National Education Association (NEA)

150px
Founded	1857
Members	3.2 million (2006) [1]
Country	United States
Affiliation	EI
Key people	Henry Walchester, president
Office location	Washington, D.C.
Website	nea.org

The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States,^[2][3] representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become teachers. The NEA has 3.2 million members and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. With affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the nation, it employs over 550 staff and had a budget of more than $307 million for the 2006–2007 fiscal year. Dennis Van Roekel is the NEA's current president.

NEA, which describes itself as a professional employee organization,^[2] is incorporated as a professional association in a few states and as a labor union in most. The group holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code. It is not a member of the AFL-CIO, but is part of Education International, the global federation of teachers' unions. The NEA is a major funder of liberal organizations and the Democratic Party, and has been frequently criticized for opposition to some types of education reform.^[3]

Mission[link]

The stated mission of the National Education Association is "to advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world,"^[4] as well as concerning itself with the wage and working condition issues common to other labor unions.

The NEA is a volunteer-based organization that relies upon its members to perform much of the Association's work. In turn, the members are supported by a network of staff at the local, state, and national levels. The stated goal of NEA's work is encapsulated in its vision: "building great public schools for every student."^[2]

At the local level, affiliates perform a variety of activities (as determined by the local members), which may range from raising funds for scholarship programs to conducting professional workshops on issues that affect faculty and school support staff to bargaining contracts for school district employees.^[5]

The activities of NEA state affiliates are equally wide-ranging. State affiliates regularly lobby state legislators for funding and other resources; they seek to influence education policy; they campaign for higher professional standards for educators and support professionals; and, they file legal actions to protect academic freedom and the rights of school employees.^[5] The extent to which the NEA and its state and local affiliates engage in political activities, especially during election cycles has, however, been a source of controversy.^[6][7][8] From 1989 to 2010 the NEA has spent approximately 36 million dollars on lobbying efforts according to the Center for Responsive Politics.^[9]

At the national level, the NEA lobbies the United States Congress and federal agencies on behalf of its members and public schools, works with other education organizations and friends of public education, provides training and assistance to its affiliates, and generally conducts activities consistent with the policies set by its elected governing bodies.^[5]

Structure and governance[link]

NEA's 3.2 million members are served by 14,000 local affiliates (including some 800 higher education affiliates), 51 state-level affiliates (50 state associations and the Federal Education Association), and roughly 555 staff members working at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and in regional offices.^[10]

Representative Assembly[link]

NEA members themselves set Association policy, most notably through the Representative Assembly or "RA." The RA—a delegation comprising elected representatives from each local and state affiliate, coalitions of student members and retired members, and other segments of the united education profession—is the primary legislative and policymaking body of the Association. The RA meets annually the first week of July to adopt a strategic plan and budget, make resolutions, and develop other policies that guide the work of the Association. Those delegates with full voting rights also elect the executive officers, Executive Committee members, and at-large members of the NEA Board of Directors as appropriate. The RA is the largest democratic deliberative assembly in the world and adheres to Roberts Rules of Order.^[11]

Executive Officers, Board of Directors and Executive Committee[link]

The executive officers of the Association are Dennis Van Roekel, President; Lily Eskelsen, Vice President; and, Rebecca Pringle, Secretary-Treasurer. These three posts are elected by the Representative Assembly.^[11]

The Board of Directors and Executive Committee are responsible for the general policies and interests of the Association, and are subject to policies established by the Representative Assembly. The Board of Directors consists of one director from each state affiliate (plus an additional director for every 20,000 active members in the state), six directors for the Retired members, and three directors for the Student members. The Board also includes at-large representatives of ethnic minorities, administrators, classroom teachers in higher education, and active members employed in educational support positions. The Executive Committee consists of nine members: the three executive officers and six members elected at large by delegates to the Representative Assembly. The executive officers and other members of the Executive Committee are ex officio members of the Board of Directors.^[12]

History[link]

Early history[link]

Prior to the NEA's founding, teachers had formed professional associations in 15 individual states, but there was no cohesive national association uniting them. That changed in 1857 when Thomas W. Valentine, president of the New York State Teachers Association, issued a nation-wide invitation to teachers to unite behind a common voice for America's growing public school system. The National Teachers Association (NTA) was born. Initial membership was close to 100.^[13]

