Mark Dayton: Age Is Just a Number

Less than a half year after Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton was sworn into office, he already had one record under his belt: the oldest governor in Minnesota history. Dayton was 63 years, 11 months, and 8 days old on his first day as governor in January 2011 – already good for second on the all-time list. In just over four months on May 8th, Dayton passed up Arne Carlson. Carlson retired in January 1999 at the age of 64 years, 3 months, and 11 days. Only two other Gopher State governors reached the age of 60 during their tenure: Republican Harold LeVander was 60 years, 2 months, and 25 days old when he left office in 1971 and Democrat Rudy Perpich was 62 years, 6 months, and 11 days old at the end of his fourth term in 1991. If Dayton, who is currently 66 years, 7 months, and 2 years old, is reelected in 2014 he would end his second term in January 2019 at 71 years, 11 months, and 12 days of age.