Mark Dayton – Your Minnesotan of the Year?

In a thoroughly unscientific exercise, you told us that Mark Dayton is Minnesotan of the Year.

On Today’s Question we asked, “Time Magazine announced its choice Wednesday for Person of the Year: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Who would be your pick for Minnesotan of the year?”

Fourteen of 48 respondents nominated the Minnesota Governor-elect. Among other pols, only Sen. Franken and Gov. Pawlenty got multiple votes, and each got only two.

20101209_mark-dayton2_33.jpg

Mark Dayton “is going to bring back Minnesota back to the glory days,” wrote Steve.

Said Bart: “With his winning first the DFL Primary and then the governor’s race he’s managed to stick it to both major parties in one election cycle.”

Here are a few others nominations:

“Mark Ritchie for successfully overseeing another contentious statewide recount while absorbing the partisan bombs thrown at him by the state GOP. Many in his position would return the hyperbolic vitriol, but Ritchie stayed professional and maintained his cool by calmly explaining the facts and details of the process to the citizenry.”

“All three candidates for governor. Because of their willingness to keep on topic (without going negative) and for debating as much as they did. They did MN a great service.”

“Wayne Wolden, the mayor of Wadena, for the way he handled himself and his community in the aftermath of the June tornado.”

Three people said their dog was Minnesotan of the Year, while another three nominated themselves. Cheeky, cheeky people. Other votes: the Metorodome, #blizzardpeople, Tarryl Clark, Lindsey Vonn, Margaret Anderson Kelliher.

You can see the original responses on the Web and Facebook.

Who’s YOUR Minnesotan of the year?