going into the 2010 state elections, the minnesota government faced an approximately $5 billion budget shortfall in the coming 2011–2013 biennium, left over from the outgoing administration of republican governor tim pawlenty. the republican party claimed that the shortfall was a result of unsustainable increases in spending, and pledged to balance the budget without raising taxes. in the gubernatorial election, former u.s. senator mark dayton campaigned pledging to close the budget deficit by increasing income taxes on the state's highest earners.