Rudy Boschwitz

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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 R. 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 (1930-11-07) November 7, 1930 (age 94) Berlin, Weimar Republic (now Germany)
Political party	Republican Independent-Republicans of Minnesota (1975-1995)
Spouse	Ellen Antoinette 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 the state of Minnesota. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the United States Senate from 1978 to 1991.^[2] From 1987 to 1989, Boschwitz served as the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Boschwitz was born in Berlin to a Jewish family. When he was two years old, he and his family fled the country due to Adolf Hitler's rise to power. He 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, Plywood Minnesota (later renamed Home Valu). He grew it 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 May 2010.^[3]

Boschwitz 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. From 1987 to 1989, he chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Boschwitz ran for reelection to a third term in the 1990 election against Democrat Paul Wellstone. He significantly outspent Wellstone and was expected to win, but lost in an upset. He was defeated again by Wellstone (who was re-elected) in a rematch in 1996. Boschwitz was later appointed to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights by President of the United States George W. Bush, and served on the commission from 2005 until 2006. Boschwitz is the oldest living person who served as an elected member of the U.S. Senate since the death of Daniel J. Evans.

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