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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 | |
| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1989 | |
| Preceded by | John Heinz |
| Succeeded by | Don Nickles |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rudolph Ely Boschwitz November 7, 1930 Berlin, Weimar Republic (now Germany) |
| Political party | Republican Independent-Republicans of Minnesota (1975-1995) |
| Spouse |
Ellen Loewenstein (m. 1956) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | New York University (BS, JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1954–1955 |
| Rank | Private First Class |
| Unit | Signal Corps |
Rudolph Ely “Rudy” Boschwitz (born November 7, 1930)[1] is an American politician and businessman from Minnesota. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the United States Senate from 1978 to 1991.
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 Juris Doctor 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. Home Valu Interiors went out of business in 2010.[2]
He first ran for elected office in Minnesota's 1978 U.S. Senate election and defeated Democratic incumbent Wendell R. 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.
Upon the death of Daniel J. Evans in September 2024, he became the oldest living person who served as an elected member of the U.S. Senate, whereas Nicholas F. Brady (who briefly served as U.S. senator of New Jersey in 1982), became the oldest living former U.S. senator.[3]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ "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.
- ^ Wildstein, David (September 22, 2024). "Evans' death leaves Nicholas Brady of N.J. as nation's oldest-living ex-U.S. Senator". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2024.