Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner announced Tuesday that he was picking Jim Mulder, a longtime leader of county officials, to be his running mate.

Mulder touted his knowledge of local government as he pledged to find a middle road between policies of the Republican and DFL candidates, the central theme of Horner's campaign.

"We care about revitalizing rural Minnesota, one job at a time if necessary," Mulder said. He said cities and counties should seek ways to combine some functions – such as social services -- to save money, and said he would give more authority to local government. He also pushed for improvements to education and for expanding high-speed broadband internet throughout the state. Although Mulder worked for the GOP caucus in the 1980s, he said he has voted for DFL and Independence Party candidates, including former IP candidates for governor, Peter Hutchinson and Tim Penny. "I've truly been an independent person," Mulder said. Mulder worked for 21 years at the executive director of the Association of Minnesota Counties before leaving that job in March. After the announcement, state GOP deputy chair Michael Brodkorb said Mulder was "cut from the same cloth" as DFL gubernatorial candidates because he didn't take a firm stance against raising taxes.