Kelliher in the race

Margaret Anderson Kelliher delivered her official announcement that she is running for governor today, surrounded by family on the farm where she grew up near Mankato.

She talked about economic hard times her farm family faced in the 1980s.

“My family faced difficult times, but we were determined to face that crisis and succeed,” she said. “Those difficult days shaped the person I am today.”

Former Secretary of State Joan Growe introduced Kelliher and said she backs the Democratic House speaker “because I know no one will work harder for Minnesota. I want a governor who understands the problems we face, has ideas on how to correct them, has the vision for the future of our state and the passion to get the job done.”

Kelliher, who now lives in south Minneapolis, promised to consider how actions affect every Minnesotan.

“In order to rebuild Minnesota, we need an economic plan that touches every corner of the state,” Kelliher said. “We cannot afford to have an opportunity gap in this state between rural and metropolitan Minnesota.”

Republicans claimed that Kelliher is not really rural at heart.

"Margaret Anderson Kelliher's rural makeover in Mankato isn't fooling anyone,” state GOP Chairman Tony Sutton said about the one-time dairy princess. “As an out-of-touch Minneapolis liberal, Kelliher has voted to raise the gas tax, the metro wide sales tax and income taxes. People in greater Minnesota and the suburbs need to be aware of this tax-and-spend wolf in sheep's clothing."

Posted by: Don Davis on 9/16/2009 at 12:46 PM | Permalink

Tags: governor race, kelliher