Army vet joins Minn. governor's race as IP candidate

Former Republican activist Joe Repya says he's running for governor as an Independence Party candidate.

Repya is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel from Eagan who ran unsuccessfully for state GOP party chairman in 2007. If elected governor, he says he'll only serve one four-year term.

Repya describes himself as an honest consensus-builder. He says he's grown frustrated by the inability of Republicans and Democrats to solve the state's financial problems.

"We have a part-time governor who's so busy trying to get his next political gig that he's seldom in town," Repya said. "You've got the Democrats, who unfortunately the governor won't even sit down and talk to, and the state is awash in red ink."

Repye is the fourth IP candidate to file campaign paperwork to run for governor. Businessman Tom Horner, another former Republican, is expected to join the IP field later this week.

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