Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has cancer

One day after he collapsed while delivering the State of the State address, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) announced he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

While speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Dayton, who turns 70 on Thursday, said the cancer was caught early and has not spread to any other organs. "I don't expect it to, within a very short period of time, impede my performance of my responsibilities," he said. "We'll know more next week." The governor said he was originally going to announce his diagnosis after going to a follow-up appointment and learning about his course of treatment, but changed his mind after fainting.

A spokesman from the Mayo Clinic said Dayton's doctor does not believe his collapse on Monday was linked to his cancer, but instead was likely caused by back pain and possible dehydration, the Star Tribune reports. Dayton's term ends in early 2019, and he said he expects he'll be able to make it through to the end. "People deserve a governor who is on the job, qualified to perform the job intellectually and physically, and I believe I am," he said. Catherine Garcia

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