Allen Quist will take to the hustings Thursday and Friday to announce he is running for congress in southern Minnesota 1st congressional district.

Quist, who ran for the district's Republican endorsement two years ago, has long been active in conservative Republican politics. He dropped out when he did not receive the party's nod in 2010.

He said he plans to propose to the other GOP candidates in the race that they pledge to abide by the party's endorsement, sign the Americans for Tax Reform anti-tax pledge and agree to balance the federal budget within six years.

Asked if he would abide by the party's endorsement if the other candidates don't sign on to his three-step proposal, he said: "Hypotheticals, in politics, I don't think are very useful."

Republican state Sen. Mike Parry is already campaigning against Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz in the 1st district..