Editorial: A governor at last

• Dayton

File Photo: Mark Dayton talks about why he picked state Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon as his running mate.

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Tom Emmer, his legal challenges just about exhausted, conceded defeat Wednesday morning in Minnesota’s gubernatorial race. Thirty-seven days after Election Day, we finally have a governor.

Mark Dayton, the first Democrat elected as Minnesota’s governor in 20 years, faces two significant challenges in his new post. The former U.S. senator must confront an expected $6.2 billion budget shortfall. He also must work with Republican majorities in both the state House and Senate that have been vocal in their opposition of his plan to raise taxes on the state’s richest citizens to fill the budget gap.

Dayton struck an ideal tone at his first press conference as governor-elect, noting that he and state legislators “were all elected by the people of Minnesota to serve all the people of Minnesota.” He added, “I believe the collective wisdom of the electorate is that they want part of what each of us offers, and they want us to work together to solve the state’s budget crisis.” Yet, he also stated he would “continue to insist that state and local tax dollars be collected more progressively,” a view that will no doubt face a chilly reception in GOP circles.

It was not an uncommon opinion, prior to the Nov. 2 election, that Mark Dayton was too liberal for Minnesota, and Tom Emmer too conservative. (Yet, Tom Horner only got 12 percent of the vote). Now that he’ll officially be our next governor, Dayton will have to wear the stripes of a moderate — and hope legislators do, too — in order for our state to move forward.

Tags: opinion, editorials, dayton, minnesota, politics