Bohman drops Secretary of State bid

Rachel Larson Bohman said today that she’s dropping her bid for Minnesota Secretary of State.

Bohman, who served stints as Anoka County elections director and Hennepin County elections director, was the first candidate to announce that she would run for Minnesota Secretary of State when DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie announced in June that he wasn't running again.

Bohman announced her decision on her Facebook page:

After much reflection, I have come to the conclusion that now is not the right time for me to seek the office of Secretary of State and I will be ending my campaign today.

We will be fortunate to have a solid field of DFL candidates and I am confident that we are stronger in holding this seat and building on the legacy of Secretary Mark Ritchie if we unite as a party as soon as possible. I remain committed to maintaining the integrity of elections in Minnesota and will continue my own public service to advance those important goals.

I'm very grateful for all those who have contributed their time, energy, advice and resources to this campaign. If you contributed to me monetarily, I will be returning your donation in the days to come.

Bohman’s decision means state Rep. Debra Hilstrom, DFL-Brooklyn Center, and former DFL state Rep. Jeremy Kalin are the two Democrats currently running for the position.

No Republicans have officially committed to the race, but state Rep. Joyce Peppin, R-Maple Grove, and former state Rep. Dan Severson have both expressed interest.

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