Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak isn't a military vet but got the nod from the DFL Veterans caucus, after a weekend meeting of the party's constituency groups that has already produced a nod for candidate Matt Entenza from the Stonewall caucus.

DFL Veterans Caucus Chair Trista Matascastillo said: "As Mayor of Minneapolis, Rybak oversees the city's Police Force and the Fire Department. Immediately after being elected Mayor in 2001, Rybak received intensive training for emergency response, expertise that he used when responding to the collapse of the I-35 Bridge in August 2007. Rybak has the experience and executive leadership to deploy the National Guard effectively."

According to a report from the caucus last year, the vets had 333 members. The Rybak campaign called the vets' group, "one of the largest and most active of the Minnesota DFL Party's constituency caucuses."