Former House Dem leader lands Minnesota judgeship

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Former Minnesota House Minority Leader Tom Pugh is headed for the judicial branch.

Gov. Mark Dayton has named the former Democratic lawmaker a judge for a district covering Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, LeSueur, McLeod, Scott and Sibley counties.

Pugh served in the Legislature from 1989 to 2004, and was the top Democrat for four of those years.

He resigned his seat in 2004 after securing an appointment from then-Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty to the Public Utilities Commission.

Pugh, currently an attorney in private practice, replaces Judge Thomas Poch, who retired.