Northfield teacher Kevin Dahle won a Minnesota Senate seat in a special election Jan. 3. When the Legislature convenes next month, Dahle will be the only active teacher in the Senate.

With 12 teachers winning House seats as new members in 2006, that brings to 13 the number of teacher added to the Legislature in the last two years. In total, 21 Education Minnesota members hold legislative seats.

Dahle, a DFLer who also is president of the Northfield Education Association, had major support from other teachers locally as well as from Education Minnesota. Other labor unions added their backing to help Dahle win 55 percent of the vote in District 25. The district previously had been represented by Republican Sen. Tom Neuville. He resigned to take a judgeship.