Rudolph Eli Boschwitz

Republican Senator of Minnesota

Senator
Minnesota
December 30, 1978 - January 3, 1979
Senator
Minnesota
January 15, 1979 - January 3, 1985
Senator
Minnesota
January 3, 1985 - January 3, 1991

Congresses Served

Senate Terms

January 1, 1930 (95 years old)

Birthday

Fled Nazi Germany with his family at the age of three and settled in New York.
Graduated with a J.D. degree from New York University School of Law in 1953.
Served in the United States Army Signal Corps as a private first class from 1954 to 1955.
Founded and led a successful retail lumber store chain, which was initially named Plywood Minnesota and later became Home Valu Interiors.
Became well-known in Minnesota for starring in his company’s television commercials and operating a “flavored milk” booth at the Minnesota State Fair.
Served as a U.S. Senator from 1978 to 1991, during which he was the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee from 1987 to 1988.
Known for his support of the bill establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, including voting to override President Reagan’s veto of the act.
Lost his bid for a third term in the U.S. Senate in an upset to Democrat Paul Wellstone in 1990, and was defeated again in a rematch in 1996.
Led negotiations in Ethiopia that resulted in Operation Solomon, facilitating the airlift of over 14,000 Jewish people from Ethiopia to Israel.
Served as a top fundraiser for George W. Bush’s presidential campaigns and was appointed by Bush as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights from 2005 to 2006.
Supports various Jewish and national security organizations, serving on the board of directors of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs and as an AIPAC Board Member.
Advocated for John McCain in the 2008 presidential election and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.