ST. PAUL, Minn. — The mayor of Woodbury has filed to run for Minnesota governor in 2018.

Mary Giuliani Stephens registered to run for the state's top job on Monday as a Republican.

Stephens has been mayor of Woodbury since 2011 after serving four years on the suburb's city council. She's the first woman to announce a bid for the GOP nomination in a field of a dozen Republican candidates.

Stephens did not immediately return a request for comment.

Gov. Mark Dayton is leaving office after his second term ends next year, setting off a wide open race to replace him.