Former Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton announced on Sunday that he has married.
Former Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton announces marriage
December 7, 2020 at 11:14AM
In a Facebook post, Dayton wrote that after "twenty years of bachelorhood," he has married Ana Orke, now Ana Dayton. At 32, she is more than four decades younger than Dayton, who will turn 74 next month.
Ana Dayton worked for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign during the 2008 primaries and for Dayton's gubernatorial campaign in 2010, according to the post. The two lost touch and then ran into each other a couple of years ago in Minneapolis, and the "rest is happy history," the former governor wrote.
The post acknowledged the age difference: "The truth is, the feelings that developed between Ana and me, given our age difference, surprised us too, at first. But as we grew to know each other, we realized that the love binding us is far deeper and more meaningful than the years that separate us."
In addition to an interest in politics, the two share a love for playing — and winning — board games.
"Ana Dayton is smart, compassionate, tough, funny and impossibly good at Scrabble," the post reads.
The post ended with a holiday message: "As I celebrate the gift of new love and joy in my own life, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a most joyful holiday season."
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