Ann Johnson Stewart

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Ann Johnson Stewart
Image of Ann Johnson Stewart

Democratic Party

Minnesota State Senate District 45
Tenure

2024 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

0

Predecessor
Prior offices
Minnesota State Senate District 44
Successor: Tou Xiong
Predecessor: Paul Anderson
Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of Wisconsin, Platteville, 1986

Graduate

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 1994

Personal
Birthplace
Port Washington, Wis.
Religion
Christian
Profession
Civil engineer
Contact

Official website

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Ann Johnson Stewart (Democratic Party) is a member of the Minnesota State Senate, representing District 45. She assumed office on November 25, 2024. Her current term ends on January 5, 2027.

Stewart (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the Minnesota State Senate to represent District 45. She won in the special general election on November 5, 2024.

Stewart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Stewart earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Platteville in 1986 and a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota at Twin Cities in 1994.[1][2] Her career experience includes working as a civil engineer, as a teacher at the University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, and owning Professional Engineering Services.[1][2]

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2021-2022

Stewart was assigned to the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2024

See also: Minnesota state legislative special elections, 2024

General election

Special general election for Minnesota State Senate District 45

Ann Johnson Stewart defeated Kathleen Fowke in the special general election for Minnesota State Senate District 45 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ann Johnson Stewart
Ann Johnson Stewart (D) Candidate Connection
 
52.4
 
29,791
Image of Kathleen Fowke
Kathleen Fowke (R) Candidate Connection
 
47.5
 
26,969
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
58

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 56,818
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Special Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 45

Ann Johnson Stewart defeated Emily Reitan and Kyle Meinen in the special Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 45 on August 13, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ann Johnson Stewart
Ann Johnson Stewart Candidate Connection
 
58.9
 
3,701
Image of Emily Reitan
Emily Reitan
 
38.7
 
2,432
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Kyle Meinen
 
2.4
 
148

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 6,281
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Special Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 45

Kathleen Fowke advanced from the special Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 45 on August 13, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Kathleen Fowke
Kathleen Fowke Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
2,574

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,574
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

To view Stewart's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Stewart in this election.

2022

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2022

Ann Johnson Stewart did not file to run for re-election.

2020

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Minnesota State Senate District 44

Ann Johnson Stewart defeated Greg Pulles in the general election for Minnesota State Senate District 44 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ann Johnson Stewart
Ann Johnson Stewart (D) Candidate Connection
 
58.7
 
33,855
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Greg Pulles (R)
 
41.2
 
23,756
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.0
 
25

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 57,636
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 44

Ann Johnson Stewart defeated Zina Alston-Fizer in the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 44 on August 11, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ann Johnson Stewart
Ann Johnson Stewart Candidate Connection
 
76.6
 
9,672
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Zina Alston-Fizer
 
23.4
 
2,956

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 12,628
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 44

Greg Pulles advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 44 on August 11, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Greg Pulles
 
100.0
 
3,946

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,946
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

To view Stewart's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2024

Campaign ads


September 12, 2024


Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia
Released September 12, 2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Ann Johnson Stewart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stewart's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a former state senator, business owner, civil engineer and teacher running for state senate in Senate District 45. I grew up in a large family in Northern Wisconsin and my parents were public school teachers. I earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental and civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. In 1995, I started a small civil engineering consulting business, grew it to employ 35 people, and recently sold it to focus on the upcoming election. I’ve taught both construction management and civil engineering at the University of MN for 30 years. In addition to teaching, my passion is workforce development; I’ve mentored and taught BIPOC men and women in both the construction trades and civil design. As a senator, I hope to return to the Bonding and the Transportation Policy committees to continue work on supporting and growing Minnesota's infrastructure. My husband and I live in Minnetonka with our 2 dogs; our 4 grown children all graduated from Wayzata Public Schools. My 3 grandkids live nearby and also attend a Wayzata Public school, where I love to volunteer!
  • It is critical that we protect our freedoms, including reproductive freedoms, and our democracy
  • Every one of our students deserve the opportunity to go to a great, well-funded public school and get the best education in the country
  • We need to invest in our communities, in our infrastructure and clean water, and in public safety
The list is endless, but my background as a civil engineer means that I truly appreciate talking about infrastructure, planning, and how we build and maintain safe and livable communities
Hard work, compassion, good listening skills, commitment, curiosity, and grit
As the first civil engineer to serve in the MN Senate, I brought special expertise and insight into the trillions of dollars of infrastructure assets the state owns. My experience as a construction engineer overseeing the plans, budgets and building of roads, bridges, stadiums, drinking and wastewater systems, and public buildings has developed my skills as a negotiator and advocate of public funds. I know what it takes to build and maintain these systems, and my skills as a teacher have been valuable in communicating to users and policy makers about the critical need to maintain them. This unique skill will help greatly as a member of the Bonding and Transportation committees.

As a successful business owner, I learned how to manage budgets, payrolls, employees, and growth opportunities. I grew my business to employ 35 people before I sold it, and learned a great deal about the issues facing small businesses which will be helpful in shaping legislation.

