Former U.S. Senator Tim Johnson died in October at the age of 77.
He was my boss from 1997 through 2003. Working for him enabled me to follow my dream to fight for the interests of farmers and ranchers in DC. Working for him instilled lessons pertaining to my job at ACE. Most importantly, working for him, I met my wife.
Tim was an introvert and policy wonk. He was a reluctant campaigner, but never backed down from a challenge.
In fact, Tim was the longest-serving public official in South Dakota history, remarkably never losing a race as a Democrat in a deep red state. Before retiring in 2015, he served two terms in the SD House (1979-1983), two terms in the SD Senate (1983-1987), five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1987-1997) and three terms in the U.S. Senate (1997-2015).
Senator Johnson was one of the first to cosponsor legislation to establish the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). He championed the Small Ethanol Producer Tax Credit and cut ribbons to open ethanol facilities. Coincidently, I used to write his talking points for those ribbon cutting ceremonies.
Tim had a reasonableness lost in today’s politics. While some politicians sought the spotlight, he kept his nose to the grindstone and often quipped “no party has a monopoly on good ideas.” True to form, Senator Johnson successfully teamed up with Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to promote the RFS, Mike Enzi (R-WY) to enact country-of-origin meat labeling, and Ted Stevens (R-AK) to fund rural water projects. As the son of a farmer and cattle rancher, helping Tim accomplish these bipartisan feats was perhaps the most fulfilling thing I have done professionally.
In December of 2003, my wife Sarah and I left DC for South Dakota, where I started at ACE. At the time, Tim joked I would get “bored” working on “just one issue.” In the years that followed, whenever we’d meet, I assured Tim ethanol was anything but boring!
In 2006, Senator Johnson suffered a severe brain hemorrhage. We didn’t expect him to make it. Against all odds and a grueling period of recovery and rehabilitation, Tim proved once again he would not back down. Despite the brain bleed leaving him with speech and mobility challenges, he returned to the Senate and went on to win a third term. Tim lived with these debilitating conditions for 18 years.
Before we were a couple, while serving as staffers for Senator Johnson, Sarah and I were often at odds over positions he ought to take. She covered environmental issues. I handled his agriculture portfolio. Tim wasn’t interested in taking sides. He forged policy solutions benefiting agriculture and the environment.
I try to apply his commonsense in promoting ethanol. It is an eternal gift. So is Sarah by the way
Thank you Tim!