Governor Mark Dayton collapsed while delivering his State of the State speech on Monday, striking his head on a lectern, provoking panic among lawmakers. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton during the speech. Governor of American state of Minnesota, Mark Dayton, collapsed during his State of the State speech on Monday.
The 69-year-old Democrat struck his head on a lectern on Monday night after stumbling over his words and collapsing roughly 40 minutes into the annual address. He appeared conscious as he was helped into a back room within several minutes, and later walked out of the Capitol on his own.
Dayton’s chief of staff, Jaime Tincher said Dayton quickly recovered and returned home to spend time with his son and grandson after a routine check by emergency medical technicians at the governor’s residence in St. Paul. She said Dayton would return to the Capitol Tuesday morning for a planned event to release a detailed budget proposal.
The governor fell about three-fourths of the way through his speech as he laid out the opening salvo in a brewing battle with Republican legislative majorities over where to bring the state after November’s elections, including his proposal for a state-run public health care option for all Minnesota residents.
Dayton appeared to stumble as he first entered the House chamber, but joked it away, saying he should have attended the walk-through. But he appeared to lose his place in his remarks roughly 40 minutes into his speech, trailing off in the middle of a sentence before pausing to take a long drink of water from a bottle he had below the lectern.
When he tried to resume his address, he spoke only a few slurred words before his shoulders appeared to shake and he crumbled behind the lectern, striking his head. A frantic voice could be heard over the microphone saying "get him to the ground. Get him to the ground please" as those around Dayton rushed to assist him.
Monday night’s episode raised new questions about Dayton’s health as he is about to turn 70, his birthday is Thursday, and as he moves into his final two years in office facing a newly GOP-controlled Legislature. He is not seeking re-election.
Dayton was hospitalized in February 2016 after he fainted at a hot and crowded event. His office said at the time that he had been feeling pressure in his lower back, he had undergone elective back surgery the previous December, before he lost consciousness.
Dayton spent just a day in the hospital, and said afterward he had been treated for dehydration. In addition, a series of back and hip surgeries in recent years has left him with a permanent limp.
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