Gov. Ventura says the most expensive state legislative race in 2000 attracted more than $300,000 in unregulated spending, roughly six times the combined total the race's two candidates could spend under voluntary limits.

"We are headed down a very dangerous path," Ventura said. "Unless serious campaign finance reform is passed this session, we can expect special-interest spending to undercut candidates' campaigns and the tone of our campaigns to grow more negative and less focused on the issues that matter to Minnesotans."

Ventura wants to weaken the power of organized interests groups by raising the limits for the political contribution refund program. That program encourages individual donations by reimbursing Minnesotans who contribute to candidates or political parties. Ventura would double the amount refundable from $50 to $100.

The governor's plan also gives candidates more flexibility to respond to independent expenditures.

Rep. Bill Haas, R-Champlin, joined Ventura's press conference. He says he's been on the receiving end of attacks from outside groups. an experience he calls "brutal."

"Now how can you respond to an attack when someone is spending, $5,000; $10,000; $20,000; $200,000 against you in negative attacks? And that's generally what these attacks are. They're negative and they're marginally truthful," Haas said.

Candidates accept voluntary spending limits in order to qualify for a public campaign subsidy, but Haas says those caps make it difficult to respond to a well-financed and unregulated opposition group. The governor's bill would allow candidates to exceed the caps if they're targeted by such outside interests. The proposal would also set up a state-supported revolving loan fund to help office-seekers respond to last-minute attacks.

	FOR MORE INFORMATION Campaign Finance Reform in Minnesota (Web site) Minnesota's campaign finance law (Mn. Senate)

"I intend to push strongly on the full public financing, but I'm also a realist. And I think what's important is that we find a structure that can pass both houses and be put on the governor's desk," Hottinger said.

Ventura says he's sympathetic to more public assistance for candidates, a move supporters say would sever ties between special interests and the candidates they bankroll. But the estimated $40 million cost over the next two years didn't find space in the governor's budget.

Bruce Miller, the executive director of the watchdog group Common Cause of Minnesota, says he supports the spirit of Ventura's bill. But Miller says he'll continue to support full public financing.

"We think this is the year to pass campaign finance reform. Next year we'll be in the middle of an election again, the money will start to flow - incredible amounts of money will begin to flow. I can't even imagine the amount of money that will flow. If we don't fix campaign finance system this year, I think it's going to be a long time before we get it fixed," Miller said.

Ventura's bill would also provide a partial public subsidy to qualifying candidates before the general election. Current law withholds public support until after the election is over, requiring candidates to secure loans during the campaign season.