State Rep. Kurt Bills announced his campaign on a busy intersection in Rosemount, just up the street from a high school where he teaches an early morning economics course before heading to the state Capitol each day. The former city council member said he'd make the nation's debt and deficit the focus of his campaign, though he wouldn't offer hints of how he'd solve it.
"Now I'll ask Minnesotans to send me 1,100 miles east to bring Econ 101 to Washington," Bills said with family members and supporters at his side.
Bills, a vocal supporter of Texas Rep. Paul, joins a list of other competitors for the GOP nod. Former state Rep. Dan Severson and Iraq war veteran Pete Hegseth are also seeking the party endorsement; all three say they won't run in a summer primary without the endorsement. Frequent GOP candidates Bob Carney, Harold Shudlick and Jack Shepard are also in the race.
The winner will take on incumbent Democrat Amy Klobuchar, a first-term senator with consistently high approval ratings and a fundraising advantage.
Bills has libertarian leanings, and gained notice last year for legislation that would allow people to use gold and silver coins as legal tender in Minnesota.
He campaigned with Paul before the state's February precinct
