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Revision as of 16:46, 9 October 2013
| Rod Grams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator from Minnesota | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | David Durenberger |
| Succeeded by | Mark Dayton |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 6th district | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Gerry Sikorski |
| Succeeded by | Bill Luther |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1948-02-04)February 4, 1948 Princeton, Minnesota |
| Died | October 9, 2013(2013-10-09) (aged 65) Crown, Minnesota |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Christine Gunhus |
| Alma mater | Brown College Anoka-Ramsey Community College Carroll University |
Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams (February 4, 1948 – October 9, 2013) is a former politician from Minnesota. He served as a Republican in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Early life
Grams was born in Princeton, Minnesota and attended Brown Institute, 1966–8, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, 1970–2, and Carroll College, 1974–5.
Grams spent 23 years in the field of television and radio broadcasting before launching a career in politics. From 1982 to 1991 he was the senior news anchor at KMSP-TV in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Before that, he worked as a news anchor/producer for KFBB-TV in Great Falls, Montana; WSAU-TV in Wausau, Wisconsin; and WIFR-TV in Rockford, Illinois. Prior to his years in broadcasting, Grams worked at an engineering consulting firm for seven years.
In 1985, Grams formed Sun Ridge Builders, a Twin Cities construction and residential development company, serving as its president and CEO. He was involved in architectural design and the use of solar energy in residential homes.
Early political career
Grams launched his political career by winning the 1992 Republican nomination in Minnesota's 6th congressional district. He defeated Democratic incumbent Gerry Sikorski in the general election. During the campaign, Grams benefited from high name recognition in the district—from years as news anchor at KMSP-TV -- and Sikorski's involvement in the House banking scandal. Grams served in the 103rd as a member of the House of Representatives, and 104th, 105th, and 106th congresses as a member of the U.S. Senate.
U.S. Senate
After David Durenberger announced he would not seek reelection, Grams surprised many by announcing, just months into beginning his first term in the US House, that he would run for the US Senate. However, Grams faced opposition for the Republican party endorsement from State Senator Gen Olson, Bert McKasy (former chief of staff to David Durenberger), and Doug McFarland.
During the party endorsement process, the Grams campaign closely aligned itself with supporters of Allen Quist, who was challenging incumbent Governor Arne Carlson for reelection in the 1994 Gubernatorial race. Weeks before the Republican Party's state convention, Doug McFarland dropped out of the US Senate race after endorsing Allen Quist for Governor and joining his ticket to become Quist's Lieutenant Governor running mate. Later, McFarland threw his support behind Bert McKasy in the US Senate Republican Party endorsement campaign. After numerous ballots at the convention in St. Paul, Grams won the state Republican party endorsement against State Senator Gen Olson and Bert McKasy. Grams moved on to win the Republican primary against Arne Carlson's Lieutenant Governor Joanell Dyrstad -- who had been replaced as his running mate with State Senator Joanne Benson. In the general election against Democratic Farm Labor candidate Ann Wynia and Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley, Grams won a close election to become Minnesota's next US Senator.
Grams ran for re-election in 2000 as the incumbent, losing to Mark Dayton. During the campaign, Grams' wife Christine Gunhus was revealed to have written anonymous disparaging emails about Grams' potential Democratic rival, Mike Ciresi, from her home computer. She received a fine and suspended sentence for violating political advertising regulations.
Post-Senate career
Grams divorced his first wife, Lolly, and married Christine Erikstrup-Gunhus (today known as Chris Grams or Christine Gunhus). Rumors had circulated that Grams and Erikstrup-Gunhus had been "personally involved" since his 1992 U.S. House campaign. Spouses of Members of Congress cannot draw salaries if they serve on their staff but average for a Chief of Staff to a U.S. Senator in 2000 was $116,573.
After his 2000 re-election defeat, Grams went back into private business and in 2004 became the owner of three radio stations in Little Falls, Minnesota. Grams attempted a political comeback in the 2006 U.S. Senate campaign. He sought the GOP nomination for his former US Senate seat, facing Mark Kennedy and Gil Gutknecht. However, after a poor showing early in the endorsement process, Grams dropped his candidacy. Grams switched his political plans and ran in the 2006 U.S. House election, challenging the incumbent Jim Oberstar in Minnesota's 8th congressional district. Oberstar defeated Grams handily.
