Rod Grams

Rod Grams
United States Senator fromMinnesota
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	David Durenberger
Succeeded by	Mark Dayton
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMinnesota's6thdistrict
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Gerry Sikorski
Succeeded by	Bill Luther
Personal details
Born	Rodney Dwight Grams (1948-02-04)February 4, 1948 Princeton, Minnesota,U.S.
Died	October 8, 2013(2013-10-08)(aged 65) Crown, Minnesota,U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Christine Gunhus
Alma mater	Brown College Anoka-Ramsey Community College Carroll University
Signature

Rodney Dwight Grams(February 4, 1948 – October 8, 2013) was an American politician and television news anchor who served in both theUnited States House of Representativesand theU.S. Senate.A local news anchor, Grams became well-known for working atTwin CitiesstationKMSP-TVfrom 1982 until 1991. He was a member of theRepublican Party.

Grams was born on a farm inPrinceton, Minnesota,and worked at several other news stations throughout theMidwestandGreat Plainsbefore serving as KMSP's senior news anchor. After retiring from television, he launched a successful bid for Congress inMinnesota's 6th congressional districtagainst embattledDemocraticincumbentGerry Sikorskiin1992.He served one term, opting to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring RepublicanDavid Durenbergerin 1994. He won the1994 Senate electionand was defeated for reelection byMark Daytonin2000.

Grams sought election to his old Senate seat in2006,but dropped out before the Republican primary. He also ran again for election to the House inMinnesota's 8th congressional districtin2006as the Republican-endorsed candidate but lost to incumbent DemocratJim Oberstar.

Early life

Grams was born on a farm inPrinceton, Minnesota.He attendedBrown Institute(1966–1968),Anoka-Ramsey Community College(1970–1972), andCarroll College(1974–1975).

Grams spent 23 years in television and radio broadcasting before launching a career in politics. From 1982 to 1991 he was the senior news anchor atKMSP-TVin Minneapolis/St. Paul. Before that, he worked as a news anchor/producer forKFBB-TVinGreat Falls, Montana;WSAU-TVinWausau, Wisconsin;andWIFR-TVinRockford, Illinois.Before entering broadcasting, Grams worked at an engineering consulting firm for seven years. In 1985, he 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 inMinnesota's 6th congressional district.He defeated Democratic incumbentGerry Sikorskiin the general election. During the campaign, Grams benefited from high name recognition in the district—from years as news anchor atKMSP-TV—and Sikorski's involvement in theHouse banking scandal.He served in the103rd Congressas a member of the House of Representatives, and in the104th,105th,and106th congressesas a member of theU.S. Senate.

U.S. Senate

AfterDavid Durenbergerannounced he would not seek reelection, Grams surprised many by announcing, just months into his first term in the U.S. House, that he would run for the Senate. Grams faced opposition for the Republican endorsement from State SenatorGen Olson,Bert McKasy(Durenberger's former chief of staff), andDoug McFarland.During the party endorsement process, the Grams campaign closely aligned itself with supporters ofAllen Quist,who was challenging incumbent GovernorArne Carlsonfor reelection in the 1994gubernatorial race.Weeks before the state Republican convention, McFarland dropped out of the Senate race after endorsing Quist for governor and joining his ticket as Quist's running mate.

After numerous ballots at the convention in St. Paul, Grams won the Republican endorsement over Olson and McKasy. He also won the Republican primary againstArne Carlson'sLieutenant GovernorJoanell Dyrstad,who had been replaced as his running mate by State SenatorJoanne Benson.Inthe general election againstDemocratic Farmer Labor candidateAnn WyniaandIndependence PartycandidateDean Barkley,Grams won, 49% to 44%.

Grams ran for reelection in 2000, losing toMark Dayton.During the campaign, Grams's wife Christine Gunhus was revealed to have written anonymous disparaging emails about Grams's potential Democratic rivalMike Ciresifrom her home computer.She received a fine and suspended sentence for violating political advertising regulations.The Grams campaign also ran a commercial during the campaign featuring Grams's mother, Audrey Grams, that ended with her saying, "Uffda, vote for Rod."

Post-Senate career

After his 2000 reelection defeat, Grams went back into private business and in 2004 became the owner of three radio stations inLittle Falls, Minnesota.He attempted a political comeback inthe 2006 U.S. Senate campaign.He sought the GOP nomination for his former Senate seat, facingMark KennedyandGil Gutknecht.After a poor showing early in the endorsement process,Grams dropped his Senate candidacy and ran in the2006 U.S. House election,challenging the incumbentJim OberstarinMinnesota's 8th congressional district.Oberstar defeated Grams handily.

Grams remained active in politics and interested in running for public office. In 2008, he considered challenging incumbentNorm Colemanfor the Republican U.S. Senate nomination but was too busy in his private life to make a run, saying, "And my wife (Chris) would have killed me if I would have, because of some things that we're doing."It also became unclear whether Grams would run as a Republican. In an interview, he expressed disappointment at the perceived failings of the party, going as far as to wonder whether he could still call himself a Republican or vote for Republican candidates.

Grams considered a 2010 run for governor of Minnesota, saying, "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."But Grams endorsed RepublicanTom Emmerin the 2010 campaign for governor.Emmer lost the election to Mark Dayton.

Illness and death

On September 4, 2013, it was announced that Grams had been battlingcolon cancersince 2012 and was receivinghospicecare at his home.He died on October 8, 2013, aged 65, at his home inCrown, Minnesota.

Electoral history

Minnesota 8th Congressional District Election 2006

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jim Oberstar(incumbent)	180,670	63.61
	Republican	Rod Grams	97,683	34.39

Minnesota U.S. Senate Election 2000

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Mark Dayton	1,181,553	48.83
	Republican	Rod Grams (incumbent)	1,047,474	43.29
	Independence	Jim Gibson	140,583	5.81

Minnesota U.S. Senate Election 1994

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rod Grams	869,653	49.05
	Democratic	Ann Wynia	781,860	44.10
	Independence	Dean Barkley	95,400	5.38

Minnesota U.S. Senate Election 1994 - Republican Primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rod Grams	269,931	58.17
	Republican	Joanell Dyrstad	163,205	35.17
	Republican	Harold Stassen	22,430	4.83

Minnesota 6th Congressional District Election 1992

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

Minnesota 6th Congressional District Election 1992 - Republican Primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rod Grams	11,818	68.62
	Republican	Jim Hillegass	5,404	31.38

Further reading

• TheSenatorial recordsof Rod Grams are available for research use at theMinnesota Historical Society.

External links

• Biographyat theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
• AppearancesonC-SPAN