Entenza running for governor

Posted at 6:18 PM on January 23, 2009 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

A spokeswoman for Matt Entenza said the St.Paul resident filed the official paperwork with the Campaign Finance Board (but it hasn't been filed at the board's site yet). He has announced, however, on this website.

Entenza served in the Minnesota House between 1995 and 2007. He ran for Minnesota Attorney General in 2006 but dropped out of the race after he was criticized for hiring a research firm to investigate then attorney general Mike Hatch. At the time, Entenza said he was leaving the race because he didn't want the situation to harm other DFL candidates.

Entenza's spokeswoman, Bridget Cusick, hedged a bit when asked if Entenza would abide by the endorsement. When asked, Bridget Cusick said "Of course, as long as everyone plays by the same rules, yes." When asked if he would run in a primary if a certain department store heir decided to skip the endorsement, Cusick said "I will stand by what I said earlier."

When asked if Entenza would use any of his personal wealth for the seat (Entenza's wife Lois Quam was CEO of Ovations, a UnitedHealthGroup subsidiary), Cusick said they filed the paperwork to start raising money but "No matter what the case is, we'll have the funds to run an effective campaign."

Entenza is joining an already crowded DFL field in his quest to be governor. Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, former state Senator Steve Kelley, state Representative Paul Thissen, state Senator John Marty, state Senator Tom Bakk and former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton have all filed the necessary paperwork to run. Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty has not said whether he intends to run for reelection. He said he will announce his intentions later this year.

(H/T MN Progressive Project)

Comments (2)

What's with all the has-beens running for Governor? I expect to see Roger Moe jump in any day now. I can understand cynical consultants telling Dayton and Entenza that everyone loves them and wants them to run (while eyeing the duo's thick wallets, so they can blow it on TV ad-buys and consultant's commissions), but John Marty? Steve Kelley? Who are all these so-called "friends" advising them to put themselves through this?

Entenza should bring his feud with Mike Hatch to its logical conclusion and challenge Swanson for AG. That would be much more entertaining, in a slow-motion car wreck kind of way.

Posted by Chris | January 23, 2009 9:59 PM

Wait, wait! Is Susan Gaertner running as a Democrat? I thought she worked for paranoid delusional Ramsey County Republican sheriff Bob Fletcher.

Posted by Chaz | January 26, 2009 11:37 PM

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