Normally a third part candidate announcing his/her entrance into a statewide race draws little fanfare. However, this new candidacy has significant name recognition.
Former WCCO Radio host Cory Hepola is joining the race for Minnesota governor as a third-party candidate.
Hepola, who also worked as an anchor for KARE 11, is running as a member of the Forward Party recently founded by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
"We hear you, Minnesota. You're tired, you're frustrated, you're exhausted with this broken, toxic two-party system that is pushing forward negative, hateful — not only speech — but inactivity," Hepola said at his campaign launch Wednesday at the State Capitol. "There's no collaboration. There's not compromise. We deserve better."
Hepola is the first third-party candidate to enter the governor's race and could sway the outcome in November. A long list of Republican candidates already joined the race to try and unseat DFL Gov. Tim Walz.
The former broadcaster declared himself a "purple" candidate and said he will focus on improving education, public health and economic opportunities.
He may be a third party candidate but he trots out the same vapid chanting points you hear from either of the major parties.
Let me tell you a story...#CoryforMN #wedeservebetter pic.twitter.com/9lvkvgSDel
— Cory Hepola (@CoryHepola) March 1, 2022
If first impressions are any indication, Hepola's bid has already assumed room temperature.
Dear @CoryHepola this is the Cathedral not the Capitol.
— Blois Olson (@bloisolson) March 1, 2022
Welcome to the arena. #mn2022#mngov https://t.co/TyDTFpARrz pic.twitter.com/1RMnejmLcx
If you’re going to tell us a story about Minnesota, it seems fairly common sense to use imagery that’s actually *from* Minnesota.
— Jake Loesch (@jakeloesch) March 2, 2022
We have lots of good-looking bridges, but this ain’t one of them. pic.twitter.com/RuODu0jJ0O
The one thing Mr. Hepola does have going for him? He's scaring the bejeebers out of the DFL.
State DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin called Hepola a "spoiler" and said he could hand the governor's office to a Republican, noting that several recent gubernatorial elections in the state were decided by a narrow margin.
"A vote for Cory Hepola is a vote to help the GOP cut taxes for the rich, defund public schools, and force their anti-choice agenda on Minnesotans," Martin said in a statement.
Funny, but DFL leadership didn't show near this level of concern in 2010 when third party candidate Tom Horner siphoned off votes from GOP gov candidate Tom Emmer in a race where Mark Dayton prevailed by 0.5%. So suck it, Ken.
Now if they would just invite Cory to the gubernatorial debates.........
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