FEC Fillings Indicate Fmr. Bush Ethics Lawyer Will Run For Senate As Democrat

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A former lawyer in the George W. Bush administration looks to be set to launch a campaign for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat.

Richard Painter announced he was forming an exploratory committee last month to evaluate a possible run. Now, filings with the Federal Election Commission indicate he's decided to run as a Democrat.

Painter told WCCO's Esme Murphy he hasn't yet decided whether he'll launch a campaign, but ruled out the Republican party as his path to do it.

"I am still making my decision with my family, but if I run, this route is the way I will go," he said.

Painter said he will make his announcement at a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday. He'd be running for the seat currently held by Sen. Tina Smith, who was appointed to the seat by Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton after Al Franken's resignation in January.

Since the 2016 election, Painter has become a fixture on some national cable news outlets delivering scathing critiques of the president and his administration. His presence on social media has swelled, and Painter currently has more than 450,000 followers on Twitter.