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Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

DFLer Benson joins state House retirement list

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State Rep. John Benson, DFL-Minnetonka, announced today that he will not seek re-election in 2014.

Benson is currently serving his fourth term in the Minnesota House, and is vice chair of the Rules and Legislative Administration committee. His other committee assignments are Education Policy; Environment and Natural Resources Policy; Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance; Health and Human Services Policy; Taxes.

In a news release, Benson said it has been a great personal honor to represent his community.

"To the best of my ability the votes I have cast and the legislation I have authored focused on our state government's primary mission, the best possible delivery of essential services: quality public education, law enforcement, transportation, environmental protection and care for those unable to provide for themselves," Benson said. "I have viewed these past eight years in our citizen's legislature as an opportunity for me to help improve Minnesota's quality of life and then to return to private life."

Benson is a retired teacher. He joins Reps. Tom Huntley of Duluth and Michael Paymar of St. Paul on the list of DFL lawmakers who have announced plans to step aside next year. Republican Rep. Andrea Kieffer of Woodbury has also announced that she won’t run again in 2014.