Meanwhile, Senator Day joins the fashion vigilantes

A recent netlet in the Star Tribune reminded readers of Senator Day's heroic run for the border back in October (best illustrated here by the divine Ms. Tild), though the reader seemed to think it was only weeks, not months ago.

That was then; this is now.

Day has taken up a new role in trying to enforce Minnesota Senate fashion decorum, much in the spirit of last fall's oh-so-courageous weekend with the Minutemen in Arizona.

ECM Publishers's Hometown Source has the scoop about Day taking the rules into his own hands in Sen. Dick Day sheds tie to make point about colleague's lack of tie:

Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna, sat tieless in the Senate Chamber Wednesday (May 7) night after rising on the Senate floor to object about the attire Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, DFL-Fridley, was wearing. Chaudhary, whose parents immigrated to America from India, was wearing a Nehru-style jacket on the Senate floor — a jacket on which ties aren't worn.

Day complained that Chaudhary was not properly attired. If Chaudhary wasn't going to observe Senate customs, he explained, then he would take off his tie.

After a recess, Day could be seen tieless and open collared on the Senate floor. Chaudhary continued to wear his Nehru jacket. Senate Minority Leader David Senjem, R-Rochester, spoke of the Senate looking the other way that night. But as far he knew, custom and usage dictated more formal attire, he explained.

"And if that's the custom and usage around here I think we ought to follow it," said Senjem.

Chaudhary's Nehru jackets drew a comment from a Republican senator once before.

Senators are expected to wear jackets and ties. Day said if Chaudhary wasn't going change what he was wearing, he'd take off his tie.

And First District voters can rest assured that if elected, Day will focus on serious policy issues, rather than partisan games like these that grind the people's business to a halt, right?

If nothing else,  primary challenger Day's sense of style should breathe some life into the Republican side of the congressional contest in Minnesota's Fighting First.