They didn't win but gubernatorial campaign staffers -- and one former gubernatorial candidate -- have found new homes in Minnesota politics.

After Republicans bypassed him for gubernatorial endorsement in favor of Rep. Tom Emmer, state Rep. Marty Seifert decided to keep his hand in politics by signing on to become the co-chair for the Byberg for Congress campaign. Republican Lee Byberg has taken on the uphill fight to unseat U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, a 10-term Democrat who won his last election with 72 percent of the vote.

Seifert's not the only one late of a gubernatorial campaign who hasn't scratched the political itch. Kurt Daudt, Seifert's former campaign manager, announced this week that he would run for the Minnesota House. Daudt is running to replace retiring Rep. Rob Eastlund, R-Isanti.

The race might be a Emmer v. Seifert redux. Republican Chris Grams, wife former U.S. Sen. Rod Grams, is running for the seat. Both Grams supported Emmer's campaign.

Democrats, too, are picking up folks who fell after their gubernatorial endorsement.

DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton hired Iron Ranger Jacob Littler, who managed Rep. Tom Rukavina's unsuccessful bid for DFL endorsement, to be his 8th District field coordinator.

And DFL gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza picked up Pam McCrory, who recently worked with Rep. Paul Thissen unsuccessful bid for endorsement. McCrory will be Entenza's deputy field director for greater Minnesota. (Although his hiring doesn't fit within this post's theme, Hot Dish should also mention that Entenza hired Nick Conti-Masanz, who has worked with many Minnesota campaigns, as a data manager and deputy field director for the Twin Cities. Conti-Masanz's brother is an Entenza regional field organizer.)