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.

Pat Shortridge won the Minnesota GOP party chair election on the first ballot. He was up against Terry McCall and Todd McIntyre. He takes over for former chair Tony Sutton who recently resigned.

Republican Tony Sutton's abrupt departure Friday night was announced via a note left on the social media network Twitter. Sutton says the past few months have taken a tremendous toll on him and his family.

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.

The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board Friday imposed fines on the Minnesota Republican Party, former chairman Tony Sutton and a separate corporation over the financing of the recount in the 2010 governor's race between Republican Tom Emmer and Democrat Mark Dayton. The state GOP was fined $26,900, while Sutton and Count Them All Properly Inc. were fined $3,000 each.

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.

Minnesota's Grand Old Party has taken numerous hits recently as key party members resign and debt issues loom.

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.