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Rudy Boschwitz
Official portrait, 1983
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
In office March 17, 2005 – June 16, 2006
President
George W. Bush
Preceded by
Rich Williamson
Succeeded by
office abolished[a]
United States Senator from Minnesota
In office December 30, 1978 – January 3, 1991
Preceded by
Wendell Anderson
Succeeded by
Paul Wellstone
Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
Rudolph Ely “Rudy” Boschwitz (born November 7, 1930)[1] is an American politician and businessman who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 1978 until 1991. Boschwitz is a member of the Republican Party.
He was born in Berlin to a Jewish family. When Boschwitz was two years old, he and his family fled the country due to Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Boschwitz grew up in New Rochelle, New York, and graduated with a J.D. degree from New York University School of Law in 1953. Boschwitz moved to Minnesota where he started a retail lumber store chain named Plywood Minnesota (later renamed Home Valu). He grew the lumber chain into a successful business with 70 stores. Boschwitz became well-known for starring in Plywood Minnesota's television commercials, wearing his signature plaid flannel shirts.[2]
He first ran for elected office in Minnesota's 1978 U.S. Senate election and defeated Democratic incumbent Wendell Anderson. He was reelected in 1984 by a landslide margin. While serving in the U.S. Senate, he was the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee from 1987 until 1988. Boschwitz ran for reelection to a third term in the 1990 election against Democrat Paul Wellstone. Boschwitz significantly outspent and was expected to defeat Wellstone. However, Boschwitz lost in an upset. He was defeated again by Wellstone in a rematch in 1996. Boschwitz was later appointed to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights by then-President George W. Bush. He served on the commission from 2005 until 2006.
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^"Boschwitz, Rudolph Eli (Rudy)". bioguideretro.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
^Feyder, Susan (January 12, 2010). "Final nail in Plywood Minnesota". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
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Jewish: 1990 Minnesota U.S. Senate Election; with Paul Wellstone defeated RudyBoschwitz (1990) First independent Jewish member of the U.S. Congress (U.S. House...
Chairman: William L. Armstrong Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: RudyBoschwitz House Speaker Speaker: Jim Wright (D) Majority Leader: Tom Foley Majority...
1984. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator RudyBoschwitz defeated Democratic challenger Joan Growe. Boschwitz's victory coincided with President Ronald...
election featured Democrat Paul Wellstone defeating incumbent Republican RudyBoschwitz in Minnesota. To date, this is the last cycle in which Democratic candidates...
Representative (2005–2006), U.S. Representative from OH-02 (1993–2005) RudyBoschwitz, U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1978–1991), United States Ambassador to...
December 28, 1976 March 6, 1987 3,720 (10 years, 68 days) Died in office RudyBoschwitz Republican Minnesota December 30, 1978 January 3, 1991 4,387 (12 years...
Wellstone won re-nomination in a landslide, and he faced Republican RudyBoschwitz, who had also handily won the Republican nomination in the general election...
appointed by his successor Rudy Perpich to the open seat. This act did not sit well with the electorate. Plywood magnate RudyBoschwitz campaigned as a liberal...
journalist, military historian and foreign policy writer) Rudolph (Rudy) Boschwitz (U.S. Senator from Minnesota, 1978–1991) danah boyd (professor; senior...
Democrat Carl Levin won re-election to a second term. Incumbent Republican RudyBoschwitz defeated Democratic challenger Joan Growe, Minnesota Secretary of State...
election featured Democrat Paul Wellstone defeating incumbent Republican RudyBoschwitz in Minnesota. Democrats won the nationwide popular vote for the House...
Arthur L. Herman, Senior Fellow Raymond Aron Daniel Bell Robert Bork RudyBoschwitz Paul Bracken Mitch Daniels Pierre S. du Pont, IV Ralph Ellison Saagar...
Ranking Member: David H. Pryor) Foreign Agricultural Policy (Chair: RudyBoschwitz; Ranking Member: Alan J. Dixon) Nutrition (Chair: Bob Dole; Ranking...
Saint Paul in 2011. She first got involved in politics as an intern to RudyBoschwitz, then a U.S. senator for Minnesota. In 1994, Fischbach became the first...
Ranking Member: Edward Zorinsky) Foreign Agricultural Policy (Chair: RudyBoschwitz; Ranking Member: Alan J. Dixon) Nutrition (Chair: Bob Dole; Ranking...
in 1912. Despite Mondale carrying his home state, Republican Senator RudyBoschwitz was re-elected the same night. When Reagan was asked in December 1984...
to the next term. Dec 30, 1978 – Jan 3, 1991 Independent- Republican RudyBoschwitz 23 96th 22 Elected in 1978. 97th Re-elected in 1982. 22 98th 99th 23...
Ranking Member: John Kerry) Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Chair: RudyBoschwitz; Ranking Member: Paul Sarbanes) European Affairs (Chair: Larry Pressler;...
facilitate the operation was a group of American diplomats led by Senator RudyBoschwitz, including Irvin Hicks, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African...
Rights Council In office 2010–2013 President Barack Obama Preceded by RudyBoschwitz (as ambassador to the Commission on Human Rights) Succeeded by Keith...
D New Mexico Nay Kit Bond R Missouri Yea David Boren D Oklahoma Yea RudyBoschwitz R Minnesota Yea Bill Bradley D New Jersey Nay John Breaux D Louisiana...
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