Even though minority educators were able to join the Association from the start, women were barred from joining until 1866.^[14] Over the ensuing decades the Association became a leading voice in the national movement for women's rights. It elected its first female president, Ella Flagg Young, in 1910, a decade before Congress granted voting rights to women.^[15]

NTA became the National Education Association (NEA) in 1870 when it merged with the American Normal School Association, the National Association of School Superintendents, and the Central College Association.^[16]

In 1898, the NEA backed the English spelling reform movement and adopted a list of 12 reformed spellings to be used immediately. These were: though→tho, although→altho, thorough→thoro, thoroughfare→thorofare, through→thru, throughout→thruout, catalogue→catalog, decalogue→decalog, demagogue→demagog, pedagogue→pedagog, prologue→prolog, programme→program.^[17]

It was chartered by Congress in 1906.

On its 100th birthday in 1957, NEA had over 700,000 members.^[18]

NEA-ATA merger[link]

NEA merged officially with the American Teachers Association, the historically Black teachers association originally founded as the National Association of Teachers in Colored Schools (NATCS), in 1966. Mutual interests had fostered a close working relationship between the two organizations over several decades before that.^[19]

In 1926 the two organizations formed a Joint Committee of members of both organizations that was tasked with studying the lack of accreditation of Black high schools, which blocked Black students from acceptance in many colleges and universities.^[18] Eventually, the Committee garnered evaluation and accreditation for Black high schools. It also advocated for equal school funding, collected data on the status of Black education, and promoted fair treatment of Blacks in textbooks while pressuring publishers to do so.^[20]

Although racial segregation in public schools was still the norm, NEA advocated for change. In the 1940s, the Association had refused to hold Representative Assemblies in cities that discriminated against delegates based on race. It had also affiliated with 18 Black teacher's associations in states where Black teachers were prohibited from joining White organizations.^[21]

Finally, in 1966, after more than 20 years of collaboration, cooperation and planning, NEA and ATA agreed to a merger at the RA in Miami Beach, Fla.

NEA-AFT partnership[link]

In 1998, a tentative agreement to merge was reached between NEA and American Federation of Teachers negotiators, but ratification failed soundly in the NEA's Representative Assembly meeting in New Orleans in early July 1998.^[22] However, four NEA state affiliates have merged with their AFT counterparts. Mergers occurred in Florida (the Florida Education Association formed in 1998); Minnesota (Education Minnesota formed in 1998), Montana (MEA-MFT formed in 2000), and New York (New York State United Teachers formed in 2006).

Further, NEA and AFT continue to cooperate and work towards common goals through the "NEAFT Partnership." This Partnership leaves each organization free to differ and to conduct work separately and independently, but enables the two groups to collaborate at every level of each organization.^[23]

Recent growth[link]

Before the 1960s, only a small portion of public school teachers were unionized.^[24] But that began to change when, in 1959, Wisconsin became the first state to pass a collective bargaining law for public employees. Over the next 20 years, most other states adopted similar laws. The passage of these laws had a significant impact on NEA, which began to serve members as a labor union, in addition to serving members as a professional association. Passage of these new labor laws, along with NEA's new role as a labor union, helped NEA membership grow from 766,000 in 1961 ^[24] to roughly 3.2 million today.

In the 1960s, the NEA's demographics were changing. This was due the merger with ATA and the decision to become a true labor union, among other factors.^[25] In 1967, the NEA elected its first Hispanic president Braulio Alonso. In 1968, NEA elected its first Black president, Elizabeth Duncan Koontz.^[26]

In 2006, the NEA and the AFL-CIO also announced that, for the first time, stand-alone NEA locals as well as those that had merged with the AFT would be allowed to join state and local labor federations affiliated with the AFL-CIO.^[27]

In 2007, at the 150th anniversary of its founding, NEA membership had grown to 3.2 million.

Recent NEA Presidents[link]

• 1983—1989 Mary Hatwood Futrell
• 1989—1996 Keith Geiger
• 1996—2002 Bob Chase
• 2002—2008 Reg Weaver
• 2008–present Dennis Van Roekel^[28]

Funding[link]

Most NEA funding comes from dues paid by its members ($295 million in dues from a $341 million total budget in 2005).^[29] Typically, local chapters negotiate a contract with automatic deduction of dues from members' paychecks. Part of the dues remain with the local affiliate (the district association), part will go to the state association, and part will move on to the national association. Although dues moves through the state and national associations, a large portion typically comes back to the local chapters through grants.

