Former Minn. House leader exploring run for governor

Matt Entenza
A spokesman for DFL senator Matt Entenza announced on Friday that he filed paperwork to run for governor.
MPR Photo/Laura McCallum

Former Minnesota House Minority Leader Matt Entenza is exploring a run for governor.

A spokeswoman for Entenza said the St. Paul resident filed the official paperwork with the Campaign Finance Board. Entenza served in the Minnesota House between 1995 and 2007.

Entenza ran for Minnesota Attorney General in 2006 but dropped out of the race after he was criticized for hiring a research firm to investigate then attorney general Mike Hatch. At the time, Entenza said he was leaving the race because he didn't want the situation to harm other DFL candidates.

Entenza is joining an already crowded DFL field in his quest to be governor. Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, former state Senator Steve Kelley, state representative Paul Thissen, state senator John Marty, state senator Tom Bakk and former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton have all filed the necessary paperwork to run.

Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty has not said whether he intends to run for reelection. He said he will announce his intentions later this year.

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