Former governor weds campaign staffer 41 years his junior

In this Dec. 14, 2018 photo, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the official Governor’s Residence in St. Paul, Minn. Dayton says his proudest accomplishments in his 40 years of politics came late in his career: restoring state government to financial health and funding all-day kindergarten. The 71-year-old Dayton is preparing to retire next month. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton announced that he’s married one of his gubernatorial campaign staffers.

Posting on Facebook Sunday, the 73-year-old Dayton said he has wed 32-year-old Ana Orke, who worked on his campaign in 2010. Acknowledging the age gap of more than four decades, Dayton said the two “realized that the love binding” them “is far deeper and more meaningful than the years that separate” them.

Dayton, the 40th governor of Minnesota from 2011 to 2019, says the two ran into each other a couple years ago in Minneapolis and the “rest is happy history.” Ana Dayton also worked on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign during the 2008 primaries.