Federal law prohibits unions from using dues money or other assets to contribute to or otherwise assist federal candidates or political parties, in accordance with their tax-exempt status. The NEA Fund for Children and Public Education is a special fund for voluntary contributions from NEA members which can legally be used to assist candidates and political parties. Critics have repeatedly questioned the NEA's actual compliance with such laws, and a number of legal actions focusing on the union's use of money and union personnel in partisan contexts have ensued.^[30]

Issues important to NEA[link]

Reforming No Child Left Behind (NCLB) /Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) ^[31]

Increasing education funding ^[32]

Discouraging merit pay ^[33]

Minority Community Outreach ^[34]

Dropout prevention ^[35]

Lowering the achievement gap ^[36]

Priority Schools Campaign ^[37]

Reforming Social Security Offsets (GPO/WEP) ^[38]

Discouraging school vouchers and all forms of school competition ^[39]

Reforming laws governing charter schools ^[40]

Political activities[link]

The National Education Association headquarters located at 1201 16th Street, N.W., in downtown Washington, D.C.

NEA has played a role in politics since its founding, as it has sought to influence state and federal laws that would have an impact on public education. Every political position adopted by NEA was brought by one of its members to the annual Representative Assembly, where it was considered on the floor, debated, and voted on by elected delegates.

The organization tracks legislation related to education and the teaching profession and encourages members to get involved in politics through a comprehensive Legislative Action Center on its website.

• 1912: NEA endorses Women's Suffrage
• 1919: NEA members in New Jersey lead the way to the nation's first state pension; by 1945, every state had a pension plan in effect
• 1941: NEA successfully lobbied Congress for special funding for public schools near military bases
• 1945: NEA lobbied for the G.I. Bill of Rights to help returning soldiers continue their education
• 1958: NEA helps gain passage of the National Defense Education Act
• 1964: NEA lobbies to pass the Civil Rights Act
• 1968: NEA leads an effort to establish the Bilingual Education Act
• 1974: NEA backs a case heard before the U.S. Supreme Court that proposes to make unlawful the firing of pregnant teachers or forced maternity leave
• 1984: NEA fights for and wins passage of a federal retirement equity law that provides the means to end sex discrimination against women in retirement funds
• 2000s: NEA has lobbied for changes to the No Child Left Behind Act
• 2009: NEA delegates to the Representative Assembly pass a resolution that opposes the discriminatory treatment of same-sex couples.^[41]

In recent decades the NEA has increased its visibility in party politics, endorsing more Democratic Party candidates and contributing funds and other assistance to political campaigns. The NEA asserts itself as "non-partisan", but critics point out that the NEA has endorsed and provided support for every Democratic Party presidential nominee from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama and has never endorsed any Republican or third party candidate for the presidency.^[42][43] However, NEA has endorsed and supported Republican political candidates for Congressional and Gubernatorial offices. In 2006, NEA funded over 300 candidates, a list which included Democrats, Republicans and Independents, such as Mike Simpson, Richard Lugar, Olympia Snowe, Jim Gerlach, John M. McHugh and Bernard Sanders, among others.

Based on required filings with the federal government, it is estimated that between 1990 and 2002 eighty percent of the NEA's substantial political contributions went to Democratic Party candidates.^{[citation needed]} Although this has been questioned as being out of balance with the more diverse political views of the broader membership,^[44] the NEA maintains that it bases support for candidates primarily on the organization's interpretation of candidates' support for public education and educators. Every Presidential candidate endorsed by NEA must be approved by majority vote among the members themselves at NEA's annual Representative Assembly.

