Contenders join, depart St. Paul mayoral race

Published Thursday, December 14, 2000

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Contenders join, depart St. Paul mayoral race

The St. Paul mayoral race continues to gather steam, as potential candidates deal themselves in -- and out -- of what is expected to be a crowded field of contenders seeking to succeed Mayor Norm Coleman.

Police Chief William Finney, who was considered to be a possible candidate, said Tuesday that he won't run.

"I have a lot of unfinished business with the St. Paul police, and I intend to shore up the things I've initiated," he said. But he also said he was not closing the door on a possible run later.

Finney, 52, was appointed chief in 1992 by Mayor Jim Scheibel and reappointed to a second six-year term by Coleman in 1998. He said Tuesday that he expects to remain chief at least until his term ends in 2004 and that he may seek a third term.

Ramsey County Commissioner Susan Haigh, who spent nearly a year seeking support, dropped out of the mayoral last month.

Meanwhile, former City Council Member BobLong is bolstering a possible mayoral bid by hosting his first major campaign fund-raiser tonight, but he said he won't officially announce his candidacy until January.

Coleman, considering another run for governor, said last month that he won't seek reelection.

Political observers said that at least a dozen candidates are considering joining the race but that only Bobbi Megard, a former St. Paul City Council member who bowed out of the 1997 mayor's race, has formally announced her candidacy.

"Everyone is jockeying for support," Long said. Though he has stopped short of making a formal public announcement, Long said he's aggressively seeking financial and political commitments.

-- Mary Lynn Smith