Fresh off of co-chairing the Republican state convention, state Rep. Paul Kohls, R-Victoria, announced he will not seek re-election.
Kohls has been in the Legislature since 2002 and had made a brief bid for governor last year, before dropping out of the race.
"At some point all good things much come to an end," Kohls said in a news release.
Without specifying what his new job will be, Kohls said he "recently accepted a new position in the private section" that "will not accommodate continued service in the House." (Update: He said he will be joining the legal department at AgStar Financial.)
Kohls adds to the growing list of lawmakers not coming back the Capitol next year. Here are the names on that list:
- House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, who is running for governor
- Rep. Marty Seifert, R-Marshall
- Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, who is running for Congress against U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann
- Rep. Karla Bingham, DFL-Cottage Grove
- Rep. Jeremy Kalin, DFL-North Branch
- Rep. Cy Thao, DFL-St. Paul
- Rep. Rob Eastlund, R-Cambridge
- Sen. Steve Dille, R-Dassel
- Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing
- Sen. Pat Pariseau, R-Farmington
- Sen. Jim Vickerman, DFL-Tracy
- Sen. Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm
- Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield, who is running against Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz
- Rep. Dan Severson, R-Sauk Rapids, who is running for Secretary of State
- Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, who is running for governor
- Rep. Paul Kohls, R-Victoria
- (update) Rep. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton, who is running for Vickerman's seat in the Senate
Are we missing any? Please let us know.