Others benefitting from NEA funding, according to the most recent filings, include Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Center for American Progress, Media Matters for America, National Council of La Raza, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Amnesty International, the now-defunct ACORN,^[45] and AIDS Walk Washington.^[8]

The NEA is a leading member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a Washington D.C.-based coalition of over 400 major companies and NGOs that advocates for a larger International Affairs Budget, which funds American diplomatic and development efforts abroad.^[46]

Criticism[link]

Substantial criticism has been leveled against the NEA and other teachers unions for allegedly putting the interests of teachers ahead of students and for consistently opposing changes that critics claim would help students but harm union interests.^[24] The NEA has often opposed measures such as merit pay, school vouchers, weakening of teacher tenure, certain curricular changes, the No Child Left Behind Act, and many accountability reforms. In a 1999 interview, conservative commentator Pat Buchanan said that "ever since the judges have gotten heavily into education, and the National Education Association has gotten into control of that Department of Education, test scores go down, there’s violence in classroom, things are going wrong". David Frum has correlated the drop in student achievement since the 1960s with a simultaneous increase in teacher pay and recruitment of less-qualified teachers, beginning in the 1970s.^[47] Frum writes: "The inept and lazy gained a huge new increment of job security. Assignments would be distributed by seniority, rather than skill."^[47]

Apple Inc. CEO, Steve Jobs, has criticized the NEA and other teacher unions for its lack of support for voucher programs, merit pay, and the removal of bad teachers. On February 17, 2007 at an education reform conference in Texas, Jobs said, "What kind of person could you get to run a small business if you told them that when they came in they couldn’t get rid of people that they thought weren’t any good?”^[48]

With the recent scrutiny placed on teacher misconduct, regarding specifically sexual abuse, the NEA has been criticized for its failure to crack down on abusive teachers. From an AP investigation, former NEA President Reg Weaver commented, "Students must be protected from sexual predators and abuse, and teachers must be protected from false accusations." He then refused to be interviewed.^[49] The Associated Press reported that much of the resistance to report the problem comes from "where fellow teachers look away," and "School administrators make behind-the-scenes deals."^[49]

Also criticized is the NEA's alleged "goal of changing public opinion on homosexuality, starting with the youngest generation,"^[50] according to a former chairman of the NEA Ex-Gay Educators Caucus.^[51][52][53] Some critics believe the NEA promotes a gay rights agenda, especially since the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals 2005 case Fields v. Palmdale School District.^{[citation needed]} The court in that case ruled that parents' fundamental right to control the upbringing of their children "does not extend beyond the threshold of the school door," and that a public school has the right to provide its students with "whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual or otherwise."^[54] NEA states that it does not “encourage schools to teach students to become gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered (GLBT),” but the Association does believe that schools should be safe for all students and advocates that schools should raise awareness of homophobia and intervene when GLBT students are harassed."^[10]

NEA has come under fire for taking advantage of laws in some states that compel, under certain conditions, membership in the association. In a case brought before the U.S. Supreme Court (Davenport v. Washington Education Association) on behalf of 4,000 Washington State teachers who are not NEA members but are nonetheless forced to pay NEA dues, the Court partially addressed the issue of collection and use of dues by unions such as the NEA.^[55]

The leading critic of NEA from the left is Dr Rich Gibson, whose article on the NEA-AFT merger convention in Cultural Logic outlines a critique of unionism itself.^[56]

Controversy[link]

Florida affiliate, FEA, has seen a number of scandals. In March 2001, a secretary in the Port Charlotte, Florida embezzled $66,000. In October of the same year, long-time Broward Teachers Union president Tony Gentile was arrested on child pornography charges. The local union paid him a golden parachute valued at $140,000. In February 2003, $40,000 was embezzled from the St. Lucie County Classroom Teachers Association. And in April 2003, the FBI and Miami police raided the headquarters of the United Teachers of Dade after receiving a tip that president Pat Tornillo had embezzled or misspent millions of dollars in union dues. Critics charge that the scandals are symbolic of deeper organizational biases and problems within NEA .Tornillo was eventually convicted, forced to sell most of his homes, and reimburse his local union. He served a two year prison term. The financial problems stemming from his actions nearly bankrupted UTD. ^[57]

The NEA was criticized in August 2002 for the appearance of a lesson plan on the website, originally reported by the Washington Times, that encouraged teachers to remove all references to Muslim terrorists in lesson plans for September 11th Attacks. One of the lesson plans, compiled together under the title "Remember September 11" and appearing on NEA's Health Information Network Website (www.neahin.org)-- suggested that teachers discuss "historical instances of American intolerance" and cites the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II as an example.^[58] The American Federation of Teachers spokesperson commented on the plan saying, "[The AFT] disagrees with the lesson plans found on the NEA Website. The AFT does not support a blame-America approach in particular and wishes to distance itself from the entire document." ^[58] Critics cited the controversy as an example of a political agenda and indoctrination by the NEA until it was ultimately removed from the website.^[59]

