Dick Day

Richard "Dick" Day
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 26th, 28th, 30th district
In office
1991–2010
Preceded by Mel Frederick
Succeeded by Mike Parry
12th Minnesota Senate Minority Leader
In office
July 9, 1997 – January 2007
Preceded by Dean Johnson
Succeeded by David Senjem
Personal details
Born (1937-03-09) March 9, 1937
Rochester, Minnesota
Political party Republican Party of Minnesota
Spouse(s) Janet
Children 4
Residence Owatonna, Minnesota
Alma mater Winona State College
Profession businessman, salesman, real estate, politician
Religion Catholic

Richard "Dick" Day (born March 9, 1937) is Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate who represented District 26, which includes portions of Dodge, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele and Waseca counties in the southeastern part of the state. A Republican, he was first elected in 1990, and was re-elected in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2006. Prior to redistricting in 1992 and 2002, he represented the old districts 30 and 28.[1]

Background

Day was born on a farm in Rochester, Minnesota, where he graduated from Rochester High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Business Administration from Winona State College, now Winona State University.[2]

Day currently lives in Owatonna, Minnesota where he has worked in printing sales, franchise sales, Director of Franchise Sales and Development for Century 21, a real estate broker, and an IBM Salesman, from which he is now retired. He served on the Owatonna City Council from 1976 to 1980, and was a Steele County commissioner from 1980 to 1988. He is married to wife, Janet, and has four children: Dan, Steve, Debbie and Julie. He is Catholic.[3]

Career in Politics

Minnesota Legislature

Prior to his resignation, Day was a member of the senate's Business, Industry and Jobs Committee, Capital Investment Committee, Finance Committee, State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee, and Transportation Committee. He also served on the Finance Subcommittee for the Transportation Budget and Policy Division, and on the State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Subcommittee for Gaming. He served as minority leader from 1997 to 2007.[4]

2008 Congressional Race

On May 27, 2008, Day entered the Republican primary in Minnesota's 1st congressional district. He lost to Brian J. Davis, a physician who was endorsed by the party, and who went on to lose the general election to incumbent Congressman Tim Walz.[5]

Senate resignation and Racino promotion

On December 8, 2009, Day announced that he was resigning his senate seat effective January 8, 2010, to lobby full-time for slots at the state's two horse-racing tracks, with the thought that some of the proceeds generated by the slots could be used for a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium. Long an outspoken advocate of race track slots, he is now leading the newly formed nonprofit Racino Now, which has already received substantial backing from influential horse owners in the state, and from business and political insiders.[6][7] A special election to fill the seat was held on January 26, 2010, and was won by Republican Mike Parry of Waseca.[8]

Electoral history

References

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