Kohls, who is in his fourth state House term and sits on the chamber's finance and tax committees, announced his candidacy on Thursday. He said in a statement that his campaign will focus "on issues of fiscal responsibility and limited government."
"We need to do a much better job setting priorities," said the resident of Victoria, located in the western exurbs of Minnesota's Twin Cities.
Kohls said he had been in contact with local Republicans since Pawlenty's announcement and had received "overwhelming" encouragement to run.
Kohls was preceded as an official candidate by former state Rep. Bill Haas. Other GOP officials who are publicly discussing possible bids include state Rep. Marty Seifert, who stepped down as House minority leader last week as he mulls his options; two other state representatives, Laura Brod and Tom Emmer; state Senate assistant minority leaders David W. Hann and Geoff Michel; state Sen. Paul Koering; former Pawlenty chief of staff Charlie Weaver; and former state Auditor Pat Anderson.
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who has received attention statewide and nationally for her strongly stated conservative views, has also not entirely ruled out a possible run for governor.
The Democratic field is equally crowded. Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, state Sens. John Marty and Tom Bakk, state Rep. Paul Thissen, former state House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, and former state Sen. Steve Kelley have all declared they are running for the nomination. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, St. Paul Mayor Christopher B. Coleman and state House Speaker Margeret Anderson Kelliher are also thinking about jumping in.
To follow the 2009 and 2010 governors' races, check out CQ Politics' election map.
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