“The person I am supporting has the executive leadership ability of a manager of a large public office, the community commitment of a local elected official, and the moral integrity of a prosecutor who does what is right rather than what is popular,” Wetterling writes in the letter, released by the Gaertner campaign. “With strong Democratic values and a pragmatic approach, this candidate will bring together progressives, moderates, and independents in a coalition that can win next November. This candidate is Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, and I am proud to support her campaign for governor of Minnesota in 2010.”

Wetterling is widely admired for her work on child-safety issues following the abduction of her son, Jacob, in 1989. But that respect hasn’t translated into success in electoral politics. Wetterling twice ran unsuccessfully for the 6th Congressional District seat, losing most recently to Michele Bachmann in 2006 by a 50-42 percent margin.

Choi announced his 2010 bid for the Ramsey County Attorney’s office at a press conference today at the Skyline Towers apartment complex in St. Paul. The location was not arbitrary: it’s where Choi’s family initially settled after emigrating from South Korea when he was three years old.

“I’m running for county attorney because I want to make a difference in the criminal justice system and to ensure the safety of our community,” Choi told the audience. “I have a proven record of leadership and I want to continue to serve this community which has given so much to me and my family.”

The current Ramsey County attorney, Susan Gaertner, is running for governor. There are two other candidates currently vying for the post: Ramsey County prosecutor Dave Pinto and former assistant attorney general David Schultz.

But it’s clear from Wednesday’s event that Choi, long active in DFL politics, will be a formidable opponent. He was introduced by St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and was joined on the stage by state senators Mee Moua and Satveer Chaudhary, Ramsey County commissioners Rafael Ortega and Toni Carter and three members of the St. Paul City Council, among others. He’s also received the backing of numerous labor unions, including the city’s police and fire workers.

“When John came to me and said he was thinking about running for county attorney, I quite frankly suggested he shouldn’t,” Coleman (pictured) told the crowd. “That was just being selfish on my part, because I knew that the work that he did in the city attorney’s office needs to continue.”

A Facebook group was created in April encouraging Choi to seek the upgrade in office. Subsequently a counter group was started on the social networking site lobbying against his candidacy. They cited Choi’s involvement in prosecuting misdemeanor charges stemming from last year’s Republican National Convention as evidence of his lack of fitness for the office.

But at today’s event Choi touted his work combating gang violence, mortgage fraud and domestic violence.

“The people in Ramsey County want a proven leader who will effectively manage a prosecution of 300 employees and a $38 million budget. That is no easy task. They want a leader who will prevent juvenile crime and find innovative ways to prevent criminals from re-offending.”

Former state Rep. Steve Kelley. Photo: Paul Demko, MnIndy

A Democrat hasn’t been elected governor in Minnesota since 1986. If that trend continues in 2010 it certainly won’t be for a lack of qualified candidates. Currently nine DFLers have announced their intention to seek the state’s top office, with a few others still mulling a run. On Tuesday seven of the challengers showed up for a debate at the Minnesota State Fair: Steve Kelley, Paul Thissen, Tom Bakk, Mark Dayton, Tom Rukavina, Susan Gaertner and Matt Entenza. Notable absences included announced candidates Margaret Anderson Kelliher and John Marty, as well as likely challengers Chris Coleman and R.T. Rybak.

The nearly two-hour debate, put together by The Uptake and KTNF (AM 950) touched on health-care policies, instant-runoff voting and police tactics during last year’s Republican National Convention. Gaertner touted her executive experience heading the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office for the last 15 years. Entenza, the former House minority leader, invoked his humble origins growing up in a poor, fatherless household in Worthington. Everyone bashed the current governor, Tim Pawlenty, particularly for his fiscal policies.

Here’s the entire debate:

Elsewhere in Minnesota news this morning …

ST. PAUL: Pawlenty’s talent agent returns to state payroll. The governor made former deputy chief of staff Bob Schroeder, who took a year off to book T-Paw for speeches and TV shows, his chief of staff. [Associated Press]

MINNEAPOLIS: Council quashing of park referendum imminent. The fight over a charter amendment granting the park board taxing authority will move to the courts. [Star Tribune]

RAMSEY COUNTY: Susan Gaertner “flabbergasted.” The county attorney and candidate for governor has seen it all, but the idea of moving her department to the crummy Metro Square building takes the cake. [St. Paul Pioneer Press]

HUTCHINSON: Like sister, like butter. With Elizabeth Olson’s ascension, one family is on its second Princess Kay of the Milky Way, and third finalist in the Minnesota State Fair contest. [West Central Tribune]

FRIDLEY: Seven mayors set to stay up on roof overnight. In a weeklong stunt next month the mayors of Blaine, Fridley, Ham Lake, Columbia Heights, Coon Rapids and Andover will raise money for local mental-health care that’s lacking due to budget cuts. [Blaine-Spring Lake Park Life]

STATE FAIR: Birth certificates are big. Obama’s is done in seed art, and man returns to his place of birth — the fair — with the certificate to prove it. [Molly Priesmeyer via Twitpic; KARE 11]

A group of activists and lawyers showed up to protest the Ramsey County Attorney’s handling of the so-called RNC Eight prosecutions. The protesters carried signs that read “Hands off the RNC8″ and “Justice Means Drop the Charges on the RNC8,” and handed out literature to passersby.

The eight activists were arrested for plotting to reap chaos during the Republican National Convention last September. They were initially charged with conspiracy to commit riot in the second degree in furtherance of terrorism and conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property in furtherance of terrorism. But the more incendiary terrorism charges were dropped in April. The eight defendants still face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Gaertner is seeking the DFL endorsement for the 2010 governor’s race. But her handling of the RNC Eight cases has raised the hackles of some party activists.

