| Former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton has made his share of political foes around Minnesota during his career in public service -- but he's made plenty of friends too, and speaks easily of why he's running for statewide office once more:
 "I've defined my career as 'public service.' This is what I believe in, it's what I've spent my life doing when I have the opportunity. I don't want my generation to be the first to leave the world worse off than we found it. If the people of Minnesota want to retire me, I'll respect that, but I'm notgoing to just walk away now and say 'my responsibility for this state, for this country, is over.' That would be immoral, and I believe I have something to offer."
When I sat down with Dayton this past weekend, he made his priorities in his bid to be Minnesota's first DFL Governor in two decades clear: support Minnesota's education, health care, and transit systems by making the state's tax system more progressive. Says Dayton, "the wealthiest ten percent in Minnesota pay just two-thirds of the percentage of their income in taxes as the next 60% do...We're desperately short of revenues; we gouged the education system, tried that solution to try and close the gap, and all we did was put education in a tough situation. If Minnesotans are told how bad the situation really is, they'll agree that we fundamentally need to change our direction."
More after the break |
| This sounded great for a DFL endorsement race (or a primary...more on that in a moment), but what about a general? Would Dayton dash to the middle once he is officially his party's nominee? His answer was simple. "I've never compromised my positions in elections. If people want worse government, they're not going to get it from me. If people don't want to change the direction of the state, I won't be their Governor."
On transit, Dayton advocated taking part of federal transit assistance and using those funds to issue bonds to pay for new investments in road and rail infrastructure, sewer and water projects, and flood control systems where needed. He also said he would call for a new transportation authority that would be appointed by legislative leaders and include "the best experts we could find" in infrastructure finance. The new authority would be charged with coming up with what we need to make Minnesota sufficient on transit, and how much it will cost to get there.
Dayton took his lumps ahead of the 2006 elections. The Republican attack machine was just ramping up, pushing sixth district Congressman Mark Kennedy as the candidate to beat the first-term Senator, when Dayton announced that he would not run for reelection, paving the way for Amy Klobuchar to succeed him, beating Kennedy by twenty points in the process. At the time, it was widely believed that a reluctance to raise the funds necessary for a Senate race believed to be on track to cost $20 million and questionable chances for reelection drove Dayton to decline the race, but at his last press conference as a Senator, he mentioned that he "might" run for Governor in 2010 -- which was his answer when asked if this race was on his mind when he walked away from the Senate two years ago.
In several statewide races, Dayton has never been afraid to take a race to a primary, and the 2010 gubernatorial race will be no different. "I believe the people should decide in a primary who the candidate should be, and I believe the endorsement is a recommendation by the party as to who that candidate should be. I would much rather run with the party than not -- but we have just seven weeks between the primary and the general. I'm doubtful that I'll be viable for the endorsement, and I will be in the primary."
Dayton said he believes the primary should be earlier, perhaps as early as June, but expounded on the various disincentives facing state legislators who might move the date. "In 2000, the campaign forced me to campaign hard, and I really had two general elections. It was not a destructive primary at all; the other candidates were very gracious...I would have preferred not to have one, but it was ultimately a benefit."
All things being equal, this looks like proof positive that there will be a competitive DFL primary -- but will it pay off for Dayton and the DFL? "I have the experience in running and serving statewide, I've been all over this state, worked with people all over this state - I believe the campaign is a proving ground, and where we are right now is a starting point, it will be a test of our abilities, ideas, knowledge, understanding, and the solutions we can offer."
We have...let's see...nineteen months to find out if Dayton's newest test in public service works out. |
