Mark Dayton

Former Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has re-emerged into public view more than seven years after leaving office, promoting a new memoir titled "Perseverance." Speaking at the Minnesota History Center, Dayton reflected on a political career shaped by inheritance, setbacks and repeated comebacks, citing advice from Ted Kennedy that perseverance is a prerequisite for political success. Dayton, who lost two races and won four during his career, served one term in the U.S. Senate and two terms as governor, overseeing achievements including the legalization of same-sex marriage in Minnesota, construction of U.S. Bank Stadium, the Destination Medical Center initiative and a renovation of the State Capitol.

In the book's closing passages, Dayton criticized congressional Republicans as subservient to President Trump and accused the Supreme Court's conservative majority of granting the presidency excessive power, calling it "a prescription for tyranny." He also drew comparisons between recent protests over federal immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota and antiwar demonstrations from his youth. Asked about fraud schemes involving Feeding Our Future and autism services, Dayton said officials had been caught off guard by the scale of the deception.