On October 1, 2008 the Virginia NEA affiliate president Kitty Boitnott was caught emailing teachers encouraging them to dress up on "Obama Blue Day" and "to sway John McCain supporters."^[60] Residents criticized the move saying, "They should teach students how to think, not what to think."^[61] while Virginian Republicans criticized the attempt to sway students of voting age saying, "[schools] are a completely inappropriate place for teachers or education staff to be politicking on behalf of any candidate. Parents send their kids to school to get a bipartisan education."^[62] Boitnott later admitted the letter was inappropriate.^[61]

See also[link]

Organized labour portal

• List of education trade unions - includes NEA state affiliates

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Moe, Terry M. Special Interest: Teachers Unions and America's Public Schools (Brookings Institution Press; 2011) 513 pages; argues that teachers' unions cause serious problems with education in the U.S. and contribute to the slowness of reform.
• Murphy, Marjorie. Blackboard Unions: The AFT and the NEA, 1900-1980. (Cornell University Press, 1991). ISBN 0-8014-2365-1

External links[link]

• National Education Association Web site
• NEA Fund for Children and the Public
• "National Education Association." Infoplease. Based on Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed., 2007.
• NEA Accountability Project. Landmark Legal Foundation. No date.
• Mike Antonucci's education blog
• Learning for a Cause, non-profit Canadian educational organization promoting the arts in education.
• American Federation of Teachers Web site
• One Hat for Labor? by David Moberg, The Nation, April 29, 2009

Mark Dayton
40th Governor of Minnesota
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Lieutenant	Yvonne Prettner Solon
Preceded by	Tim Pawlenty
United States Senator from Minnesota
In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2007
Preceded by	Rod Grams
Succeeded by	Amy Klobuchar
15th Auditor of Minnesota
In office January 7, 1991 – January 3, 1995
Governor	Arne Carlson
Preceded by	Arne Carlson
Succeeded by	Judi Dutcher
Personal details
Born	(1947-01-26) January 26, 1947 (age 65) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Democratic Party
Residence	Governor's Residence
Alma mater	Yale University
Religion	Presbyterianism
Website	Official website Personal website

Mark Brandt Dayton (born January 26, 1947) is an American politician, the 40th and current Governor of the state of Minnesota.^[1] Dayton previously served as United States Senator from Minnesota from 2001 to 2007 in the 107th, 108th, and 109th Congresses. A member of the Minnesota DFL Party, Dayton was Minnesota State Auditor from 1991 to 1995.

Dayton was the DFL nominee in the November 2010 gubernatorial election. He defeated the Republican Party of Minnesota nominee Tom Emmer and Independence Party of Minnesota nominee Tom Horner in the general election, and took office on January 3, 2011.

Personal background[link]

Dayton was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Gwendolen May (née Brandt) and Bruce Bliss Dayton.^[2] He is a great-grandson of businessman George Dayton. Dayton grew up in Long Lake, Minnesota. He attended Long Lake Elementary School (now closed) and The Blake School in Hopkins, from which he graduated in 1965.

In 1969, he graduated cum laude from Yale University, where he played goalie for the varsity hockey team. He also joined Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, whose membership at the time included George W. Bush. Dayton worked as a teacher for two years in New York City, and then as chief financial officer of a social service agency in Boston, Massachusetts.^[3] Dayton served as a legislative assistant to Senator Walter Mondale. He ran for the United States Senate in 1982, losing to Republican incumbent David Durenberger.

He was elected Minnesota State Auditor in 1990 and served from 1991 to 1995. Dayton sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 1998, but was defeated by Skip Humphrey.^[4] He was elected to the United States Senate in 2000, defeating Republican incumbent Rod Grams. Dayton's first wife, Alida Rockefeller Messinger, to whom he was married from 1978 to 1986, is the sister of U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller. Dayton and his second wife, Janice Haarstick, divorced in 1999.

