Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson will be the keynote speaker at the Minnesota Republican Party's April Lincoln-Reagan fundraising dinner.

Johnson is a businessman whose economic message helped him unseat Democrat Russ Feingold in 2010.

"He is exactly the type of citizen legislator we need more of in Washington. He's fighting for economic growth and more jobs and against our country's growing debt," Minnesota GOP chairman Pat Shortridge said in a statement.

Johnson will speak at the Minneapolis Hilton on April 4.

Johnson's appearance will give Minnesota partisans a matched set. The DFL announced last month that Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin would headline their April 20 fundraising dinner.