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March 8, 2010

Knutson eyeing run against Morrow

Republicans settle on candidate to take on Kath

By Mark Fischenich The Free Press

NORTH MANKATO — Former North Mankato Mayor Nancy Knutson is exploring a run against St. Peter Democratic Rep. Terry Morrow, and Republicans in Waseca and Owatonna have settled on a candidate against freshman Rep. Kory Kath, DFL-Owatonna.

Knutson hasn’t officially announced a run against Morrow but has organized a fundraising committee and filed paperwork with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board.

Knutson, who didn’t return calls seeking comment, filed as a Republican against Morrow, who is in his second term representing District 23A. The owner of the kitchen-design firm Kitchens By Knutson, Knutson served four terms as mayor of North Mankato from 1994 to 2002 before losing a re-election bid to Lowell Sieberg.

Morrow, an instructor at Gustavus Adolphus College, won 52 percent of the vote in his initial run against Army veteran Andy Davis of St. Peter in 2006 and 64 percent against North Mankato car salesman Mike Bidwell in 2008.

 The filing period for candidates running for offices that will appear on the Aug. 10 primary election ballot doesn’t begin until May 18, but Knutson’s filing with the Campaign Finance Board is required of candidates looking to begin the fundraising process.

Bidwell decided that he won’t seek a rematch with Morrow, who hasn’t announced his plans but is expected to seek a third term. An attorney with a doctorate in communications studies, Morrow serves as assistant majority leader of the DFL-controlled House.

District 23A includes all of Nicollet County other than a small part of lower North Mankato and much of Sibley County, including Gaylord, Gibbon and Winthrop.

Republicans in District 26A on Saturday endorsed a candidate to run against freshman Democrat Kory Kath of Owatonna. Brandon Pofahl was endorsed on the first ballot over Ted Boosalis, both of Owatonna, at a convention in that city.

Kath, an Owatonna High School teacher making his first run for public office, won a surprising victory over Owatonna Mayor Tom Kuntz in 2008 — 57 percent to 43 percent — in what has traditionally been a solid Republican district. District 26A includes Waseca, Owatonna and Clinton Falls, along with six nearby townships in Waseca and Steele counties.

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