Tom Horner is a familiar face on Minnesota’s public affairs scene. He has a background in journalism, was chief of staff to former U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger, a co-founder of one of the region’s best-known public affairs firms, Himle Horner and an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of St. Thomas. In 2010, Horner was the Independence Party candidate for governor of Minnesota. The StarTribune in its endorsement editorial, said Horner “loves Minnesota; he's a serious student of government and economics, and he feels called to service…Horner seeks to apply the lessons of a lifetime spent working in and around public policy to the restoration of this state's vitality.” Today, Horner is president of Horner Strategies, LLC, a public relations and public affairs consulting firm.