Susan GaertnerIn a statement, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner played down the importance of House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher winning EMILY’s List’s backing for governor.

Gaertner apparently felt she had to say something about the endorsement, as the only other candidate with the gender and pro-choice profile fitting EMILY’s List’s specifications:

Minnesotans take a lot of pride in their independent spirit. Endorsements are helpful, but at the end of the day, Minnesotans want to vote for a proven decision-maker who can resolve this budget deficit. They want a problem-solver who will help make government less partisan and more efficient. My campaign will continue to show that I am that candidate.

But before she can wrangle with the state’s budget deficit, Gaertner must face an endorsement deficit with Kelliher.

Kelliher has had a good haul of nods this week, while Gaertner got snubbed by a judge who opted to try the RNC Eight defendants together rather than individually, as Gaertner’s office had sought.