One of Minnesota’s most popular, most good-natured and fluffiest politicians died Thursday.
Duke, a 13-year-old Great Pyrenees, was mayor of Cormorant Village for about four years before he retired in June.
“Our beloved mayor Duke went to doggie heaven today,” his human family wrote on Facebook. “He will be greatly missed.”
The post noted that there will be memorial for Duke in either March or April at the Cormorant town hall.
The large white dog was first elected as a write-in candidate in 2014 and was elected a total of four times, local news station KFGO reports. Duke clearly had popular support ― in 2016, every vote was cast for Duke, with the exception of one vote for his “girlfriend,” a dog named Lassie. Voting for the ceremonial position would take place at an annual local festival called “Cormorant Daze,” with votes costing $1 each.
Duke’s responsibilities included appearing in parades and acting as an ambassador for the town.
“He just kind of hangs out at the local pub and makes sure everything is runnin’ OK and keeps the riff-raff out and just oversees the whole works,” Steven Sorenson, described as Duke’s deputy mayor, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation last year.
He was also featured on highway billboards.
You’ll be missed, Duke.
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