Comment E-mail Print

Page 2 of 2

"That probably didn't endear him to some fiscal conservatives," said Ron Carey, who just stepped down as state GOP chairman. "There's certainly an influential segment of the party that wants to have a little bit more purity on some of these issues."

Carey agreed Coleman would be a formidable gubernatorial candidate, but said many in the GOP are ready for a fresh, younger face to lead the party.

Coleman, 59, worked for the Minnesota attorney general's office for 15 years before his election as St. Paul mayor in 1993, as a Democrat. He switched parties in 1997, and was steamrolled in the '98 governor's race by the Ventura phenomenon. But he rebounded in 2002, winning his Senate seat in a turbulent race marked by the plane crash death of incumbent Paul Wellstone, who was replaced on the ballot by former Vice President Walter Mondale.

Name recognition and established fundraising could give Coleman the luxury of waiting at least a few months before deciding on a run for governor. Several Republican candidates already in the race are state legislators who lack similar resources, and need more time to build the kind of status Coleman already enjoys.

"He could easily wait months, even longer, and still be completely viable," said Phil Krinkie, president of the conservative Taxpayers League of Minnesota. "If it was me, I'd say it's time for a little break before I decide anything."

>> Back -- Page 1 2

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

++ Discuss this topic in The Forum

Current rating: 5.0 out of 5.0 (1 total votes)