Dayton has two sons from his first marriage. He is a recovering alcoholic and has been treated for mild depression.^[5] Dayton revealed this information on his own initiative, saying he felt "people have the right to know."^[5]

U.S. Senate[link]

Dayton campaigning with Walter Mondale during his first run for the Senate in 1982.

Dayton, an heir to the Dayton's Department Store fortune, financed his 2000 Senate campaign with $2.76 million of his own money.^[6]

While in the Senate, Dayton generally voted with his fellow Democrats.^[7] He opposed tax cuts and the invasion of Iraq, and supported increased Medicare prescription-drug coverage for seniors and use of ethanol and biodiesel fuels. He served on four Senate committees: Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Armed Services; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Rules and Administration.^[8] With Sen. Joe Lieberman and Rep. Barney Frank, Dayton introduced legislation to the Governmental Affairs Committee to extend to domestic partners of federal employees all “benefits available and obligations imposed upon a spouse of an employee.”^[9]

On February 9, 2005, he announced that he would not run for re-election, stating, "Everything I've worked for, and everything I believe in, depends upon this Senate seat remaining in the Democratic caucus in 2007. I do not believe that I am the best candidate to lead the DFL Party to victory next year." He also cited his dislike of fundraising for political campaigns.^[10] Dayton was succeeded in the Senate by Amy Klobuchar, another DFLer.

On September 22, 2005, the 44th anniversary of the day President John F. Kennedy signed the Peace Corps into law, Dayton became the first U.S. senator to introduce legislation creating a cabinet-level Department of Peace. At the same time, similar legislation was introduced in the House by Congressman Dennis Kucinich.^[8]

In April 2006, Dayton was rated one of America's "Five Worst Senators"^[11] by Time magazine, which also labeled him "The Blunderer" for such "erratic behavior" as his temporary closure of his office in 2004 because of an unspecified terrorist threat, his complaints about "limited power in a chamber where authority derives from seniority," and his comments in February 2005 that the Mayo Clinic in Rochester was "worth a hell of a lot more than the whole state of South Dakota", a remark for which he later apologized.

In September 2006, Dayton requested a review of the Rogers, Minnesota tornado^[12] to determine whether the National Weather Service had acted properly and the deaths were unavoidable.^[13]

News reports of a Dayton question-and-answer session quote the senator as giving himself a "F" grade for his time in the Senate. Largely based on his Washington behavior, the New Republic dubbed Dayton's subsequent run for state-level elected office, "Eeyore For Governor."^[14]

Political positions[link]

As a member of the Democratic Party, Dayton's political positions have generally been in line with modern liberalism in the United States. He is pro-choice and opposes federal restrictions on funding for elective abortion, supports LGBT rights and same-sex marriage, favors federal social services such as Social Security and universal health care, and is critical of the Iraq War.

Dayton supports health-care coverage for all Americans, with increased state and federal spending on health care.^[15][16] He is in favor of a progressive tax to decrease state and federal deficits.^[17][18][19] To help create new jobs, he proposed a state stimulus package as part of his gubernatorial platform.^[20] He supports increased funding for K-12 schools, with increased teachers' salaries and decreased class size.^[21]

In July 2000, Dayton answered an election questionnaire saying he would expand Medicare prescription-drug coverage.^[22] He favors keeping Social Security intact, and opposes privatization of Social Security. He received a 90% rating by the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), indicating a pro-senior record.^[23]

Dayton voted against a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage in June 2006, and supported civil marriage equality in his gubernatorial platform.^[18][24]

Dayton has stated support for "green" energy and a state pollution reduction agency. He received a 79% rating from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), indicating pro-environment values.^[18][25]

In October 2002, Dayton voted no on the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq.^[18] He followed up three years later by introducing Senate Bill 1756 to create a cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence a week after Dennis Kucinich introduced a similar bill in the House. The bill never emerged from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.^[26]

Dayton received 100% ratings from Americans for Democratic Action (a liberal group), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL).,^[27] and the AFL-CIO.^[18] He scored a 9% conservative rating from the conservative group SBE Council.^[28]

