Ken Pentel is used to running for governor. He did it in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
The bike-riding former Green Party leader is doing it again - this time with the brand-new "Ecology Democracy Party." He said the Green Party has a "great platform and beautiful people in it," but wasn't focused enough. He said he made a "clean break" from the former major party two years ago.
The new party, he said, was just established this month.
"It's going to be very bare bones grassroots," Pentel said. "I'm going to be biking and staying with friends and supporters along the way."
It's a campaign of ideas, not money, he said.
He said he wants to: move the Minnesota House toward multi-party proportional representative system, establish a "Minnesota currency" that would work side by side with the federal currency that would place value in transactions that restore water, air, soil and habitats, create full public financing of campaigns, "if you acquire enough signatures or votes you are placed on the ballot. This simple change would include an increase in funding for political parties."
His best election showing was in 2002, when the Green Party was a major party which got him a seat at debates and public financing. He got 50,589 votes or 2.25 percent.
