Tim Johnson

Timothy Peter Johnson (born December 28, 1946) is a United States Senator from South Dakota. He is the senior Senator from that state, and a member of the Democratic Party.

Born in Canton, South Dakota, Johnson earned a B.A. in 1969 and an M.A. in 1970 both from the University of South Dakota. After doing post-graduate studies at Michigan State University from 1970-71, he earned a J.D. from the University of South Dakota in 1975. He served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1979-82 and in the South Dakota Senate from 1983-86. He served in the United States House of Representatives representing South Dakota at-large from 1987-97.

Johnson was elected to his first term in 1996, and to a second term in 2002 in an extremely close race against Republican John Thune, his sucessor to the at-large House seat. This was a major consolation prize for the Democrats, who had lost control of the Senate. This particular race was widely seen as a proxy contest between George W. Bush and the senior Senator from South Dakota and Senate Minority Leader, Tom Daschle.

In 2004 Daschle was actually defeated by Thune. This was a tremendous upset to Democrats, as Daschle was their leader in the Senate. But as a result of that election, Johnson and Thune are now serving together as the two senators from South Dakota.

Johnson should not be confused with Illinois Congressman Timothy V. Johnson.

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