Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

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Republican Tom Emmer will concede the race for Minnesota governor to Democrat Mark Dayton, MPR News has learned.

A person with  knowledge of Emmer's plans said Emmer will make the announcement Wednesday morning in his hometown of Delano.

Dayton spokeswoman Katherine Tinucci would not comment on the developments.  

"We have not heard from the Emmer campaign this evening," she said.

   Emmer's decision came on the same day the Minnesota Supreme
Court issued an opinion that closed off a potential avenue for an
election lawsuit.


      Emmer trailed Dayton by nearly 9,000 votes heading into a
recount that has changed little.

      In the Supreme Court's decision, justices said local officials
were within their power to use more than one method for pairing the
number of votes and voters. In some places, officials count slips
of paper known as voter receipts rather than count signatures in
polling place rosters. The goal is to make sure vote tallies in
precincts match the number of voters.


Republican volunteers challenged thousands of ballots during the recount, but most
challenges were ruled frivolous by local election officials and
ultimately almost all were withdrawn by both sides. That made the
state canvassing board meeting due to start Wednesday all but
academic.

 Even some Republicans had said they hadn't seen anything that
would have supported a successful legal challenge by Emmer, but
Democrats had feared that the GOP would opt for a lawsuit just to
keep Dayton out of office. That would have kept current GOP Gov.
Tim Pawlenty in office just as new Republican majorities were
coming to power in the Legislature.


Dayton can now set up a more formal transition to power.  He can start hiring personnel, make appointments and prepare a two-year budget that is projected to include a $6.2 billion budget deficit.  He will be sworn into office on Jan. 3.


Dayton will become the first DFL governor elected since Rudy Perpich in 1986. He will have to resolve the budget deficit with both the House and Senate under Republican control.

Gallery

Emmer running out of options in gov. recount

Emmer withdraws most ballot challenges in Minn. governor's race

Recount is done; board lets Emmer review frivolous challenges

Elections experts say Emmer win unlikely after recount

Projected budget deficit in Minn. rises to $6.2 billion in 2012-2013

Tom Scheck

Author

Brian Bakst, Associated Press

Republican Tom Emmer will concede the race of Minnesota governor, according to a person with knowledge of Emmer's plans.

Tom Emmer to concede Minnesota race for governor to Mark Dayton

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