Dayton joins growing field of DFL candidates for governor
Former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton has filed the paperwork to run for governor in 2010.
The Democrat will seek statewide office again after serving one term in the Senate. He defeated incumbent Republican Rod Grams in 2000 but decided not to run for re-election in 2006.
Dayton says he's running for governor because he thinks Minnesota is fundamentally headed in the wrong direction.
"If we want our schools to be world class, if we want our highways to be sufficient and not have conditions looking like third world countries at times, if we want health care for our citizens, if we want to get our economy going again, we need new leadership."
Dayton is now the sixth prominent Democrat to say they're running for governor in 2010. State Senator Tom Bakk, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, former state Senator Steve Kelley, State Senator John Marty and State Representative Paul Thissen are already organizing campaigns and raising money. Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty has not yet said if he'll seek a third term.
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