Richard Day (born March 9, 1937) in American politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate who represented District 26, which includes portions of Dodge, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele and Waseca counties in the southeastern part of the state.
He lost to Brian J. Davis, a physician who was endorsed by the party, and who went on to lose the general election to the incumbent Congressman, Tim Walz.
On December 8, 2009, Day announced that he was resigning his senate seat on January 8, 2010, to lobby full-time for slots at the state's two horse-racing tracks, with the thought that some of the proceeds generated by the slots could be used for a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium.
Long an advocate of race track slots, he led the newly-formed non-profit Racino Now, which was backed by horse owners and business and political insiders.
[3] A special election to fill the seat was held on January 26, 2010, and was won by the Republican Mike Parry of Waseca.