Pawlenty: Emmer was "realistic about the process"

By Mike Kaszuba

At a press conference Wednesday morning, which took place an hour before Republican Tom Emmer was expected to concede his race for governor , Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Emmer had been "realistic about the process." "We always hoped and believed that it would be resolved," the Republican governor said. Pawlenty said he would meet with DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton – the state's next governor – on Thursday. The governor said he had not spoken with Emmer since Saturday, and said Emmer at the time told him he was waiting for the state Supreme Court to issue its reasoning behind an earlier decision on voter signatures that had struck down a key Emmer legal argument. Emmer had asked the court to rule on whether the number of voter signatures had to match the number of votes cast. Election officials argued that voter receipts – and not voter signatures – could instead by law be used to match the number of votes. The court agreed with the reasoning, and on Tuesday issued its formal ruling. "He wanted to see that Supreme Court decision," said Pawlenty, ". . .that the number of signatures of people signed in to vote should match the number of votes. "The Supreme Court [had earlier] indicated that wasn't necessary," the governor said. "One of his factors. . .he wanted to get the Supreme Court's actual decision so he could see it's reasoning – the reason why it was denying his claim." Emmer's main concern, said Pawlenty, was "how can there be more votes than voters who signed in?" "I think [Emmer's] been realistic about this process. Again, this is an automatic recount. The law requires it," the governor said.