Johnson Says He Won't Go Negative On GOP Rivals

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson says he doesn't intend to wage a negative campaign against three fellow GOP hopefuls who are challenging him in an August primary.

Johnson is a Hennepin County commissioner who won the party's backing at a weekend state convention. He hopes to emerge from a four-way primary as the nominee to face Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton.

Johnson appeared Monday with state Republican leaders at the Capitol before a fly-around. He says he thinks he'll need to raise and spend $1 million to be successful against businessman Scott Honour, former House Speaker Kurt Zellers and former Rep. Marty Seifert.

It's the first competitive primary for Republicans in a statewide race since 1994, when incumbent Gov. Arne Carlson dispatched with a challenger from his right.

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