Duluth mayor backs Kelliher

DFL gubernatorial candidate Margaret Anderson Kelliher picked up a big endorsement in Duluth. Mayor Don Ness threw his support behind Kelliher on Wednesday after a meeting in Duluth. "I'm putting my full support behind Margaret Anderson Kelliher because I believe in her vision for the future of our state," Ness said in a news release. "I am convinced Margaret Anderson Kelliher is the candidate who can win this election." Ness had been an early and vocal supporter of the gubernatorial bid of Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, who lost the party endorsement to Kelliher. Duluth has lost millions of dollars in state aid due to budget cuts over the last several years. As the state imposed its cuts, many communities, like Duluth, raised property taxes to maintain services. "The destructive policies of the last eight years have broken Minnesota's promise to local units of government – threatening the quality of basic services Minnesotans depend on, and sending property taxes up more than $3 billion," Kelliher said. "A strong state-local partnership is part of the fabric of what has made Minnesota great," she said. "As governor I will rebuild that partnership, and work together with local communities to renew the promise of Minnesota." Duluth is shaping up to be an interesting gubernatorial battle ground for DFLers. Ness joins a growing list of Duluthians backing Kelliher, including state Reps. Roger Reinert, Tom Huntley and Mary Murphy. It's not unanimous, however. DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton tapped the well-known state Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon, of Duluth, to be his running mate.