*** THIS IS A BEAN WALKER SIREN EXCLUSIVE ***

DES MOINES – In an exclusive TheBeanWalker.com phone interview this morning, Iowa Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley said, “I’m going to begin aggressively exploring a run for governor.”

Once he files, McKinley will join Bob Vander Plaats, Rep. Chris Rants and Christian Fong, who have all filed exploratory papers in their possible run for governor.

“During my travels, I’ve been actively encouraged to run for governor,” said McKinley. “I’m going to take some more time to tell Iowans my story and my vision.”

When asked if he had yet reached the $750 threshold that would trigger the required paperwork to form an exploratory committee, McKinley told The Bean Walker, “We will make the necessary changes wihin the next day or two.”

McKinley, who sat down with The Bean Walker in April, sounded his common themes throughout the interview.

“We must prepare our state for the global economy and give Iowans back their government,” he said. “I believe my background is best-suited to make the necessary changes.”

As for his job as leader in the Senate, he intends to continue his work while he nears the ultimate decision of whether he’ll run, which “will come by the early fall,” he said.

McKinley, of Chariton, is a business owner who says he would use that experience as governor.

“The main thing is, during the farm crisis, I grew a company during the Jimmy Carter misery index and high inflation,” he continued. “Within 10 years we tripled the size. During that crisis, when noone else was hiring, we did. I will take those same principles and apply them to government. We need reform, and we need it badly.”

DEVELOPING…