MN AG Lori Swanson enters governor's race with U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson and U.S. Representative Rick Nolan are making a last-minute entry into the governor's race. 

Swanson announced Monday she will seek the DFL nomination for governor, along with running mate U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan. Nolan had previously announced he was retiring from Congress. 

Swanson lost the party endorsement for a fourth term as attorney general at Saturday's Democratic State convention to newcomer Matt Pelikan. She dropped out of the race following a close first round of balloting. 

Democrats endorsed state Rep. Erin Murphy and her running mate state Rep. Erin Maye Quade for governor. In addition to Swanson, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz has also filed to challenge Murphy in the August primary with running mate Peggy Flanagan.

"I am going to make one pledge and that's a pledge to the people of Minnesota to put their interests first," Swanson said. "We're not running against Tim or Erin. We're running for Minnesota, and we're running based on what we can offer to the people of Minnesota using the expertise we both have."

"Our goal is to put an end to the partisan divides and division and gridlock, and to offer Minnesota a problem-solvers administration," Nolan added.