Former U.S. Representative Rick Nolan Has Died

(KNSI) — Former U.S. Representative Rick Nolan has died.

Nolan was a Minnesota House of Representatives member from 1969 until 1973 before moving to Congress to represent the Sixth District between 1975 and 1981. He re-entered politics in 2011 after a 32 year hiatus to challenge Representative Chip Cravaack in the Eighth Congressional District, which covers the northeastern part of the state. He defeated Tarryl Clark in the 2012 primary to take on Cravaack in the general election. He defeated him and fought off two challenges from Republican Stewart Mills in 2014 and 2016.

Nolan was born in Brainerd, where he graduated from high school in 1962. He then attended St. John’s University, completed his undergrad studies at the University of Minnesota, and earned a B.A. He was part of the Army ROTC program for two years before seeking postgraduate work in public administration and policy formation at the University of Maryland and education at St. Cloud State University.

He taught social studies in Royalton and was also a staff assistant to then Senator Walter Mondale before entering the political arena himself.
Minnesota DFL Chairman Ken Martin released a statement on former Rep. Nolan’s passing:

“Rick Nolan was a champion for the Northland who fought fiercely to protect working people from corporate interests. From Ely to Duluth, he was an ambassador for the DFL creed that ‘we all do better when we all do better.’ Our thoughts are with his family and all who came to know and love this dedicated public servant.”

Nolan was 80 years old.

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