DFL gubernatorial scorecard: Thissen announces, Rukavina files
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State Rep. Paul Thissen, DFL Minneapolis, has formally launched his campaign for governor in a still growing field of candidates.
Thissen has been campaigning for months, and filed his campaign finance paperwork back in November. Still, the four-term legislator stood in his yard today with family and friends to make an official announcement. Thissen said he wants to take the state in a new direction.
"The conventional wisdom politics, the old tired ways, the ways of distrust and divisiveness and personality conflicts, they won't serve us any longer," Thissen said. "We need a Minnesota leader who is going to stand up and again say yes to the promise of this state."
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State Republican Party officials sent out a new release describing Thissen as a "big city liberal." They said his candidacy means the race to the far left is officially underway.
Earlier this week, Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, quietly filed his paperwork with the state to also make a run for governor. But a Campaign Finance Board staffer said Rukavina's paperwork wasn't complete, and the filing won't be finalized until it is.
So far, the DFL list of candidates who've filed with the state are Tom Bakk, Mark Dayton, Matt Entenza, Susan Gaertner, Steve Kelley, John Marty , Ole Savior and Paul Thissen.
The Republican filers are Patricia Anderson, Leslie Davis, Tom Emmer, Bill Haas, David Hann, Philip Herwig, Paul Kohls and Marty Seifert.