[edit] Dayton v. Hanson

In the 2003 lawsuit Office of Senator Mark Dayton v. Brad Hanson, at issue was the question of wrongful termination. The circumstances of the case were as follows: Brad Hanson worked as State Office Manager for Dayton. Hanson took medical leave for a heart problem and Senator Dayton fired him shortly thereafter. Hanson sued under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, claiming that Dayton had discriminated against him because of a perceived disability. Dayton argued that he was immunized from the suit by the "Speech or Debate Clause" of the United States Constitution. (The clause protects lawmakers from having legislative work questioned by courts.)^[29] Dayton claimed that Hanson's duties were directly related to Dayton's legislative functions, and that the decision to fire him could thus not be challenged. The District Court denied the motion. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, where oral arguments were heard on April 24, 2007. At issue in the case was whether a U.S. Senator can be sued for wrongful termination or if such legal actions are barred by the Constitution's "speech or debate" clause, which protects lawmakers from having legislative work questioned by courts. The Supreme Court ruled 8 to 0 that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the appeal and dismissed the case, declining to grant certiorari.^[30][31] Dayton reached a settlement with Hanson in 2009, shortly after Dayton became a candidate for governor.^[32]

2010 gubernatorial campaign[link]

Dayton as a candidate for governor in 2009

On January 16, 2009, Dayton announced his candidacy for governor of Minnesota.^[33] He faced a field of DFL Party challengers in the August 2010 primary election. He chose to bypass the state caucuses and convention in favor of the primary election, closer to the general election, stating that the primary election is a more democratic method of choosing a candidate. He has been known to dislike fundraising for his campaigns, and mostly relied on personal funds for the governor's race.^[34] On May 24, 2010, he announced state senator Yvonne Prettner Solon of Duluth as his running mate for lieutenant governor.^[35]

In July 2010, while campaigning for governor, Senator Dayton was asked by a military veteran whether Dayton would support tax cuts for veterans. Dayton said that veterans wouldn't want to hear it, but no, the state couldn't afford it.^[36] Republicans criticized Dayton for not being more supportive of people who have fought for the United States. Dayton responded to their criticism with a statement that said, “with the state facing a $6 billion deficit, I could not support an additional tax cut (beyond the $750 tax credit veterans with 20 years military service or with a disability received in 2009).” ^[37]

On August 10, 2010, Dayton defeated DFL-endorsed Margaret Anderson Kelliher in a narrowly won primary (41.33% for Dayton, 39.75% for Kelliher^[38]) and was later endorsed by the Minnesota DFL Central Committee to earn his party's nomination for governor.^[39]

In the general election on November 2, 2010, Dayton led his Republican opponent Tom Emmer at the close of balloting by just under 9,000 votes. The margin of victory was small enough to trigger an automatic recount under state law. Analysts generally thought it was unlikely that Dayton's lead would be overturned.^[40][41] During the hand recount of ballots, Emmer failed to find enough questionable ballots to overturn Dayton's lead.^[1] Emmer conceded the election on December 8, 2010.^[42] Independent candidate Tom Horner received 11.9% of the vote.^[43][44] It has been suggested that Horner cost the Republican party the Governor's office,^[45] splitting the Republican gubernatorial vote in a year they took control of the Legislature and allowing the Democrat Dayton to win.

Governor of Minnesota[link]

Dayton being sworn in as Governor of Minnesota

Dayton speaking to the media in the State Capitol on budget negotiations a few days before the government shutdown

Dayton took the oath of office to become governor of Minnesota on January 3, 2011. Former Vice President and Senator Walter Mondale served as Master of Ceremony at the inauguration. Dayton succeeded Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty. He is the first DFLer to serve as governor of Minnesota in 20 years; Rudy Perpich, who was the state's last DFL governor before Dayton, left office in January 1991. On January 5, 2011, Governor Dayton signed two Executive Orders allowing the Minnesota Departments of Commerce and Health to apply for federal health-care grants, and provide $1.2 billion dollars in federal funds toward an Early Option for a statewide Medicaid Opt-In program. These Executive Orders reversed the previous administration's ban on federal funding for the state's health-care system.^[46] In March 2011 Governor Dayton signed a law increasing penalties on those who injure or kill police dogs.^[47] On July 1, 2011, the Minnesota government went into a shutdown as a result of an impasse during budget negotiations between Dayton and the Republican leadership in the legislature.^[48] On July 21, 2011, Dayton and the legislature reached an agreement, ending the 20-day shutdown.^[49]

Electoral history[link]

