St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman running for governor in 2018

Official announcement made Tuesday

ST. PAUL (AP) – St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman is running for governor in 2018.

The Democratic mayor made it official with a Tuesday announcement. Coleman had long been considered as a possible gubernatorial candidate. The speculation increased earlier this month when Coleman said he wouldn’t run for a fourth term as mayor.

Coleman joins what’s likely to be a crowded field to replace Governor Mark Dayton when his second term expires. State Representative Erin Murphy has already launched a bid on the Democratic side, releasing a statement today stating “Chris and I worked on legislative issues impacting St. Paul over the years and I’ve appreciated his work highlighting the city’s successes. I welcome him to the race and look forward to discussions on how we can tackle the tough issues facing our state.”

Coleman says he’s running because he thinks Minnesota residents have to work together.

As mayor, he helped bring several sports stadiums to St. Paul and shepherded a light-rail transit train connecting the Twin Cities. He briefly considered a gubernatorial run in 2010.