Differing Views on the Governor's Announcement

State Representative Larry Howes of Walker is surprised by the Governor's timing in announcing that he will not run for reelection. The fellow republican felt Governor Pawlenty would wait until after he had completed the unallotment process before announcing that we would not seek a third term.

Howes tells KLKS News, the legislative dynamic has now changed. He thinks DFL-ers who would have attacked the Governor next session, will now attack one another as they vie for the party standard.

Howes says the race for governor among Republicans is wide-open.

State Senator Mary Olson, a DFL-er from Bemidji, is not surprised the governor is not running for reelection. She told KLKS News, the Governor would not want to live with the results of his budget.

Senator Olson said historically, Minnesota Governors do not run for a third term