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Friday, June 5, 2009
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Gov. Koering? He's forming committee to look into run
for top spot Associate Editor Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, announced Thursday he'll form an exploratory committee to consider running for governor in 2010.
The two-term senator said he would be a conservative, rural candidate with a demonstrated ability to reach out to others.
"If that's what my party is looking for, I want to offer that up," Koering said by phone Thursday afternoon.
Koering said he has focused much of his time on health care reform as well as veterans issues and agriculture. He said he would ask people to look at what he termed as his solid pro-life and Second Amendment records, his calls for smaller and more efficient government and his ability to appeal to independent voters.
"I would say I'm in the moderate to conservative mold but tend to lean more conservative," Koering said. "With these economic times and the turmoil that we're in ... I think when we see the precinct caucuses next year, I think a lot more people are going to get involved."
He said he would seek the Republican endorsement and would not challenge the party's choice in a primary. Koering said he would take a couple of months to test his potential support and then make a decision. If he determined there was not enough support, he said, he would turn his efforts to a third term in the Minnesota Senate.
Koering, 44, the state's only openly gay Republican legislator, announced his sexual orientation during his first term, in April of 2005. He went seven ballots before winning his party's endorsement for re-election in 2006, fought off a primary challenge and then won re-election.
"There are some party leaders that I don't think are accepting of someone who is gay," he said. "But I'd say a lot of people are open-minded. Really, I think that becomes a non-issue. People are more worried about their jobs and health care. Those are the issues I'm focusing on."
Koering was the focus of statewide attention when he first announced his sexual orientation. He said it became an issue during his campaign for the Republican endorsement and in that party's 2006 primary but it has become a non-issue in recent years.
"It's not an issue that I tend to be championing," Koering said. "The issues that I tend to be working on our health care and veterans affairs, agriculture and other issues like that."
Doug Kern, rural Brainerd, the Crow Wing County Republican chair, said he didn't know Koering was considering a gubernatorial bid and couldn't yet offer a personal reaction or an assessment of Koering's chances.
"I don't even know how to answer that," he said.
Koering, a former dairy farmer, criticized the working relationship of legislative leaders and said he could propose a "more bipartisan, working together type" of budget.
"I feel like I could be the voice of reason," he said.
The state senator said he felt he was up to the executive responsibilities of the job, noting the key would be to surround himself with the right people.
Koering said he still had aspirations to someday serve in the U.S. Congress. He said Pawlenty's decision not to run for re-election and his assessment of his Republican colleagues who have announced interest in the job spurred his interest in the job.
"I don't think they have anything on me," he said. "I'm going to offer up my name and see if I can gain some support."
He noted the grassroots support for 2008 presidential candidate Ron Paul and said he would like to see the same type of support for a Paul Koering candidacy. Koering said he reconciled with his Republican primary opponent Brainerd City Council member Kevin Goedker and considers him a close friend.
"A lot of people thought I would not be back in 2006 and I won very handily," he recalled.
MIKE O'ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.
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