Walz Prepares to Take Oath as Minnesota’s 41st Governor

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Tim Walz is preparing to take the oath to become Minnesota's 41st governor since statehood.

The Democratic former congressman from Mankato says he's ready to hit the ground running after Monday's ceremonies at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. He's already named all but one of his state agency heads.

Minnesota's other constitutional officers will also be sworn in. A public reception is set for 3 p.m. in the State Capitol Rotunda.

Walz takes over from Democrat Mark Dayton, who's retiring after eight years as governor and a political career spanning 40 years that included one term in the U.S. Senate.

When Dayton took office in 2011, the state faced a $6.2 billion budget deficit. But Walz is inheriting a projected $1.5 billion surplus for the next two-year budget period.