Friends and neighbors,
Moments before I gave my retirement speech to the Minnesota Senate, the Senate President announced my name to the body and said that I had served 1966 days in office.
It seems like such a big number, but it passed in the blink of an eye.
Each one of those days was a blessing. As I sit here, reflecting on my time in office, I am filled with gratitude. Serving the wonderful people of southeast Minnesota – an area I have called home virtually my entire life – has been the honor of a lifetime.
Politicians often say they are leaving office to spend more time with family. It’s a cliche, but in my case it’s true: I’m a grandpa now, and I couldn’t be more excited to commit myself to that next career.
I never had any plans to run for office, so I was a little surprised back in 2014 (?) when a few friends suggested I consider it. I never desired the limelight, but serving my community interested me. So I talked to some people and had a few meetings, and most importantly, discussed it with my wife, Pam. Together, we decided to give it a try.
From day one, it was an amazing adventure. I could fill pages and pages with the things I learned, insights I gained, and stories about unsung heroes I met. But the most surprising thing I learned is how collaborative the legislature is. There is this perception that the two parties bicker constantly and can’t get along on anything. But that was never my experience. We had our differences, but we worked well together on most of the issues. There were so many times I had a fellow Senator tell me they didn’t support a bill I was working on, but then provide guidance or insight on how I could improve it. Most people who serve at the capitol, on both sides of the aisle, have good and decent motives.
And even when we disagreed, it was rarely personal because we all understood that each of us was working toward the same goal: to do what is best for our constituents and the state of Minnesota.
I am proud of what we accomplished together over the last six years. And when I say “we”, I mean it – none of it would have been possible without you. Your support, your constructive criticism, your angry emails, your enthusiastic “go get ’em” emails, your emails at 2 am during long floor sessions, your ideas, your jokes – I depended on all of it to do the job.
I never wanted to make politics a career. My entire goal was to serve briefly, to the best of my ability, then turn the reins over to the next man or woman. I am glad to be leaving on my own terms, at the right time.
That time is now. I want to say a special thank you to my family for putting up with so much these last 6 years. So, thank you to my sisters Cindy and Amy, to my brother-in-law Troy, my brother Ron, my sister-in-law Kathy, my boys David and Dylan, my daughter-in-law Peyton, my mother Barb and, most importantly, my incredible wife Pam.
Aside from my family, being your voice in the Senate has been the most incredible experience of my life. I am humbled by your love and support, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve.
Thank you for placing your trust in me all these years. I hope I served you well.