# Gary Dahms *Minnesota state senator (Republican), District 15* Gary H. Dahms (born January 14, 1947) is a Republican member of the [[Minnesota Senate]] from southwestern [[Minnesota]].[^1] He sits as a member of the [[Republican Party of Minnesota]] and holds the District 15 seat. The district takes in all or part of six counties: Brown, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, and Yellow Medicine.[^1] Before his election, Dahms owned businesses in Redwood Falls and served as a Redwood County commissioner.[^2] In the Senate, he voted in April 2015 against a bill to repeal Minnesota's ban on Sunday liquor sales.[^3] During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] he chaired the Commerce Committee. Several colleagues identified him as a principal obstacle to a craft-brewery packaging bill.[^3] ## Early life, education, and career Dahms finished at Redwood Falls High School in 1965.[^2] He went on to the [[University of Minnesota]], earning a B.S. in agricultural business administration.[^2] In Redwood Falls he formerly owned Riverside Motors and an American Family Insurance agency.[^2] His most recent office before the Senate was Redwood County commissioner.[^2] His board service, as reported, included the Redwood County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Redwood County Agricultural Society, the Redwood Area Development Corporation, the Redwood County Economic Development Association, the Southwest Minnesota Regional Development Commission, the Minnesota Valley Rail Authority, and the Redwood–Renville Health Services Board.[^2] ## Minnesota Senate Dahms won the seat in 2010, when longtime senator Dennis Frederickson of New Ulm retired.[^4] As of the source revision retrieved October 26, 2026, he had won reelection four times after that first victory.[^4] The Wikipedia article on Dahms describes him as opposed to breweries and distilleries.[^3] In April 2015 he voted against a bill that would have repealed the state's longstanding prohibition on Sunday liquor sales.[^3] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dahms chaired the Commerce Committee. In that period, according to the article, a number of colleagues said he was a main roadblock to a bill letting craft breweries sell package sizes other than 750ml and 64oz.[^3] That account attributes the characterization to unnamed colleagues. It does not independently establish Dahms's reasons for his votes or positions. The record assembled here does not include the Senate journal entries or roll calls for either measure.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Gary Dahms* (revision 1373192236, retrieved 2026-10-26) — birth date; Republican member of the Minnesota Senate for District 15, comprising all or portions of Brown, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, and Yellow Medicine counties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Dahms [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Gary Dahms*, "Early life, education, and career" section (revision 1373192236, retrieved 2026-10-26) — 1965 Redwood Falls High School graduation; University of Minnesota B.S.; former ownership of Riverside Motors and an American Family Insurance agency; Redwood County commissioner; board memberships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Dahms [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Gary Dahms*, "Minnesota Senate" section (revision 1373192236, retrieved 2026-10-26) — opposition to breweries and distilleries; April 2015 vote against repealing the Sunday liquor sales ban; colleagues' statements about his role as Commerce Committee chair during COVID-19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Dahms [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Gary Dahms*, "Minnesota Senate" section (revision 1373192236, retrieved 2026-10-26) — first election in 2010 succeeding the retiring Dennis Frederickson of New Ulm; four subsequent reelections. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Dahms