence, and voted Republican in elections. She is the eldest of three children; her younger siblings include Michelle, born  (1980-02-10) February 10, 1980 (age 43), and Peter, born  (1982-05-04) May 4, 1982 (age 41).

## Education and teaching career

Johnsen attended public schooling in West Fargo. She began her education in 1983, attending a public elementary school in West Fargo. She began high school in 1992, attending West Fargo High School. While in high school, Johnsen was an honors student who was also a varsity basketball player. After graduating from high school in 1996, Johnsen enrolled in North Dakota State University in Fargo, where she played for the North Dakota State Bison women's basketball team. In college, Johnsen dual majored in health education and physical education, graduating in 2000. While in college, Johnsen became disillusioned with Republican politics and switched her party affiliation to Democratic in 1998. She cites Republican stances on social issues, immigration, and women's rights as her major reasons for abandoning the party.

After finishing her undergraduate degree, Johnsen moved to Duluth, Minnesota to accept a position as a middle school health teacher at Marshall School, an independent coeducational 4–12 school, where she also served as the middle school girls basketball coach. After moving to Duluth, Johnsen began attending night classes at the University of Minnesota Duluth, in order to receive her master's degree and begin teaching in public schools. She graduated with a master's degree in education in 2003. Johnsen left Marshall School in 2005, and began working as a health teacher at Denfeld High School. She served as junior varsity girls basketball coach from 2006 to 2008, before becoming the varsity girls basketball coach in 2009. In 2012, she began coaching the boys varsity basketball team. Johnsen left her teaching position in 2014, in order to enter politics.

## Political positions

*Main article: Political positions of Laura Johnsen.*

## Personal life

In 2005, Johnsen began a relationship with Raul Gómez, a Spanish teacher and her colleague at Denfeld High School, who is originally from Montevideo, Uruguay. Initially, they kept their relationship a secret to avoid workplace gossip, but became open about their relationship after two months. They became engaged in 2007, and married the following year. Johnsen and Gómez have two children together: Lucy, born  (2010-11-07) November 7, 2010 (age 13), and Luke, born  (2011-12-09) December 9, 2011 (age 12). After beginning a relationship with Gómez, Johnsen learned to speak fluent Spanish; all members of the family are fully bilingual in Spanish and English.

The family has two residences: they own a four-bedroom home in Duluth, Minnesota, and rent a three-bedroom condo in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Following her election to the United States Senate, Gómez has continued working as a Spanish teacher at Denfeld; him and their children reside permanently in Duluth and visit Johnsen in D.C. during school breaks; Johnsen splits her time between D.C. and Duluth.