Politics In Minnesota quotes sources saying the Minnesota Republican Party's debts reach to about $2 million. That's almost double a previous estimate. The debt comes from unpaid legal fees, an FEC fine and recent invoices that have ballooned the party's financial woes. The revelation comes on the eve of the state GOP electing a new chairman.

GOP leaders are urging party members to stay the course just hours after Tony Sutton's abrupt resignation Friday night. The party is more than $500 thousand in debt and facing a pivotal election year in 2012.

The latest campaign fundraising reports show that the Minnesota Republican Party had a debt of $964,367 - - which does not include $700,000 stemming from the 2010 gubernatorial recount, according to MPR. Meanwhile, the DFL Party reports a debt of $267,654 but says it has more than $400 thousand on hand.

Just hours after Republican officials declared the party $2 million in debt, former party leader Tony Sutton released a statement on his Facebook page saying the numbers reflect a hard fought election and campaign cycle, but that Minnesota is better off because of it.

Eden Prairie Sen. David Hann was chosen by Senate Republicans to be the Senate minority leader for the party in the upcoming state legislative session. It is unclear how many challengers there were for the post. The state Republican House will pick its minority leader Saturday.

Former State Representative Mike Osskopp has dropped out of the race for Republican party chair and endorsed the newest entrant, Pat Shortridge. The Minnesota GOP will meet in St. Cloud on December 31st to select a new party leader.

Minnesota Public Radio reports Sutton was giving out hundreds of thousands of dollars to contractors and consultants with close ties to the party even as donations started to slow. Now, with the state GOP struggling under $2 million of debt, leaders are worried donors large and small will take their checkbooks elsewhere.