, ▁R ural ▁Econom ies ▁and ▁V eter ans ▁Affairs ▁sub comm ittee ▁for ▁the ▁V eter ans ▁Affairs ▁Division . ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁in ▁voting ▁for ▁a ▁constitution al ▁am end ment ▁to ▁define ▁marriage ▁as ▁between ▁a ▁man ▁and ▁woman . ▁ ▁Minnesota ▁Senate ▁Ko enen ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Senate ▁in ▁a ▁special ▁election ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁seat ▁left ▁vac ant ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Gary ▁Kub ly . ▁He ▁was ▁sw orn ▁in ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁Ko enen ▁ran ▁for ▁re - e lection ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁drawn ▁District ▁ 1 7 ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁defe ating ▁inc umb ent ▁Will mar ▁Republican ▁Joseph ▁G im se . ▁He ▁lost ▁re - e lection ▁to ▁Republican ▁Andrew ▁Lang . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁Minnesota ▁Public ▁Radio ▁V ot etra cker : ▁Rep . ▁L yle ▁Ko enen ▁ ▁Project ▁V otes mart ▁- ▁Rep . ▁L yle ▁Ko enen ▁Profile ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 5 6 ▁birth s ▁Category : L iving ▁people ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁Ch ipp ew a ▁County , ▁Minnesota ▁Category : M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁Category : M inn esota ▁state ▁sen ators ▁Category : M inn esota ▁Democr ats ▁Category : 2 1 st - century ▁American ▁polit icians <0x0A> </s> ▁G