Ted Lillie, who is publisher of the Lillie Suburban Newspapers, is the new president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota.

Lillie had served two years in the state Senate and was considered a rising star in the Republican Party, but was defeated last November by DFLer Susan Kent.

Lillie takes over leadership of the conservative advocacy group from Phil Krinkie, who resigned to run as a Republican for the 6th District congressional seat where incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann is not seeking reelection.

Krinkie has nice things to say about Lillie:

I can think of no one better suited to fight for the interests of taxpayers at the State Capitol. His experience running a business and serving numerous non-profit organizations as well as his experience in the Senate make him the right leader at the right time to carry the message that Minnesota businesses are struggling under the burden of high taxes and regulation.

Lillie had harsh words for the DFL-controlled state government:

We should strive to lead the nation in job creation not tax creation. Gov. Dayton’s $2 billion tax increase on families and businesses is being discussed at dinner tables and by business leaders across the state. The best way to pay for government services is to grow the economy by putting more people back to work. We have an opportunity to evaluate the entire government services delivery model, explore efficiencies and find solutions that help our residents effectively compete on the world stage. Minnesota is losing jobs by the thousands. We won’t be competitive if we don’t do something to correct the path we are on.