Minnesota Republican activists have elected longtime operative Pat Shortridge to lead the GOP Party out of more than $2 million in debt and into the 2012 election season.

Sen. Warren Limmer is not running for chair of the state Republican Party. On Tuesday the Judiciary Committee chair told reporters that he was weighing a bid for the party's top post, but has now decided to focus on his duties in the Senate.

Longtime GOP operative Pat Shortridge, Second Congressional District Republican chairman Terry McCall and activist Todd McIntyre have all announced campaigns. Candidates will participate in a forum on Thursday at the Wentworth Library in West St. Paul.

The field for state Republican Party chair remains in flux. On Tuesday veteran GOP strategist Pat Shortridge announced that he is seeking the post.

Brandon Sawalich's abrupt exit from the GOP chair contest -- following his brief arrest for expired license tabs and questions about a sexual harassment lawsuit settlement -- has left the field wide open.

He's expected to make the announcement official this morning via news release, he said on Twitter late Thursday.

On Dec. 31 Republican activists from across the state will gather in St. Cloud to elect a new party chair. The meeting will cap a tumultuous end to 2011 for the state GOP. Earlier this month Tony Sutton suddenly resigned from the party’s top post. Revelations soon followed that the party is likely more than $1 million in debt.

House Speaker Kurt Zellers is backing Brandon Sawalich for state GOP chair. "Brandon knows that having a strong Republican Party will help all of our candidates from top to bottom," Zellers wrote on Sawalich's Facebook page on Wednesday.

Seifert's endorsement came the same day Sawalich saw two other Republicans rumored to be mulling runs of their own line up behind his candidacy.

Sen. David Hann is not running for state GOP chair. The influential chair of the Health and Human Services Committee is backing Brandon Sawalich for the party's top post.