On The Campaign Trail

February 19, 2010 - In this interview, State Senator David Hann (R) discusses why he decided to end his bid for Governor. He provides some interesting insights on his candidacy and his thoughts about appealing to a wider base of voters. He talks about why political expediency and short term gains don't benefit the process in the long run.
Click Here To Listen To The Interview

Hann Calls It Quits!
State Capitol - February 16, 2010
By Tanner Curl

The AP reports state Sen. David Hann has dropped his bid for the Republican gubernatorial endorsement. He cited a poor caucus night showing -- 5% in the statewide GOP straw poll -- as the reason for his exit. Hann will now focus his energies on winning at third term to the Minnesota Senate from SD42, which includes parts of Eden Prairie and Minnetonka.

Hann is the second candidate to drop out of the race following the precinct caucuses in early February. Former state Sen. Steve Kelley ended his bid for the DFL endorsement on Feburary 4. Even with these exists, 20-plus candidates are still vying for Minnesota's top job.

It's unlikely Hann's departure will change the GOP endorsement dynamics too much, with state Reps. Tom Emmer and Marty Seifert still considered the front-runners. They received a combined 90% of the caucus straw poll vote, which is to say the other candidates may need some type of divine intervention if they hope to catch up. The other candidates still in the mix for the GOP endorsement include Bob Carney, Jr., Leslie Davis, former state Rep. Bill Haas and Phil Herwig.

Steve Kelley Drops Out Of Race

DFLer Steve Kelley is the first Gubernatorial Candidate to drop out of the race for Governor. Kelley announced his withdrawal with the following announcement:

Dear friends and supporters,

Thank you for being part of my campaign to transform Minnesota. I have been continually grateful for your words of encouragement, your advice, volunteer work and financial support over the last year. I am one of the fortunate Minnesotans who has had the opportunity to see firsthand the spirit of involvement that thrives in our state.

Even with your support, and the amazingly hard work of a dedicated and talented campaign team, I have not been as successful as we had hoped when the campaign began. As a result, I have decided to withdraw from the race for governor.

My wife Sophie has been a perfect partner in this campaign and in my public service. Our children Paul and Eleanor and our son-in-law Corey Orehek have worked hard and inspired me to work hard for them and for the future. And my parents and brothers and sisters have given me their support in ways beyond measure.

You have been generous in your support. One of the sad outcomes of this decision is that I will have fewer opportunities to work with you to make Minnesota the kind of place we see in our best dreams. I intend to return to my work at the Humphrey Institute where I have been privileged to be able to serve Minnesota.

I also intend to support the DFL-endorsed candidate for governor. To repair the damage done to our state, we must endorse a candidate in April, unite behind that candidate and win in November. Our fellow citizens deserve a DFL Governor in January 2011.

During the campaign I had the pleasure of getting to know better the other dedicated public servants who are seeking the DFL nomination. Through innumerable candidate forums and other visits with Minnesotans, I learned new insights from them about the challenges we face together and the solutions we must pursue.

I am immensely proud of my campaign team. Over many months they applied energy, intelligence and dedication to a challenging goal. It is has been a privilege to work with them.

I leave the campaign trail confident that with the right leadership that engages all of the amazing people that I have met, we can build a better home for our children.

Thank you,
Steve Kelley