The underappreciated Senator Dayton
by Leigh Pomeroy
Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton has often been castigated for a lackluster term in office. Part of that has been because of the way he was elected, having spent an enormous sum of his own personal wealth on his campaign. Another part is because Sen. Dayton is essentially a shy man, obviously uncomfortable in public settings and prone to stutter when speaking publicly.
Compared to such Minnesota senatorial icons like Paul Wellstone, Dave Durenberger, Hubert Humphrey and even Eugene McCarthy, he has been a relative wallflower. Even lesser recognized recent Minnesota senators like Rod Grams and Rudy Boschwitz had more personal connection to the public.
Sen. Dayton did not want to run again primarily because he didn't want to go through the personal angst of having to raise the millions of dollars necessary to get re-elected. It wasn't worth it to him, and because of that he has been considered by many a "lame duck" ever since he made his announcement to bow out after only one term.
Sen. Dayton's political skills aside, his voting record will in time be recognized as "ahead of the curve" — even prescient. He was one of only 23 Senators who voted against authorizing the President to go to war in Iraq, for instance, a vote for which he is justifiably proud. Few Minnesotans realize that he came out against the war resolution even before the late Sen. Wellstone, though Wellstone is noted for delivering, in his own inimitable way, the more damning speech against it.
In the last four years of his tenure Dayton seemed to take a back seat to his more PR-savvy junior colleague, Sen. Coleman. Yet in the long run Dayton's record of advocacy and the way he voted on issues will prove closer to the direction in which this country is heading.
No, Sen. Dayton cannot be called flashy. But his ability to see into the future has been impeccable, and for that Minnesota owes him a profound debt of thanks.
Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton has often been castigated for a lackluster term in office. Part of that has been because of the way he was elected, having spent an enormous sum of his own personal wealth on his campaign. Another part is because Sen. Dayton is essentially a shy man, obviously uncomfortable in public settings and prone to stutter when speaking publicly.
Compared to such Minnesota senatorial icons like Paul Wellstone, Dave Durenberger, Hubert Humphrey and even Eugene McCarthy, he has been a relative wallflower. Even lesser recognized recent Minnesota senators like Rod Grams and Rudy Boschwitz had more personal connection to the public.
Sen. Dayton did not want to run again primarily because he didn't want to go through the personal angst of having to raise the millions of dollars necessary to get re-elected. It wasn't worth it to him, and because of that he has been considered by many a "lame duck" ever since he made his announcement to bow out after only one term.
Sen. Dayton's political skills aside, his voting record will in time be recognized as "ahead of the curve" — even prescient. He was one of only 23 Senators who voted against authorizing the President to go to war in Iraq, for instance, a vote for which he is justifiably proud. Few Minnesotans realize that he came out against the war resolution even before the late Sen. Wellstone, though Wellstone is noted for delivering, in his own inimitable way, the more damning speech against it.
In the last four years of his tenure Dayton seemed to take a back seat to his more PR-savvy junior colleague, Sen. Coleman. Yet in the long run Dayton's record of advocacy and the way he voted on issues will prove closer to the direction in which this country is heading.
No, Sen. Dayton cannot be called flashy. But his ability to see into the future has been impeccable, and for that Minnesota owes him a profound debt of thanks.
Labor ally Dayton leaves Senate with no regrets about retiringThe article is here.
By Steve Share
29 December 2006
MINNEAPOLIS - After six years, labor ally Mark Dayton leaves the U.S. Senate just the way he came in: speaking frankly about the issues of the day and independently voting his conscience.
In an exclusive interview with the Labor Review Dec. 13, Dayton thoughtfully answered questions before heading to northern Minnesota for the funeral of a soldier killed in Iraq.
“I’m proud to be one of the 23 Senators who voted against the Iraq war resolution — even though it passed,” Dayton said, recalling that, at the time, 85 percent of the public favored going to war.
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