State senator targets Walz

Minnesota state Sen. Dick Day (R) announced yesterday that he has filed paperwork to run against freshman Rep. Tim Walz (D) in 2008.

Talking to Minnesota Public Radio, Day said, “I don’t have a lot of hobbies. I’m not a golf player. I get up early in the morning. I like politics so I figured, hey, let’s take a shot at it.”

Day is a former minority leader and has served for 16 years. Walz defeated Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) in one of the most shocking upsets of the 2006 election. The seat is likely to be a top GOP target.

“We certainly welcome Sen. Day to the race, but I hope he realizes quickly that being a member of the United States Congress isn’t something you do for the heck of it,” Minnesota Democratic Party Chairman Brian Melendez said.