I am also a skilled mentor and teacher. I know how to create and implement workforce development programs and have worked with countless business owners and adults who are working to succeed in the highway design and construction industry. I'll use these qualities as I look to create opportunities for growing our state's skilled workforce.
The core responsibilities are to spend time in the community, to listen to constituents, to do your homework around bills and the issues before your committees, and to vote in ways you believe will better the lives of the people you serve.
There is separation of course, but I would like to work closely with the governor, communicate about shared priorities and critical issues for our district, and partner on improving the lives of Minnesotans.
Yes, definitely. The work of the legislature is best done collaboratively. We cannot write good legislation or approach complicated budget issues alone, and we do our best work with others, in partnership, and with the benefit of not just multiple perspectives but also the challenge of ensuring we are going to do right by people all over the state. The only way to do that is by spending time together and building trust.
No. I am passionate about the work of the MN State Legislature and believe that is where I can do the most good for Minnesotans.
I am proud to have the support of Labor Unions, GenderJustice, Pro-Choice Minnesota, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, and so many more. You can see my other endorsements here: https://annjohnsonstewart.com/endorsements/
I would like to serve on the Capital Investment (Bonding) and Transportation Committees. I also would love to return to the Jobs committee.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Candidate Connection

Ann Johnson Stewart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stewart's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

By trade, I'm a civil engineer. I started a successful business in my basement over two decades ago, which is now a flourishing enterprise with 15 employees. Our work has created opportunities for veterans, minorities, and people wishing to change careers. I understand the importance of government-supported infrastructure funding, and my company has worked successfully with townships, cities, counties, and the state to build publicly-funded roads, bridges, and buildings. We need an engineer like me at the Capitol who can educate fellow legislators about infrastructure issues. I'm also a teacher. For over 20 years, I've taught at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and local technical colleges, and have created and taught classes to maintenance workers, engineers, tradespeople, and managers. Many of my older students take my classes to gain knowledge and skills that enable them to move up and expand their abilities and roles within their current jobs. I've developed workforce training that aims to provide jobs for minorities and allow contractors to meet the female- and minority-participation goals the federal government sets for public work. Each of these experiences gives me insight into changes around education, workforce development, and post-secondary training that I will work to effect as a Senator.
  • We need to repair our failing roads and bridges, and we must decrease costly congestion by investing in public transportation and innovative traffic management strategies.
  • We need to take dramatic action to combat the threat of climate change, and invest in renewable, clean energy sources.
  • At a minimum, we must pass the common-sense measures of universal background checks and "red flag" laws to ensure greater safety from gun violence.
Infrastructure, education, environment, workforce issues, and public safety.
My first political experience was volunteering for Paul Welstone. I loved how relatable he was, and how much he cared about the people he served. He took time to really talk to people about issues. He was passionate, and I enjoyed his energy.
I love the movie "Good Will Hunting" because it illustrates the benefits of privelege and the barriers that exist for many. It shows that education can help a person achieve success, but that we all need help. Some people need much more than others, and I think government should provide some of that help.
honesty and authenticity.
I am honest, authentic and smart.
Researching the issues and creating legislation that is fair and practical.
Doing my best to make a better world and safer environment for my grandchildren.
The moon landing happened just before my 5th birthday in July of 1969. I remember that, because my grandparents came over and we had birthday cake (for me) and watched the moon landing.
My very first job out of college was as a civil engineer with HNTB, one of the largest engineering firms in the country. I initially was hired to work in the environmental department, on the sanitary/storm sewer separation project for the metro area. I worked for them only two months, and was asked to serve as the "Resident Engineer" on the Benson Municipal Airport construction project. That took me to Benson, MN for the next two years. I served as the on-site representative for the Owner, making sure that the contractor built the work with the materials and methods specified. I loved that work, and when the project was complete I continued to work in airport construction at HNTB for a total of 5.5 years. I was trying to complete my master's degree in civil engineering, but was unable to complete the work while working the long hours required for construction. So, in 1991, I left HNTB to work at Braun Intertec and focus on my graduate degree in pavement engineering and the FHWA Strategic Highway Research Program for the next three years.
One is controlled by the DFL and one by the GOP. I have met with many current senators in the last six months, and have enjoyed getting to know the process by which the MN Senate works.
It is beneficial but not required. I am certain that I will get the education and training I need when elected.
Recovering financially from the COVID pandemic.
The governor and legislature should have a positive and collaborative relationship, regardless of party leadership.
Yes, of course. Relationships are a key factor in getting work done, whether it's governing or building roads. I have worked in heavy/highway construction for over 30 years. A project doesn't get built unless everyone cooperates and optimizes each member's strengths. When doing any work, conflicts and challenges arise. Resolving conflicts is so much easier when positive relationships between people exist.
YES! In order: 1. Transportation Finance and Policy, 2. Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee, and 3. Higher Education Finance and Policy
I want to work towards adequate funding of road and bridge construction and maintenance, and want to see MN lead in the area of reducing climate change. I have taught post-secondary education for the last 27 years, and am passionate about workforce development and high ed.
Not yet. I am trying to get elected first.
Steve Cwodzinski has been a role model for me, because he is also a teacher and has the high energy and extroversion that allows him to talk to many people, regardless of their position. I also admire Ann Rest, who has taught me a lot about taxes and finances, and has been a serious, effective legislator for years.
no
I have heard many from the disabled community talk about how difficult it is for those with special needs to get jobs that pay living wages. Their benefits are often tied to their assets, and earning too much money prevents them from getting some health and therapy services. I would like to change that, so that all people can work to the limits of their abilities without concern for health care.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.


Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Ann Johnson Stewart campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Minnesota State Senate District 45Won general$463,815 $296,046
2020Minnesota State Senate District 44Won general$263,987 N/A**
Grand total$727,802 $296,046
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Minnesota

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Minnesota scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.













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External links

Candidate

Minnesota State Senate District 45
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    Officeholder

    Minnesota State Senate District 45
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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Minnesota State Senate, "Senator Ann M. Johnson Stewart (44, DFL)," accessed January 21, 2021
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 4, 2020

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    Kelly Morrison (D)     		Minnesota State Senate District 45
    2024-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    Paul Anderson (R)     		Minnesota State Senate District 44
    2021-2023    		 Succeeded by
    Tou Xiong (D)


    Current members of the Minnesota State Senate
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    Majority Leader:Erin Murphy
    Minority Leader:Mark Johnson
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