Gov. Dayton appoints Rep. Paul Thissen to MN Supreme Court

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Gov. Mark Dayton announced Tuesday he is has appointed state Rep. Paul Thissen to the Minnesota Supreme Court. 

The former DFL Speaker of the House will replace Justice David Straus, who was confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals. 

Thissen had been running for governor, but he abandoned his campaign after showing poorly in the gubernatorial straw poll during the February caucuses. 

“I am now ready to move from policy making to interpreting the law," Thissen said on Tuesday. 

Thissen has 25 years of legal experience. Dayton described him as “one of the sharpest legal minds in our state.” 

Thissen has represented south Minneapolis in the state Legislature since 2003. He will resign from the House on Friday and will not participate in any votes this week. Dayton will not call a special election to fill his seat. Instead, voters will elect his replacement in November.