Minneapolis Mayor tapped for national Democratic post

R.T. Rybak
R.T. Rybak addresses delegates at the 2010 DFL convention at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center Saturday, April 24, 2010 in Duluth, Minn. He's been nominated for a Democratic National Committee co-chair position.
MPR Photo/Derek Montgomery

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak will be become a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee this weekend, one of five such surrogates working to get President Barack Obama re-elected next year.

"I've been asked to do a lot more work speaking for the president. Going out and doing more campaigning," Rybak said. "I'm going to spend less time sitting on the couch watching TV and more time maybe going on TV and talking about the fact that we have a great man in the White House and he needs four more years."

DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz nominated Rybak for the position, and party organizers will vote on Rybak's nomination next week at a meeting in Chicago.

The mayor was an early but informal Obama supporter in the 2008 presidential race. He said he his new role will make his work more "official," but it will not impact his duties as mayor.

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