Add Sullivan and Koering to the GOP list

Two more Republicans say they're considering a run for governor in 2010.

State Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, and businessman Brian Sullivan said today that they're weighing their options. The list of possible candidates has been growing since Governor Tim Pawlenty announced earlier this week that he won't seek a third term. Sullivan, who lost the GOP endorsement to Pawlenty in 2002, says he'll probably make a decision in a month.

"Because it's an open seat, there will be a lot of people who'll hesitate to commit this early in the process," Sullivan said. "And you know I'll be making enough contacts to have people that would be inclined to support me to hold off committing until the race gets farther along."

Sen. Koering says his consideration of the 2010 contest will include the formation of an exploratory committee. In a news release, Koering streesed his ability to work across the aisle.

"In these troubled times, we need a chief executive that can work with both parties," Koering wrote..

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