Jungbauer says governor campaign "not about me"

From ECM publications:

Sunday, 09 August 2009
by T.W. Budig ECM Capitol reporter

Amid the dog yelps and shotgun thuds of Game Fair Saturday, Aug. 8, Sen. Mike Jungbauer formally declared that he wants to be Minnesota’s next Republican governor.

“It’s not about me,” said Jungbauer, who explained after a brief speech before a campaign video camera that he was running for governor out a sense God was calling him to an endeavor.

An evangelical Christian with a degree from the Moody Bible Institute, Jungbauer purposefully set his campaign fund-raising goal in excess of that suggested by experts as a kind of verification he was following the right path.

“I believe if I’m really called by God to do this, and again it’s not necessarily called by God to be the governor, but to do the campaign, to do it right, I set the goal quite high when I would have to believe it was truly miraculous (to achieve), and I couldn’t say I did it, or they (the campaign) did it,” said Jungbauer.

Jungbauer found a kind of verification in the blue sky he had for his announcement in Ramsey after a deluge that had vendors sweeping puddles out of their tents let up about 30 minutes before the announcement.

Prayer works, said Jungbauer, gazing up at the cloudless sky.

Believes he is in top three

Although about10 candidates currently fill the Republican gubernatorial field, Jungbauer believes his candidacy will number in the top three going into Republican endorsement convention.

Jungbauer, 51, of East Bethel, will abide by the endorsement and seek reelection to the Senate if his campaign falters.

In his speech, Jungbauer, holding a grandson in his arms, spoke of the importance of family, his years in business, his service as East Bethel mayor and state senator.

“I think I’m that man for the State of Minnesota,” said Jungbauer of taking the helm of state government.

One issue Jungbauer mentioned his speech — an issue on which he has been criticized — is the concept of global warming.

Jungbauer, who considers himself Minnesota’s expert on climate change, views carbon dioxide as “the stuff of life” and argues that carbon dioxide emissions cause global warming fallacious.

Focuses on commonalities

Still, Jungbauer views his approach to governance as focusing on commonalties.

“For instance, on climate change, whether you think it’s going to get hotter or colder — I think it’s going to get colder — energy efficiency is the main thing we have to work for,” he said.

Jungbauer hopes critics came after him on global warming because he’s eager for debate.

Jungbauer views the state’s current tax system as obsolete and he plans to release a tax reform proposal later in the campaign.

One idea Jungbauer is contemplating is a flat tax.

Signs no-tax pledge

He has signed a no new tax pledge, Jungbauer explained, but also wrote an excuse on the bottom of it.

While feeling state government needs to be weeded and streamlined, Jungbauer indicated that under certain conditions as governor he could support a tax increase.

“I’m open to that,” he said.

Unless an issue crosses his personal moral lines, and the people want it, he’ll back what voters want, he said.

Jungbauer was elected to the Senate in 2002 and serves on the Senate Transportation Committee among others.

He has undergone physical rejuvenation in recent years, overcoming a back injury to resume running and sometimes riding his bicycle to the Capitol from East Bethel.

DFL State Party Chairman Brian Melendez finds Jungbauer wanting as a gubernatorial candidate.

“It’s clear from his comments and his record that Sen. Jungbauer doesn’t have the drive, experience or vision to lead our state through these difficult times,” said Melendez.

Conservative circle

“Sen. Jungbauer has consistently associated himself with a conservative circle that does not engage on the issues,” he said, adding the senator had been the subject of multiple ethics investigations.

Jungbauer has had ethics complaints filed against him stemming from the use of the Senate e-mail and improper campaign finance record keeping.

But he contends the average person finds the ethics complaints that have been filed against him more puzzling than disturbing.

Indeed, as governor he would seek to change state ethics law, said Jungbauer.

Jungbauer is one of number of local Republicans including Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, former state representative Bill Haas, and former state auditor Pat Anderson, campaigning for governor.