Attorney General Mike Hatch said Sunday that he will propose spending $100 million of state money over 10 years on embryonic stem cell research, if he is elected governor.
Hatch said at a press conference at the State Capitol that President Bush's recent veto of expanded federal funding for stem cell research has created a void that states must fill.
The DFL endorsed candidate for governor said Minnesota should be a leader in such research. Hatch cited the promise of stem cell research to cure diseases such as Alzheimer's and diabetes.
"As governor, I will make substantial investments in stem cell research at the University of Minnesota Stem Cell Institute," he told reporters.
Minnesota, as a longtime leader in medical device manufacturing, is losing ground in the bioscience area, Hatch said.
"We're now at the next step and we can't afford to fall behind," he said.
California voters have approved spending $3 billion over 10 years on stem cell research. And in neighboring Wisconsin, Gov. Jim Doyle recently launched a $750 million stem cell initiative.
Hatch faces Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the Republican endorsee, and Independence Party candidate Peter Hutchinson.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
