Hahn Picks Outsider To Fill Outsider Ticket

May 31, 2010
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Marty Owings

Independence Party Governor Candidate Rob Hahn announced via Facebook today that his running mate will be former DFL state Legislator Thomas Harens. Harens has run in the past for Mayor of Saint Paul, US Senate and even for President in 2004, although he was only the ballot in Minnesota. All of those runs were unsuccessful. Harens has been associated with a number of independent political party's including the Green Party and the Christian Freedom Party, which he created for his Presidential run in 2004.

About a week ago, Hahn challenged Indy party endorsed candidate Tom Horner to three debates and asked that Horner disclose the clients at his public relations firm. Horner promptly refused both requests. Horner's reason for refusing the debates was that he was focusing on the general election.

Horner will likely find himself in a similar position when he challenges the DFL and GOP candidates. Oddly, you might think Horner would have a strong interest in debating Hahn for two very important reasons; So nobody in the two major party's can use his refusal against him and to gain the valuable experience that comes from participating in debates, experience that Horner lacks compared to Kelliher and Emmer. It's a little hard to figure out what the downside for Horner would be unless he's concerned about Hahn co-opting his "outsider" brand?

Horner's decision to keep his client list private is understandable and as he rightly points out in his response to Hahn, "We don't ask legislators or gubernatorial candidates coming out of law firms, coming out of investment firms, coming out of other professional services to disclose all of their clients." However, I do recall Horner saying at his campaign kick-off press conference that, "I will be forthcoming where there are conflicts of interest." Horner added at the time that he would be transparent about issues and activities that his firm has been involved and he followed up that statement by listing some of his clients such as the Vikings football club and Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Horner is also taking a leave of absence during his run.