A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 20, which included portions of Le Sueur, Rice, and Scott counties in the south central part of the state.

[1] Dahle was a member of the Council of Local Presidents of Education Minnesota, a trade union representing local teachers in Minnesota, and was also president of the Northfield Education Association for approximately ten years.

[2] The seat became vacant when Senator Tom Neuville resigned in order to accept an appointment by then-Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty as a district judge.

[5] Dahle won a close race against Mike Dudley in 2012, and returned to the Senate representing District 20.

[7] His special legislative concerns included E-12 education funding, health care, and transportation.