Gov.-Elect Dayton Asks For GOP Help Fixing Budget Deficit

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota Gov.-elect Mark Dayton has asked the GOP-led Legislature for help solving the "state budget crisis."

Dayton was making his first public comments Wednesday since Republican Tom Emmer conceded earlier in the day after a statewide recount failed to overturn Dayton's lead of nearly 9,000 votes.

That will make Dayton the first Democrat to serve as Minnesota's governor in 20 years.

It was Minnesota's second big recount in just two years. The state's 2008 Senate standoff between then-Sen. Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken took more than six months to resolve, mainly because of a lawsuit.

Dayton will be sworn in Jan. 3. He campaigned on a promise to tax the wealthy to solve the budget deficit, but will have to work with Republican majorities who oppose it.

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