Jason Metsa to run for Tom Rukavina's seat

That didn't take long.

DFL and labor activist/staffer Jason Metsa announced that he will be seeking Tom Rukavina's seat this fall. Metsa ran Rukavina's 2010 gubernatorial campaign and has been very active on a whole lot of campaigns recently.

Aaron Brown has the details:

Metsa, 31, is a fifth-generation Iron Ranger with roots in the Angora and Nashwauk area. His family moved to Rochester for part of his childhood during the economic collapse in the '80s, but he returned to graduate from Babbitt-Embarrass in the late '90s.

Metsa began organizing a slew of Range political campaigns in 2006, working for various candidates and the DFL before being hired to coordinate political operations for the influential Labor Council last year.

"A lot of young people have had to move away [from the Range] to find jobs," said Metsa. "We need to create jobs for them here."

He told me he'll focus on helping advance nonferrous mining development in the area. He said he believes that the future of the Range depends on people getting involved in their communities.

Aaron notes that Metsa faces Lorrie Janatopoulos in the DFL endorsement race. The convention is this Saturday.

Should be interesting...