Doran Announcement Audio and Text

This is the statement Kelly Doran read this afternoon when announcing he is going to run for Governor. Listen Here.
(text is also embedded in the mp3 file as lyrics)

Thank you for being here. I have a statement I would like to give and then I will take any questions you may have. But first, I want to introduce my wife Maria and my little daughter Sydney. Our other children, Evan, Ali and Kramer are in school today. I also want to introduce our campaign team. John Wodele, Tonya Tennessen, Jill Sletten, Jim Goff, Terre Schmidt, Richard Katz, Kavi Turnbull, Joe O’Sullivan, Adam Barrett and Matt Coffee. I also want to thank the many volunteers who have worked on our campaign, marched in parades and supported us.

Three months ago, my wife Maria and I embarked on a new journey to seek elected office in order to serve our country and society. Not being a politician, we talked extensively about and sought advice regarding what the impacts of this decision would be to our family. We believed in our decision and we believed we could manage the impact on our children.

It is now clear to me that I underestimated the impact being a United States Senator would have on my family and especially my young children.

On the campaign trail this summer I thought often about my family. I thought more and more about what our life would be like if I won the senate race. But two recent events, taking my four year daughter Sydney to her first day of pre-school and watching my 13 year son Kramer’s football game, made it clear to me that if I won the senate race I would never have the opportunity to be part of those events and the many other important aspects of my kids growing up.

Maria and I have spent considerable time over the last few weeks discussing this. Our family is very important to us, but we still strongly believe that our state and country are going in the wrong direction and we have a responsibility and commitment to be part of a solution to the many serious issues that we face.

In an effort to be true to my principles, I am here today to inform you that I will no longer be a candidate for the United States Senate, but will continue our campaign as a candidate for Governor for the Great State of Minnesota.

In the last three months, we have traveled from corner to corner of this Great State. We have met thousands and thousands of Minnesotans.

And we learned a lot from them and about them.

We learned that we are not alone in our core principle—that we are all better off when we work together.

And the more we talked to people, the more our goals of fixing social security, reforming our health care system, finding a way out of the frustrating and resource-draining war in Iraq;
and stopping the fiscal irresponsibility in Washington—became a passion.

But beyond those important issues, we also learned that much more is on the minds of Minnesotans. Minnesotans are growing tired of affable but empty and ambitious politicians.

We consistently heard from many families that they are frustrated and believe Minnesota is moving in the wrong direction:

Property taxes are on the rise;
Every government fee imaginable has been increased;
Poverty is increasing and personal income growth is flat;
Thousands of Minnesotans have lost their health care coverage;
Class sizes are increasing;
Schools and teachers are struggling to teach a well-rounded curriculum;
Direct taxpayer subsidies to businesses are growing;
The middle class is shrinking; and,
Minnesotans all over the state are stuck in highway gridlock.

Like me, many Minnesotans believe there is a better way. We are ready for change, for new ideas, for a fresh approach that puts people first.

Our goal when deciding to enter public service was to focus on solutions that would address problems for the long-term. What I now realize is that I am best suited to achieve these goals as the Governor of Minnesota.

As the state’s top executive, I would be in a better position to provide the leadership it takes to change the direction of our state by:

· Balancing our budget without band-aid approaches and accounting gimmicks that put our children, struggling families and seniors at risk;

· Reforming our government to make it more efficient, responsible, and responsive to its customers, the citizens and voters of Minnesota;

· Enacting a long-term comprehensive state-wide transportation funding plan that isn’t built solely with borrowed money and paid back over decades by our children and grandchildren;

· Working to solve the health care crisis and providing for the health care needs of families in a more cost effective and fair manner; and

· Building a future of opportunity for Minnesota’s children by investing in their education, including their early childhood and higher education.

Indeed, I am committed to act on these ideas. As a business executive, I believe in accountability and responsibility. Not just accountability for our schools but accountability from our current governor who puts his ambition for higher office and his pledges to his elite group of rich supporters above the interests of the people of our State.

I know how to put ideas into action, and I have the skills and experience to bring people together to create solutions that will have measurable results.

I am not a politician. I am a leader and I believe I can lead this state with more principle and less politics.

I was so heartened to read a recent quote from our former Republican US Senator Dave Durenberger about the extreme right wing of Governor Pawlenty and President Bush’s party when he said, “they talk about freedom and values, but they really don’t believe in representative government.”

I believe in representative government. But I believe in representing and working with all people regardless of whether they are Democrats, Independents or Republicans.

And so our campaign goes on.

It is a campaign that I am proud of. It is very satisfying to me that political observers have said that our campaign progressed at a faster pace and made a greater impact in a short time than any in recent history.

Our polling is proof of that. People have responded to our message and especially like our approach. We are a campaign of ideas, principle, and great energy.

Be assured that we will take that energy and bring it to the race for governor.

We will be the campaign of hope and innovation.

And I will be a governor who respects the legislature, respects the people, and leads them toward resolution for the good of all Minnesotans.

Whether it is in life or politics, my mother’s advice to a young Kelly Doran going out in the world, still rings true:
Be committed; Find solutions;And create results.
Thank you.