Lori Swanson Jumps Into Governor's Race With Rick Nolan As No. 2

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There was a bit of a surprise Monday in the Minnesota race for governor: Attorney General Lori Swanson says she's in.

The announcement comes just two days after Swanson lost her bid for the DFL party's endorsement to run for a fourth term as attorney general.

Even more surprising is her running mate, retiring U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan.

What this means is that an already crowded August primary has become even more so, with both Democrats and Republicans facing fierce internal battles.

With just 25 hours until the Tuesday filing deadline, Swanson and Nolan announced their candidacy.

Just months ago, Nolan announced his retirement from Congress for family reasons. However, he says being lieutenant governor would keep him in Minnesota.

"I am just a few blocks, should we be successful, down the street from the family," he told reporters.

The announcement means that the Swanson-Nolan ticket will face the DFL-endorsed team of State Rep. Erin Murphy and her running mate, State Rep. Erin Maye Quade, as well as U.S. Rep. Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan.

Murphy pulled off an unexpected win over the weekend at the endorsing convention in Rochester over Walz, who officially filed as a candidate Monday.

The unexpected entry of Swanson and Nolan will mean an especially competitive August primary.

"Rick Nolan has a tremendous body of support in the Iron Range," said political science professor Larry Jacobs, of the Humphry School of Public Affairs. "Lori Swanson has a base here in the Twin Cities that could be a formidable ticket."

Republicans are also facing a primary battle.

Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson and his running mate, Donna Bergstrom, easily won the party's endorsement.

They will now face former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who toured the state Monday with his running mate, Michelle Fischbach, the state's current lieutenant governor.

"This is going to be a heck of a battle this summer," Jacobs said.

The competition for votes in this August primary will be intense.

Four years ago, only 10 percent of Minnesotans voted, so a swing of a few thousand votes could decide the race.

Whoever wins the DFL and GOP primaries on Aug. 14 will, of course, move on to the general election in November.