State Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount, will announce Thursday morning whether he will run for the U.S. Senate.

Earlier this week, he said that for three months people have been asking him to run against Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

"Those conversations have picked up steam in the last three weeks and we are just looking at all options and keeping everybody's wise counsel in mind…We haven't decided yet," he said Monday.

The first-term House member said that he needed to confirm support and look at fundraising before he makes a final decision.

Asked whether he would run as a Republican or a Libertarian, he said: "We are going to answer all questions a little bit later this week."

Bills endorsed Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul before the Minnesota caucuses in February and introduced Paul at a rally in Minnesota. He also proposed a measure that would make gold and silver legal tender this year.

The measure also proposes a study to consider, "the adoption of an alternative currency by and for the state of Minnesota and its citizens, in response to the abdication by the United States Congress of its constitutional duty to regulate the value of its money, which it has failed to do through the Federal Reserve System."

Former Republican state Rep. Dan Severson, war veteran Pete Hegseth, fugitive felon Jack Shepard, Republican activist Harold Shudlick and frequent candidate Bob Carney are also running to oppose Klobuchar.

The press release regarding Bills' upcoming announcement came on official Minnesota House e-stationary and included his House contact information but it also included a small note at the bottom saying "not printed at government expense." House members pay for their own stationary and House officials said they did not prepare the announcement.

Bills' campaign communications consultant Cami Zimmer said no taxpayer funds were used in preparing the release.

Here's the release:

Bills Media Advisory

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