WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Former Minneapolis FBI agent Coleen Rowley, whose public criticism of the bureau set off an uproar over the FBI's pre-Sept. 11 counterterrorism lapses, said Monday that she will run as a Democrat for the U.S. House.
Rowley plans to challenge second-term Republican Rep. John Kline in Minnesota's Second District, which stretches across the Twin Cities' western and southern suburbs and as far south as Le Sueur and Red Wing.
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She said she will formally launch her campaign July 6 with a pancake breakfast for friends and supporters on the driveway of her Apple Valley home.
Her entry into the race, as one of Time magazine's former "Persons of the Year," pits Kline against an opponent with national name recognition and possibly, fundraising appeal.
Coleen RowleyJanet HostetterAssociated PressIf she wins the Democratic nomination, the race likely will feature lively exchanges about national security and the war in Iraq, which Kline has staunchly supported and Rowley vocally opposes.
Several other former FBI agents have served in Congress, including Rep. Michael Oxley, R-Ohio.
Rowley, a 24-year bureau veteran, considered challenging Kline last year but, as her family's prime wage earner, she decided to put off retirement until she turned 50 in December and qualified for a full pension.
A lawyer who competes in triathlons, Rowley has kept up her profile by traveling the country to give talks about ethics and civil liberties.
She said she will run a "frugal," unconventional campaign, avoiding "hard-sell," high-dollar fundraising, while trying to raise campaign money over the Internet for a race that could require $2 million. She said she hopes to traverse the district, speaking with small groups of voters over the next 16 months.
Close ties
Rowley said she will focus her campaign on the importance of "ethical decisionmaking by government leaders." She contended that Kline cannot represent the district's interests "because he's too closely tied to the administration."
Kline, a former Marine colonel, has been a steadfast supporter of President Bush's decision to invade Iraq and has defended the Pentagon's performance. In an op-ed piece in Monday's Star Tribune, he rejected allegations that military personnel have abused terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In March 2003, shortly before the war began, Rowley drew scorn from former senior FBI officials when she made public a letter warning Director Robert Mueller that a U.S. invasion could fan terrorism on a scale the bureau was unprepared to handle.
Lawrence Jacobs, a University of Minnesota political scientist, said Kline would retain a significant advantage as an incumbent in a conservative-leaning district, but could be hurt by Bush's slipping approval ratings and by rising gas prices.
"Republicans that are so closely associated with the president ... may not be what voters are looking for in 2006," Jacobs said. He said Rowley "is coming in with name recognition. She's got the law and order issue behind her. And how many times can you run as Time Person of the Year?"
Rowley could face competition for the DFL endorsement. Burnsville City Council Member Teresa Daly, who lost to Kline in 2004, may seek a rematch, said Darin Broton, who managed her campaign.
Daly could not be reached for comment, but Broton said if he were to bet, "I'd put money on Teresa Daly getting into the race."
Angelyn Shapiro, Kline's spokeswoman, brushed off Rowley's announcement, saying the congressman is focused on legislative matters.