Update: Gov. Dayton resting at home after fainting during State of State speech
Gov. Mark Dayton collapsed at the podium in the Minnesota House chambers while delivering his State of the State speech Monday night.
A video of the episode shows Dayton take a sip of water from a bottle. He then begins speaking again, though his words are slurred. Dayton then slumps over.
Lt. Gov. Tina Smith came to his side and was joined by aides to help the 69-year-old Dayton.
Here's video, courtesy of The Uptake.
House Speaker Kurt Daudt called an end to the joint session, and things were adjourned.
Just before 9 p.m. Dayton's chief of staff, Jaime Tincher, released this statement:
“Tonight, Governor Dayton briefly fainted after speaking for about 40 minutes. He quickly recovered, walked out of the Capitol, and returned home. EMTs joined the Governor there, and performed a routine check. He is now spending time with his son and grandson. The Governor will present his 2017 Budget tomorrow at 11:15am, as planned. Governor Dayton and his entire staff thank the people of Minnesota for their outpouring of support and concern.”
After regaining consciousness Dayton felt well enough that he was taken to his home rather than a hospital, aides told reporters.
And Dayton's son, Eric Dayton, posted on Twitter that his father is "doing great" now.
Dayton had been speaking to a joint session of the Minnesota House and Senate when he collapsed. House Speaker Kurt Daudt issued a statement.
Almost exactly one year ago, Dayton fainted while at a Woodbury event. His staff at the time said the room was "crowded and hot," and that a doctor ruled it was likely dehydration. Still, he was hospitalized overnight as a precaution.
Dayton has had a few different medical issues while in office – most of it relating to his back. In 2015, the governor underwent vertebrae fusion surgery.
He also underwent vertebrae fusion surgery in 2012 and a nonsurgical procedure at Mayo in 2013 to help heal a torn muscle in his hip after he fell down several steps at the governor's residence.