Chicago Indymedia was on hand at Friday’s protest and shot this video:

Photo: johnmarty.org

Late results of a very early straw poll in the race for DFL governor show state Sen. John Marty slightly ahead of former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton for the lead, with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman running neck-and-neck close behind. The number of DFL gubernatorial candidates (and near-candidates) who gathered at Farmer John’s Pumpkin Patch outside Austin on Saturday: Ten. Number of straw-poll voters: 129. Here are the results (via mnpACT):

21 – John Marty (16.28 percent)

20 – Mark Dayton (15.50 percent)

16 – Chris Coleman (12.40 percent)

16 – R.T. Rybak (12.40 percent)

12 – Tom Bakk (9.30 percent)

10 – Matt Entenza (7.75 percent)

10 – Susan Gaertner (7.75 percent)

10 – Paul Thissen (7.75 percent)

6 – Steve Kelley (4.65 percent)

4 – Margaret Anderson-Kelliher* (3.10 percent)

4 – Tom Rukavina (3.10 percent)

*Anderson-Kelliher was in Philadelphia for a legislative leadership conference and sent state Rep. Terry Morrow in her stead, according to mnpACT’s Dave Mindeman.

State Sen. Tom Bakk, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner,  House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and state Rep. Paul Thissen have made “firm drop-dead commitments” to stick to the DFL’s nominating process. That is, if any of them doesn’t get the official nod from the party, they won’t run.

Four others — former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, former House DFL Leader Matt Entenza, former state Sen. Steve Kelley and state Sen. John Marty — won’t make any such pledge, although Black points out that Dayton “isn’t seriously seeking the DFL endorsement.” (He couldn’t get through to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.)

Since Entenza has said he’d abide by the party’s process only if all “serious” candidates do as well, Black surmises that, since Dayton likely won’t abide, Entenza won’t either.

Will it matter? Black concludes:

Lastly, it should be noted that the value of the DFL endorsee isn’t what it used to be. For decades, anyone who defied the endorsement process and risked party unity by mounting a primary challenge would be shunned. But that is no longer true. The last two gubernatorial endorsees did win nomination without serious primary challenges, but before that, primary battles were more common than uncommon and several challengers won the nomination. This year will be another test of the value of the endorsement.

Gaertner (pictured) is seeking the DFL endorsement in a crowded field of contenders. Five Democrats have made their candidacies official, while at least another half dozen are eyeing the 2010 contest.

Image: Minnesota Independent

Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s recently announced plans to axe state refunds for political contributions of $50 or less has set off an email stampede, as candidates urge donors to give before the program dies July 1.

In the $2.7 billion of unallotments he unveiled on Tuesday, Pawlenty included a complete cutoff of $10 million in state funding for the cash-back campaign donation program. The program has no official name in state law, but the state Department of Revenue calls it the Political Contribution Refund Program.

Republicans get more money through the program than their rivals, but Pawlenty still dissed it as welfare for politicians. On his WCCO-AM radio program this morning Pawlenty allowed, “It’s a nice program,” but he said it was a lower priority than schools and health care.

A growing number of candidates and both other major parties have jumped on the short-notice deadline to make pitches via the Internet for refundable donations. (UPDATE: Republicans, remarkably, have joined them.)

In a Web solicitation, Independence Party Chair Jack Uldrich characterized the cut as hacking off the IP’s arm.

Democrats have used less vivid imagery but are communicating urgency all the same, with email subject lines like “Time is running out,” “Just 14 days to  get your refund” and “Campaign Alert!”

In particular, those aiming to replace Pawlenty made sure to whack him as they made their appeals for fast cash. Here’s former State Sen. Steve Kelley:

By cutting off the Political Contribution Refund Program, Tim Pawlenty is impacting your voice in the governor’s race.  Over 90,000 Minnesotans use the PCR program annually to make a refundable contribution to the candidate of their choice. … Before the program expires, make a refundable $50 contribution (or $100 for couples) to a Governor who will put education first!

Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner was even more pointed in her email plea:

In addition to making cuts that will disproportionately affect the poor, children and the elderly, the Governor also proposed eliminating a program that helps ordinary Minnesotans participate financially in the campaigns of their choice. … While Tim Pawlenty and other Republicans can afford to run their campaigns with large donations from PACs and wealthy individuals, we would prefer to run ours with money donated from all levels of givers.

Gaertner had a ready metaphor for donors unfamiliar with the soon-to-be-eliminated program:  ”Think of your contribution as a temporary loan to the campaign.”

State Auditor Rebecca Otto, also a DFLer, curiously made a pitch for donations of as little as $5 rather than the maximum refundable amount of $50: “Can you afford to support my work with a monthly donation of $5, $10 or $15?” her email asked.

Gary Goldsmith, executive director of the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, told the Minnesota Independent that his department doesn’t recognize pledges or plans as “contributions” under the refund program. He said donors or candidates with questions about the program’s phase-out should consult online memos from the campaign-finance board (pdf) and the Department of Revenue (pdf).

Pawlenty told his radio audience today that he’s heard more guff from legislators on the donation-refund program than any other unallotment item. Maybe that’s because it’s the one they can still do something about.

Here are some samples of appeals from candidates and parties, including those mentioned above plus state Rep. Paul Thissen and state Sen. John Marty (both gubernatorial candidates), and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. Click on an image to enlarge. If you have seen or received other similar communications from candidates, please forward them to MnIndy.

Susan Gaertner

Steve Kelley

John Marty

Rebecca Otto

Mark Ritchie

Paul Thissen

Independence Party

DFL Party

Ritchie’s email message carried a tagline identifying it as coming from his campaign.