Liebling exits DFL race for governor
Updated 2:15 p.m. | Posted 10:29 a.m.
State Rep. Tina Liebling ended her campaign for governor Monday.
In announcing the suspension of her campaign, Liebling, DFL-Rochester, said it was clear that she could not succeed in the DFL endorsement process.
Liebling will now concentrate on keeping her House seat.
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“I will seek the endorsement of DFLers in House District 26A and run for re-election to the Minnesota House of Representatives,” Liebling said.
Liebling said she felt that her message as a candidate for governor had reached many people and that she had received “tremendous encouragement and support.” But in last month’s nonbinding DFL caucus straw poll, she finished fifth with just over 6 percent.
For now, Liebling said she intends to remain neutral in the governor's race.
“I’m not going to endorse a candidate at this time, and we’ll just see what happens as the process continues to play out,” she said.
The DFL field is down to three: state Rep. Erin Murphy, state Auditor Rebecca Otto and U.S. House Rep. Tim Walz. Walz picked up a key endorsement Monday from fellow Democratic U.S. House Rep. Rick Nolan.
The DFL state convention is June 1-3, in Rochester.