Politics & Government

Gaylord Enters 2nd Congressional District Race

Kathleen Gaylord will seek the DFL nomination fo challenge Republican John Kline this fall. Currently in her 3rd term as Dakota County Commissioner, Gaylord has also served as mayor of South St. Paul.

Dakota County Commissioner and former South St. Paul mayor Kathleen Gaylord today filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission declaring her intention to run as a DFL candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s new 2nd Congressional District.

"It’s time for new representation in the new 2nd Congressional District,” Gaylord said in a statement after filing. “Voters of all political persuasions are fed up with elected officials who put partisanship ahead of progress. They want common sense government instead of governance by the lowest common denominator." 

Gaylord, an attorney, is in her third term as Dakota County Commissioner, having been elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006 and 2010. In 2006 and 2009, she was elected Dakota County Board Chair and is the current Vice Chair.

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Prior to her service on the Dakota County Board, Gaylord served for ten years as the Mayor of South St. Paul after eight years on the South St. Paul City Council.

While serving as Mayor, Gaylord chaired the National League of Cities' Transportation Steering and Policy Committees and was elected to the National League of Cities (NLC) Board of Directors.

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Gaylord held the line on taxes as mayor in South St. Paul and pushed for flat tax levies with zero increases at the county. 

Her tax relief efforts date back to 1975 when she helped launch the Minnesota Property Tax Refund, which provides property tax relief to over 400,000 Minnesota families every year.

She currently chairs the state Property Tax Working Group to study ways to simplify the complex state property tax system. 

Gaylord has also led efforts to build affordable senior housing in South St. Paul and across Dakota County.

She recently met with Senator Al Franken’s office to seek the reauthorization of the Older American’s Act in her role as the chair of the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging. 

Today’s filing clears the way for Commissioner Gaylord to begin raising money and building her campaign. She plans to seek the Democratic endorsement for Congress later this month.

"I’m excited to introduce myself to the voters of the 2nd in the coming months and to listen and learn about their hopes, their concerns and what they want from their government," Gaylord said in a statement. "It will be an honor and a privilege to continue those efforts in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the entire 2nd District.”


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