Ramsey County attorney pondering run for governor
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Gaertner said on Minnesota Public Radio's Midmorning Program that she's talking to supporters about a possible run for governor in the next election. Gaertner, a Democrat, said the timing would be right for her to run, since her children would be all be out of high school by then.
Gaertner says her experience managing the Ramsey County Attorney's Office should convince voters that she can do the job.
"I will have been in office for 16 years. I run a major, major enterprise. I have 320-some employees," said Gaertner. "We cover the gamut in terms of issues that we grapple with. I am an experienced leader, so it is the right time for me."
Gaertner also said she's encouraged that voters overwhelmingly elected Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar to the U.S. Senate in November.
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"The national media and the local media has attributed part of Amy's success to the office of which she came -- the image that she was able to project as a female prosecutor. It is an office that is tough. You need to be tough and you need to be courageous," Gaertner said.
Minnesota has never elected a woman as governor.
Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, a Democrat, also says he's thinking about running for governor in 2010.
Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty began serving his second term on Tuesday. He has given no signals about the prospects of seeking a third term.
The Democratic field is expected to grow significantly over the next few years as the party tries to reclaim an office it hasn't won since 1986.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report)
