# Val Bjornson *American writer, newspaper editor and Minnesota politician (1906–1987)* Kristjan Valdimar "Val" Bjornson (August 29, 1906 – March 10, 1987) was a writer, newspaper editor and politician who held the office of state treasurer of [[Minnesota]] for more than twenty years.[^1] He was a native of [[Minneota, Minnesota]], and his family was of Icelandic descent.[^1] In 1954 Bjornson was the Republican nominee for the [[United States Senate]] and was defeated by [[Hubert Humphrey]].[^1] Before that, he had been a part owner of a newspaper in his home town and an associate editor of the [[St. Paul Pioneer Press]].[^1] ## Early life and education Bjornson was born in Minneota to a family of Icelandic descent.[^1] In addition to English, he spoke Icelandic, Finnish, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian fluently.[^1] He attended the [[University of Minnesota]].[^1] ## Military service Bjornson served in naval intelligence in World War II and was posted to Iceland.[^1] ## Journalism Bjornson held a part-ownership stake in the *Minneota Mascot*.[^1] He also worked as an associate editor of the *St. Paul Pioneer Press*.[^1] ## Politics Bjornson was the Republican nominee for the Senate in 1954 and lost the race to Humphrey.[^1] During the campaign the two men sometimes travelled around the state in the same car.[^1] Bjornson was state treasurer of Minnesota for more than twenty years.[^1] The cited source does not give the years of his tenure as treasurer or the elections by which he held that office.[^1] ## Death and legacy Bjornson died on March 10, 1987, in [[Minneapolis]].[^1] The University of Minnesota and the University of Iceland jointly offer a student exchange scholarship that bears his name.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Kristjan Valdimar "Val" Bjornson, writer, newspaper editor and politician.[^1] ### What - State treasurer of Minnesota for more than two decades. The source gives no dates for the tenure.[^1] - Republican nominee for the United States Senate in 1954.[^1] ### When - Born August 29, 1906.[^1] - 1954: Senate campaign; lost to Hubert Humphrey.[^1] - Died March 10, 1987.[^1] ### Where - Born in Minneota, Minnesota; died in Minneapolis.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Val Bjornson* (revision 1380350717, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Bjornson's birth, ancestry, languages, naval service, newspaper work, 1954 Senate candidacy, tenure as state treasurer, death and scholarship. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_Bjornson