House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, a DFL candidate for governor, got the powerful but not shocking endorsement today from EMILY's List, a national organization that supports Democratic female candidates.

There are only two Democratic women in the crowded race to replace Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Kelliher and Ramsey County attorney Susan Gaertner.

The endorsement could give Kelliher access to national cash from donors as well as coaching from high-level campaign veterans.

From EMILY's List:

EMILY's List, the nation's largest financial resource for women candidates, today announced its endorsement of Margaret Anderson Kelliher for Governor of Minnesota.

"EMILY's List is proud to endorse Margaret Anderson Kelliher for Governor," said Ellen R. Malcolm, President of EMILY's List. "As Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Margaret has earned a reputation as a coalition builder, reaching across the aisle and working to make life better for all Minnesotans. She is a champion for women and families and has exactly what it takes to be elected Minnesota's first female Governor. EMILY's List is thrilled to support Margaret's campaign and stand with her as she makes history in 2010."

...

In 2006, EMILY's List helped elect Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota's first woman U.S. Senator. In 1998, EMILY's List helped elect Congresswoman Betty McCollum the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the state.

EMILY's List is the nation's largest financial resource for women candidates. In the 2007-2008 cycle, EMILY's List raised more than $43 million to support its mission of recruiting and supporting women candidates, helping them build strong campaigns, and mobilizing women voters to turn out and vote. With more than 100,000 members across the country, EMILY's List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY's List has worked to elect 80 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House, 15 to the U.S. Senate, nine governors, and hundreds of women to the state legislatures, state constitutional offices, and other key local offices.

Your political trivia of the day: The name EMILY stands not for a powerful female patron but it's an acronym that stands for Early Money Is Like Yeast.