Kosevich announces run for Biereland governor, will challenge Ben Jordan in primary race

BROOKINGS  -- Former Biereland politician Peter Kosevich, a Conservative who was an appointed governor in the 1990s, will run for his old position in 2022.

Mr. Kosevich was never popularly-elected governor during his previous tenure. Instead, he was appointed governor by the state's legislature.

But now he's asking the voters of Biereland to elect him to his former position.

And he's running as a Conservative -- a direct challenge to incumbent Conservative Governor Ben Jordan, who is running for an unprecedented third-term.

"No governor -- from either party -- should serve three terms consecutively. That is too much power concentrated in one person for too long of a time. We need a break. We need new leadership. It's critical that we have new perspectives and allow access for new people to lead our state," said Kosevich in a video posted on his campaign social media accounts.

Kosevich said he largely agrees with Ben Jordan's positions, but thinks good-government principles should limit governors to two back-to-back terms. 

Jordan's campaign has not officially commented on Kosevich's entrance into the 2022 race, but Adrienne Martin, who works for the Jordan campaign, took to Twitter to criticize Kosevich's candidacy.

"Biereland voters want a strong, bold Conservative governor who doesn't bend to Nationalists' demands or to political correctness," Martin tweeted.

"The last thing Biereland voters want," she added, "is a 'moderate,' '1990s,' faux-'Conservative' in the governor's mansion."

No Nationalists have officially entered the Biereland governor's race yet, but former Gov. San Bartholomew is considered a leading potential candidate.

Businessman Joel Gruenwalder, farmer Derry Clayton, and former Federal Senator Steve Kolotano are also potential candidates.

Ben Jordan has been the state's governor since 2015.

David Brown rules out governor election rematch with Dan Rattner

MANCHESTER, Mar. -- Former Marchenay Governor David Brown (C) will not run for his old job in 2022.

Brown served as governor from 2015-2019, and lost his attempt at re-election to Nationalist and former Attorney General Dan Rattner.

Political observers in the state wondered if Brown would seek a rematch with Ratner in the 2022 election, but Brown ended all speculation Saturday, when he posted on Twitter and Facebook that he had "no interest" in running for governor again.

"It was a privilege and honor to serve as Marchenay's governor before, but now that I am back in the private sector, I am busy with my work. I have no interest in returning to the toxic political rat race," he wrote.

Brown's decision clears the field for other Conservative candidates, like businessmen Burke Azurjean, Tom Marino, Bill Kendle, state Sens. Mike Shannon and Mike Grimsby, former gubernatorial candidate David LaSaria, and Bruce McGruen, a twice-failed candidate for Deschire Attorney General who recently moved back to his native state of Marchenay and announced a gubernatorial bid.

Current Attorney General Mary Beth Halter already declined to seek the governorship in 2022, and will instead run for re-election to her post.

Incumbent Gov. Dan Rattner has modest approval ratings. He's taken some heat over his stringent COVID-19 restrictions and shut-downs.

But Marchenay's NAT-tilt will aid him as he runs for re-election next year.

Conservatives are also targeting Marchenay's Secretary of State seat, after Kathy Bernanski, the previous incumbent, was appointed to the Federal Senate to fill the vacant seat of Joseph Milhaughley.

Conservative Ari Havarnath has already raised $1.3 million for her campaign.

Milhaughley was a long-time federal senator who was appointed Federal Secretary of State by President Jim McCaren.