After two decades as Minnesota Senate Majority Leader, Roger Moe has a lot of friends. This year, many of them are running for governor.
So, the Erskine Democrat is stepping up to help...nearly all of them.
"They're all friends and if they ask for help, I'm going to give them some help," he said.
Moe has held, will hold house parties or has written checks to eight of the 12 candidates for governor. State Sen. Tom Bakk, former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, former state Rep. Matt Entenza, former state Sen. Steve Kelley, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, state Rep. Paul Thissen and state Rep. Tom Rukavina have all benefited or will benefit from Moe's largess.
Rukavina has a big fundraiser planned next Tuesday (here's the invite) that features not only Moe but a host of well known folks from the Northland. Also on the invite: state Reps. Al Juhnke and Loren Solberg, state Sen. David Tomassoni, former state Sen. Jerry Janezich and Joe Sertich (who happens to be current House Majority Leader Tony Sertich's father. The younger Sertich is neutral in the race.)
Moe said he'd also be happy to help state Sen. John Marty, another Democrat running for governor, but Moe does some lobbying and Marty doesn't take money from lobbyists.
"Eventually, it will be narrowed down, which will be easier on my checkbook," Moe said.
