Dayton plans to run for Minnesota governor

Former Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.), who left Congress after one term last January, is planning to run for governor in Minnesota in 2010, according to a local news report.

Dayton told local Democrats Friday that he would be a candidate, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the announcement was greeted with enthusiasm.

{mosads}But the former senator also noted that he could still change his mind, pointing out that the election is still three years away.

Prior to leaving the Senate, Dayton had indicated that his lone term was frustrating to him. He also told Minnesota students last year that he would give himself an “F” when grading his accomplishments in the Senate.

Dayton has considerable personal wealth and spent millions on his 2000 Senate campaign. But he did not indicate this weekend whether he would pour his own funds into a run for governor.