Kline Will Seek Re-Election to House but Rules Out Runs for Governor, Senator

U.S. Rep. John Kline (R-Second District) announced Friday that he would run for his seventh term in Congress in 2014, ruling out bids for the U.S. Senate or the governor's office.

Kline, a Burnsville resident, told reporters that he was announcing his plans for reelection in order to clear the field for candidates seeking higher office—particularly the seat of Sen. Al Franken.

“It’s time for them to start to get serious and raise money. That will be a very expensive Senate race,” Kline said, according to the Associated Press. “Al has shown he can raise money. He’s got money and he can raise money. Whoever our candidate is, they need to be able to do that as well.”

Kline said that some Republican politicians had told him they would not announce their candidacies for governor or senator until Kline ruled out a bid for statewide office.

"I think we're at the point in the cycle where it's probably helpful for those people who are thinking about running for the Senate for me to take my name off the table, so they can start mounting their efforts," he told Minnesota Public Radio.

Kline, who has represented Minnesota's Second District since 2002, will face at least two Democratic challengers, former state Rep. Mike Obermueller and CaringBridge CEO Sona Mehring, in the 2014 midterms.