Posted: 6/21/05
Doran's Senate run aims at political center
Erlandson comments on DFL Senate raceby T.W. Budig |
by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter
Kelly Doran wants to be Minnesotaís next U.S. Senator and heís willing to invest money and time to get there.
But if the bluntspeaking political novice fails, he wonít bury his head in his hands.
ìIf Iím not elected, Iíll show up at my office the next day and Iíll go back to work,î said Democrat Doran recently.
ìThis (candidacy) is about issue and ideas. Itís not about advancing a political career,î he said.
Doran, 47, of Eden Prairie, is a wealthy real estate developer with properties in the 6th Congressional District.
Born in Duluth and raised in Minneapolis by a mother who worked several jobs to support Doran and his three older sisters, Doran earned a MBA at the University of Minnesota and began a business career that eventually saw him Robert Muir Company president and running a construction company.
He credits his success to lessons his mother taught: know what youíre talking about, be fair and decent, work hard.
ìAnd Iíve had some luck ó everybody has some luck,î he said.
Doran and his wife Maria, an attorney at Robert Muir Company, have four children, two sons and a daughter by previous marriages.
He faces a crowded Democratic field in the U.S. Senate race, cracked open by Sen. Mark Daytonís decision not to seek reelection.
DFLers jostling to likely take on Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy in 2006 are Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar, child safety advocate Patty Wetterling, with Minneapolis attorney Mike Ciresi and Ford Bell, president of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, other possible candidates.
Doran ìreserves the rightî to run in the primary.
He professes no deep knowledge of inside DFL politics, saying heís not a professional politician.
Both an actual and self-styled political outsider, Doranís comments on political issues tend to have a Venturaesque directness.
Indeed, Gov. Venturaís former press secretary, John Wodele, works for the Doran campaign.
In explaining his candidacy, Doran describes the political scene as peopled by right-wingers and left-wingers with middle ground voters left in the cold.
ìNo one seems to want to speak out for them. And I think thatís what weíre going to do ó thatís what motivated me to get in,î he said.
Doran views Washington as fiscally running amok, with debt levels threatening future generations.
ìAs a business person, a parent, I just canít stand it anymore,î he said.
Heís a strong advocate of a balanced budget amendment, he said.
Doran points to himself and others in the top income tax bracket as the undeserving recipients of President Bushís tax cuts.
ìWhen the average guy on the street gets $100 or $200 of tax savings, and I get $50,000 in one year, thatís wrong,î said Doran.
ìThatís not good for the country,î he said.
Doran believes the county was ìdeceivedî into going to war in Iraq, and questions why American troops were sent to war without adequate armor.
ìBut the problem, with all that said, we are where we are,î said Doran, saying that while the American commitment to Iraq needs to continue, a road map for withdrawal ó something short of an actual timetable ó should be worked out.
On social issues, Doran draws a distinction between ìPro Lifeî and ìPro Birthî and argues a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman is unnecessary.
ìIím not pro abortion, but I donít believe the government should be involved in that decision,î he said.
Reducing the number of abortions means providing mothers with adequately funded programs to help them raise their babies, Doran explained.
ìIn my view, Republicans are ëPro Birth.í If you want to be ëPro Life,í figure out a way to make that whole thing (well funded programs) happen,î said Doran.
As for the amendment, why is one needed to do what federal law already does, Doran argued, speaking of defense of marriage law.
ìItís (the proposed amendment) a divisive issue thatís been raised by people who want to divide people,î Doran said.
That he does not want to do, he said.
Doran explained his libertarian-style views as extending to guns ó a legal product, he noted.
ìIím not a hunter. I donít own a gun. But I have no issue with guns,î said Doran.
ìIf you want to own a gun ó if you want to own fifty guns. Thatís your right to do that,î he said, adding no new gun laws are needed.
Doran is willing to spend his own money on his campaign to ìget my name recognition up there ó equal with people who are in the press all the time.î
He has slotted $250,000 towards his campaign so far, but hasnít yet spent the entire amount, said a Doran campaign official.
According to personal financial data filed with the federal government, Doran is worth between $57 million and $210 million.
He listed a salary at $486,000 plus rental income of at least $100,000.
The Robert Muir Company owns and manages Rainbow Village, Toy R Us Commons, The Village of Blaine in Blaine, and Northtown Village in Coon Rapids.
Dick Anfang, president of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council, endorsed Doran and spoke when Doran formally announced his candidacy June 5 in Oakdale.
DFL 6th District Chairman Greg Hansen said he senses Doran could be a formidable candidate, someone voters in the district will look at.
ìHeís kind of unknown, but so far heís been doing everything right,î said Hansen, who has publicly endorsed Wetterling.
The Republican Party of Minnesota explains Doranís candidacy to a lack of interest among DFL activists with Wetterling and Klobuchar.
Doran recently appeared on public televisionís ìAlmanac,î looking calm, speaking to the point.
He had taken no prior media training, Doran said.
ìMaybe Iím just comfortable with who I am,î he said of his television image.
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