Gary Dahms
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Minnesota State Senator Gary Dahms.jpg
| name = Gary Dahms
| caption =
| state_senate = Minnesota
| district = 15th
| prior_term = 21st (2011–2012), 16th (2013 - 2022)
| term_start = January 4, 2011
| term_end =
| preceded = Dennis R. Frederickson
| succeeded =
| party = Republican Party of Minnesota
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|01|14}}
| birth_place = Clements, Minnesota
| alma_mater = University of Minnesota
| occupation = car dealer, insurance agent, legislator
| spouse = Barb
| children = 2
| residence = Redwood Falls, Minnesota
}}
Gary H. Dahms ({{IPAc-en|d|eɪ|m|z}} {{respell|DAYMZ}};{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.mn/members/member_pronounce.html |title=Senate Members' Pronunciation|website=Minnesota Legislature|access-date=August 23, 2024}} born January 14, 1947) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 15, which includes all or portions of Brown, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, and Yellow Medicine counties in the southwestern part of the state.{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=15326 |title=Legislator Record - Dahms, Gary H |publisher=Minnesota Legislators Past & Present |access-date=2012-12-04}}{{cite web|url=http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?district=21 |title=Senator-elect Matt Schmit (DFL) District 21 |publisher=Minnesota Senate |access-date=2012-12-04}}
Early life, education, and career
Dahms graduated from Redwood Falls High School in 1965, then attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a B.S. in agricultural business administration.{{Cite web |url=http://redwood.mntm.org/Alumni%20Newsletter.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105120644/http://redwood.mntm.org/Alumni%20Newsletter.pdf |archive-date=2010-11-05 |url-status=dead }}
Dahms is the former owner of Riverside Motors and American Family Insurance Agency in Redwood Falls. He most recently served as a Redwood County Commissioner, and was also a board member of the Redwood County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Redwood County Agricultural Society, the Redwood Area Development Corporation, the Redwood County Economic Development Association, the Southwest Minnesota Regional Development Commission, the Minnesota Valley Rail Authority, and the Redwood–Renville Health Services Board.{{cite web |url=http://www.dahmsforsenate.com/bio.html |title=Dahms for Senate Bio |publisher=Dahmsforsenate.com |access-date=2012-12-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608081343/http://www.dahmsforsenate.com/bio.html |archive-date=2013-06-08 }}
Minnesota Senate
Dahms was first elected in 2010, succeeding retiring longtime Senator Dennis Frederickson of New Ulm. He has been reelected four times since then.{{cite news|title=Dahms wins in SD 16|url=http://www.marshallindependent.com/page/content.detail/id/536896/Dahms-wins-in-SD-16.html?nav=5015|newspaper=Marshall Independent|date=November 7, 2012}}
Dahms is notable for his opposition to breweries and distilleries. In April 2015, he voted against a popular bill to repeal the longstanding ban on Sunday liquor sales.{{cite news |date=April 16, 2015 |title=Dahms votes against popular Sunday liquor sales bill |url=https://twitter.com/AJillSimons/status/588770692704903168 |newspaper=Abby Simmons}} During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Dahms chaired the Commerce Committee, a number of colleagues said he was a main roadblock to a bill that would have allowed craft breweries to sell package sizes other than 750ml and 64oz.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{MN-legdb|15326}}
- [http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1174 Senator Gary Dahms] official Minnesota Senate website
- [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=111351 Project Vote Smart - Senator Gary Dahms Profile]
- [http://www.dahmsforsenate.com/ Senator Gary Dahms] official campaign website
{{Minnesota State Senators}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dahms, Gary}}
Category:University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences alumni
Category:Republican Party Minnesota state senators