ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - In honor of the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, Governor Mark Dayton proclaimed Thursday as "Wellstone Remembrance Day."
Thursday, Oct. 25 marks the 16th anniversary of the deadly plane crash in Eveleth, Minn. At the time, Wellstone was running for his third term in office. All eight people on board, including Wellstone's wife and daughter, died in the crash. The incident happened just days before the election.
“Paul’s steadfast faith in Minnesotans allowed him to take principled positions because he knew they were right, and not because he thought they would be popular,” reads Governor Dayton’s proclamation. “Paul did so much to better our state, our country, and our world, and he would have done so much more if he had the chance. The special bond between Paul and those he represented was unbreakable until the end of his life, and beyond. That bond endures to this day, and will for many years to come.”