Former WCCO news anchor Don Shelby played down reports of his interest in a congressional run Thursday night, but didn’t rule it out.

In a belated email to the Star Tribune after a visit to the dentist, Shelby said he is “flattered” to be approached, but added he is “still a reporter.”

 

He also expressed some reluctance at being defined as a Democrat, which could be a prerequisite of challenging GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen in the Third District in the western suburbs of Minneapolis.
 
In his own words:
 
“I'm flattered I would be approached, but truth is, I'm not much of a partisan and my politics, for what they are, are a little goofy.  I would be a terrible congressman.  I would rat out every special interest hack and poser. Still a reporter.  Therefore, I would be relegated to some form of quarantine.“
 
Nevertheless, Shelby acknowledged that Paulsen’s swing district could be in play. “Third can be won by a Democrat.  It voted for Kerry, and Obama twice.  But, that would make me a Democrat, if I ran.  They are pushing hard, the Washington crowd.  They think this is winnable, and I'm a guy who might do it.  But, that would mean that I had written my last news story.  I may just keep trying to bring ideologies together on science as a journalist.”

(Update: President George W. Bush won the Third District in 2004, beating Democrat John Kerry 51-to-48).

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