• 2010 gubernatorial election, DFL Primary
  • Mark Dayton (DFL), 41%
  • Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL), 40%
  • Matt Entenza (DFL), 18%
  • Peter Idusoge (DFL), 1%

• 2000 Race for U.S. Senate
  • Mark Dayton (DFL), 49%
  • Rod Grams (R) (incumbent), 43%
  • Jim Gibson (I), 6%

• 2000 Race for U.S. Senate – Democratic primary
  • Mark Dayton (DFL), 41%
  • Mike Ciresi (DFL), 22%
  • Jerry Janezich (DFL), 21%
  • Rebecca Yanisch (DFL), 15%
  • Others, 1%

• 1998 Race for Governor – Democratic primary
  • Skip Humphrey (DFL), 37%
  • Mike Freeman (DFL), 19%
  • Doug Johnson (DFL), 19%
  • Mark Dayton (DFL), 18%
  • Ted Mondale (DFL), 7%

• 1990 Race for State Auditor
  • Mark Dayton (DFL), 58%
  • Bob Heinrich (R), 42%

• 1982 Race for U.S. Senate
  • David Durenberger (R) (incumbent), 53%
  • Mark Dayton (DFL), 47%

• 1982 Race for U.S. Senate — Democratic Primary
  • Mark Dayton (DFL), 69%
  • Eugene McCarthy (DFL), 24%

Footnotes[link]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Minnesota portal
	Politics portal

• Minnesota gubernatorial election, 2010#Announced 2.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mark Dayton

• Minnesota Office of Governor Mark Dayton official state site
• Mark Dayton for a Better Minnesota official campaign site
• Biography at the National Governors Association
• Biography, interest group ratings, public statements, vetoes and campaign finances at Project Vote Smart
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Campaign contributions at FollowTheMoney.org
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Appearances at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Mark Dayton in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Mark Dayton Papers are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society

v t e Governors of Minnesota Territorial (1849–1858) Ramsey Gorman Medary State (since 1858) Sibley Ramsey Swift Miller Marshall Austin Davis Pillsbury Hubbard McGill Merriam Nelson Clough Lind Van Sant Johnson Eberhart Hammond Burnquist Preus Christianson Olson Petersen Benson Stassen Thye Youngdahl E. Anderson Freeman Andersen Rolvaag LeVander W. Anderson Perpich Quie Perpich Carlson Ventura Pawlenty Dayton

v t e United States Senators from Minnesota Class 1 Rice Ramsey McMillan Davis Towne Clapp Kellogg Shipstead Thye McCarthy H. Humphrey M. Humphrey Durenberger Grams Dayton Klobuchar Class 2 Shields Wilkinson Norton Windom Stearns Windom Edgerton Windom Sabin Washburn K. Nelson Johnson Schall Benson Howard Lundeen Ball A. Nelson Ball H. Humphrey Mondale Anderson Boschwitz Wellstone Barkley Coleman Franken

v t e State Auditors of Minnesota Dunbar • McIlrath • Whitcomb • Braden • Biermann • Dunn • Iverson • Preus • Chase • King • O'Brien • Hatfield • Mattson • Carlson • Dayton • Dutcher • Anderson • Otto

v t e Current statewide elected officials and legislative leaders of Minnesota U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar Al Franken State government Mark Dayton, Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon, Lieutenant Governor Mark Ritchie, Secretary of State Lori Swanson, Attorney General Rebecca Otto, State Auditor Senate David Senjem, Majority Leader Michelle Fischbach, President Tom Bakk, Minority Leader House Kurt Zellers, Speaker Matt Dean, Majority Leader Paul Thissen, Minority Leader Supreme Court Lorie Skjerven Gildea, Chief Justice Alan Page Paul H. Anderson Helen M. Meyer G. Barry Anderson Christopher Dietzen David Stras Appeals Court Matthew E. Johnson, Chief Judge Harriet Lansing Thomas J. Kalitowski Roger M. Klaphake Randolph W. Peterson Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks Terri J. Stoneburner David Minge Natalie E. Hudson Wilhelmina M. Wright Renee L. Worke Kevin G. Ross Heidi S. Schellhas Francis J. Connolly Michelle Ann Larkin Larry Stauber Louise Dovre Bjorkman John Rodenberg Margaret Chutich AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY