Meet John Pederson
Professor of History and Economics at Mayville State University. I joined the faculty in 1998. During my tenure I have been President of the North Dakota Council of College Faculties, served as the Faculty Advisor to the State Board of Higher Education for two years, was the President of the North Dakota General Education Council, and served six years at the president of the MSU Faculty Association. I also served six years on the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), its board of directors, after serving six years on the ELCA’s Eastern North Dakota Synod Council.
I grew up in small town North Dakota. Most of my childhood was in Hope, where my father was a pastor and my mother a teacher. My senior year my family moved to Walcott and I graduated from Kindred High School. After earning my doctorate, I returned to North Dakota, accepting a position at Mayville State University. I have lived in Mayville the past twenty-six years. I am married and my wife, Julie, and I have two children who are entering tenth and seventh grade this fall.
Priorities
Education is my profession and education is a key part of my campaign. We can do a better job of supporting K – 12 and higher education. I am appalled by the twenty-one bills the Republican super majority sponsored targeting our transgender children, their bills to ban books, restrict what our teachers can teach, and their opposition to providing school lunches for all our children. When our first child was one year old, we drove 72 miles a day to obtain his childcare. Accessible and affordable childcare remains a pressing concern, not just for our families but also our economic vitality. Additionally, my father-in-law lives in an assisted living facility in the same town we live in. I am concerned about health care for residents of all ages, particularly about affordable quality care for our senior citizens.
Campaign News
Thank you to all who attended this successful parade event on Independence Day!
Endorsements
I am proudly endorsed by the ND AFL-CIO!
ND Legislative District 20
I am a Democratic-NPL candidate for North Dakota Senate in District 20, which includes Traill County, Northwood, Larimore, and Thompson located in Grand Forks County, and parts of Walsh County.
