Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, who kicked off his reelection bid on Saturday, says he's not willing to pledge he'd serve out his full term if elected.
Rybak launched the reelection effort with a gathering of about 150 supporters at the Riverview Theater at which he outlined a campaign that would address issues of safety, infrastructure, education and opportunity.
"I can't wait for the next four years," Rybak told supporters. "I can't wait to see what this city will do in these tough times."
But in an earlier interview, Rybak, who has been considering a bid for governor in 2010, said life is too uncertain for him to guarantee he'd serve a full term. His best-known challenger in the mayoral race, Bob Miller, said he would make that pledge.
"Every second in this job I love it and work hard at it and I think people know that from the last seven years," Rybak said.
The mayor's stock nationally was boosted by a recent profile in Governing magazine. It described Rybak as showing "it's possible to be a left-leaning mayor in a left-leaning city and still be both a fiscal conservative and a friend to business and development."
He begins his reelection bid with a reported campaign treasury of just $9,200 as of Dec. 31. That's one-third the amount he had on hand at that point in his maiden run in 2001. His 2008 monthly fundraising pace was only barely ahead of Miller's, who has been raising money since November. But Rybak said he has been seeking campaign money "very aggressively" since late December. The mayor raised more than $450,000 in his 2005 campaign. Rybak loaned his campaign $10,000 in 2008, while Miller has loaned his $20,000.
In contrast to his scant labor support in 2005, Rybak has already garnered four labor union endorsements. He has hired Jaclyn Urness, state field director for Barack Obama's Minnesota campaign, as his campaign manager.
Steve Brandt • 612-673-4438