Grams continues to stay active in politics and interested in running for public office. In 2008, Grams shared he considered challenging incumbent Norm Coleman for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination but was too busy in his private life to make a run, stating, "And my wife (Chris) would have killed me if I would have, because of some things that we're doing."
However, it became unclear whether Grams would run as a Republican. In an interview, he expressed disappointment over the perceived failings of the Republican Party, going as far as to ponder whether he can call himself a Republican or vote for party candidates anymore.
Grams considered a 2010 run for Governor of Minnesota stating, "I'm so damn unhappy with the Republicans right now ... I’m so unhappy with the candidates that we have I could puke. I wanted to get out there and mix it up." However, Grams endorsed Republican Tom Emmer in the 2010 campaign for governor.
September 4, 2013 it was announced that Grams had been battling cancer since 2012 and had now entered hospice care.
Death
Grams died of colon cancer on October 9, 2013 at his home in Crown, Minnesota.
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim Oberstar (incumbent) | 180,670 | 63.61 | ||
| Republican | Rod Grams | 97,683 | 34.39 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Dayton | 1,180,335 | 48.78 | ||
| Republican | Rod Grams (incumbent) | 1,048,244 | 43.32 | ||
| Independence | Jim Gibson | 141,146 | 5.83 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rod Grams | 869,653 | 49.05 | ||
| Democratic | Ann Wynia | 781,860 | 44.10 | ||
| Independence | Dean Barkley | 95,400 | 5.38 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rod Grams | 269,931 | 58.17 | ||
| Republican | Joanell Dyrstad | 163,205 | 35.17 | ||
| Republican | Harold Stassen | 22,430 | 4.83 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rod Grams | 133,564 | 44.37 | ||
| Democratic | Gerry Sikorski (incumbent) | 100,016 | 33.23 | ||
| Reform | Dean Barkley | 48,329 | 16.06 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rod Grams | 11,818 | 68.62 | ||
| Republican | Jim Hillegass | 5,404 | 31.38 | ||
References
- "GRAMS, Rod, (1948 - )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- Declan McCullagh. "The Wrong Way to Do Dirty Tricks". Wired.com. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- "Poli Sigh.(Christine Gunhus gets fine and suspended sentence)(Brief Article) | HighBeam Business: Arrive Prepared". Business.highbeam.com. 2001-08-01. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- http://minnesotaindependent.com/50953/walz-challenger-scrubs-website
- ""Senator Hong" Goes Down « Mercury Rising 鳯女". Phoenixwoman.wordpress.com. 2008-07-28. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- "C-SPAN". C-SPAN. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- Changing Hands - 5/17/2004 - Broadcasting & Cable
- "MPR: Campaign 2006: U.S. Congress: 8th District: Rod Grams". Minnesota.publicradio.org. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- ^ "from ECM Publishers, Inc.Hometown Source | from ECM Publishers, Inc". Hometown Source. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- Rod Grams Thinking About Running for Governor|http://mnpublius.com/2008/07/rod-grams-thinking-about-running-for-governor
- "Grams backs Emmer | Capitol View | Minnesota Public Radio News". Minnesota.publicradio.org. 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- "News | FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT". Fox21online.com. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- "Former U.S. Sen. Rod Grams, battling cancer, is in hospice care". Star Tribune. 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- Joey Mcleister, Star Tribune. "Former U.S. Sen. Rod Grams dies of cancer". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
Further reading
- The Senatorial records of Rod Grams are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.
External links
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded byDavid Durenberger | U.S. senator (Class 1) from Minnesota 1995–2001 Served alongside: Paul Wellstone |
Succeeded byMark Dayton |
| United States senators from Minnesota | ||
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| Class 1 |  | |
| Class 2 | ||
| Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota | |||||||||||||||||||
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