Matt Entenza Statement on Attempted GAMC Override

St. Paul, Minn. - In response to the Minnesota House of Representatives' failure to override Gov. Pawlenty's veto of a GAMC funding extension, Matt Entenza has issued the following statement:

"Rep. Paul Kohls was right that today is a sad day in Minnesota. He's just wrong about why.

"Today's override failure means 70,000 Minnesotans, including 8,000 of our veterans, have to live in fear of losing their health care. It's not right nor is it good policy.

"It's time for leaders on both sides of the aisle to do the right thing, despite whatever their political ambitions may be. As DFL leader in the House, I took on Tim Pawlenty to preserve MinnesotaCare - not because it was easy or popular even among some in my own caucus, but because it was the right thing to do. Minnesotans rightly expect their leaders to have their priorities straight. The day we stop protecting our most vulnerable citizens is indeed a sad day."

Matt Entenza's campaign for governor of Minnesota is about growing the economy, creating jobs all over Minnesota by focusing on the potential of clean energy, and refocusing on education as the engine of future job creation and economic competitiveness. Entenza was a white-collar crime prosecutor prior to representing St. Paul in the Minnesota legislature for 12 years, including four years during which he also served as House Minority Leader and led the DFL to significant gains. In 2007, Entenza founded Minnesota 2020, a think tank that has been an important voice for progressive policy positions and which he chaired until April 2009. Entenza is a graduate of Worthington High School in Worthington, Minn., Macalester College in St. Paul, and the University of Minnesota Law School.