Dayton: "This process should not be political"

Democrat Mark Dayton, who narrowly leaders the Minnesota governor's race, was as calm and dispassionate about the possibility of a recount as GOP chair Tony Sutton was zealous and insistent a few hours earlier.

"This process should not be political. It's about something far more priceless. It's about the integrity of an election in a democracy," Dayton said to a packed Capitol news conference. The Democrat appeared to be deliberately setting up a dichotomy between the Republican battle-cries and his voice of moderation.

"This is about upholding the integrity of the election. This is not a re-election," Dayton said to a packed Capitol news conference. "This is to determine the result of the election that was held yesterday."

Despite his 9,000-vote lead, Dayton refused to declare victory, shrugging off the traditional claim of even narrow vote-leaders.

The message may soothe fears about a hateful partisan process but worry partisans who believe you must fight in the mud to win.

Rather than gear up for a protracted fight, Dayton Wednesday praised hard-working election officials, noted the task ahead for the new governor and noted historical trends.

"The clock is ticking," said Dayton, who may end up winning despite a seismic Republican quake.

"The power here rests not with politicians but with the people," Dayton said.

He said he has begun discussions with attorneys but didn't drop any names, adding that he didn't see the coming fight as a "a legal matter. This is a matter established under the procedures established by the Minnesota election law."

The former U.S. Senator said his current lead – of about 9,000 votes – may be insurmountable for his votes. Dayton's vote advantage Wednesday afternoon was nearly 30 times larger than the edge that brought Democrat Al Franken to the Senate's hallowed halls.

"At this point Yvonne and I are in the lead. It's certainly beyond the margin of what has historically been any change in the vote totals in the recount process in Minnesota," Dayton said.

If Dayton becomes governor, he will face not only a $6 billion deficit but newly elected Republican majorities in both the Minnesota House and Senate which will hold ideals of government diametrically opposed to his own.

Dayton said after the primary, which he won by about 5,000 votes, he predicted that the general election would be close.

"I thought it would be between point-one and one percent and one percent," Dayton said before making a joke about his predictive skills.

After 30 minutes of answering questions, Dayton was asked on last one: Are you sure you want this job?