United States Governor Directory

Mark Dayton

Mark Dayton served as Governor of Minnesota.

  • Democratic-Farmer-Labor
  • Minnesota
  • Former
Portrait of Mark DaytonMinnesota
Role Governor

Current assignment referenced in the congressional directory.

State Minnesota

Representing constituents across the Minnesota delegation.

Service period 2011-2019

Years of public service formally recorded.

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Biography

Mark Dayton was sworn in as governor of Minnesota on January 3, 2011, and was sworn in for his second term on January 5, 2015.

Dayton has served Minnesota for the past 34 years: first as commissioner of the Departments of Economic Development and of Energy and Economic Development.

From 1991 to 1995, Dayton served as Minnesota’s state auditor. He served Minnesota as United States Senator from 2001 to 2007.

Dayton began his career teaching science in a New York City public school, calling it ‘the toughest job I’ve ever had.’ Because of the terrible injustice he saw, he decided to devote his life to improving social equality and economic opportunity for all Americans.

Dayton graduated, cum laude, from Yale University.

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