Dean Barkley
Encyclopedia
Dean Malcolm Barkley is a politician who briefly served as a member of the United States Senate
from Minnesota
following the death of Paul Wellstone
. A founder and chair of the Minnesota Reform Party (the predecessor of the Independence Party of Minnesota
), he chaired Jesse Ventura
's successful 1998 gubernatorial campaign; Ventura subsequently appointed him director of the state's Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning. Barkley ran as the Independence Party's candidate for the Senate in 2008
, coming third to Al Franken
and Norm Coleman
.
, graduating from Annandale High School in 1968. He received his BA from the University of Minnesota
in 1972 and JD from the University of Minnesota Law School
in 1976 During his university years Barkley volunteered for George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign
because of his opposition to the Vietnam War.
After graduating from law school, he practiced law and in 1988 became president of Dayton’s Furniture in Annandale, a position he held until 1991.
's presidential campaign
. He was also a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1994
and 1996
.
's successful gubernatorial campaign in 1998
.
Barkley was appointed director of the Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning (known as Minnesota Planning) by Governor
Ventura in January 1999. Ventura appointed Barkley to complete the Senate term of Paul Wellstone, who died in a plane crash on October 25, 2002. Barkley served until the 107th congress
ended on January 3, 2003, when he was replaced by Norm Coleman
, who had been elected
on November 5, 2002 to the term lasting from 2003 to 2009. Ventura had previously stated that he would not appoint a replacement for Wellstone and preferred to wait for the election results. Ventura explained his subsequent reversal as being due to his disgust at Wellstone's memorial service, which he felt was used as a political rally for the Democratic Party. This was compounded by the fact that the established political parties refused to take the third-party candidate for the position seriously or to allow that person to participate in pre-election debates.
During his weeks as senator, Barkley helped pass legislation establishing a memorial for Wellstone and provided a pivotal vote in clearing the final passage of the Homeland Security Act
.
After leaving office, Barkley did a stint in St. Paul as a state government lobbyist for a tobacco company, a casino, and the private prison industry. Beginning in April 2005, Barkley served as campaign director and chief strategist for Texas Independent Gubernatorial hopeful Kinky Friedman
in 2006.
In a June 2007 interview with Minnesota Monitor, Barkley confirmed that he had been approached by Democrats in Minnesota's 6th congressional district
about a possible challenge to Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann
. Barkley indicated he would consider running if the DFL
would support him as an independent candidate.
As of May 2008 Barkley was working part-time as a bus driver for the elderly and disabled. He says he enjoys the job and sees it as a public service.
for reelection to the U.S. Senate seat
that Barkley previously held. On July 14, 2008, Ventura announced that he would not seek election to the seat, prompting Barkley to announce his candidacy. Ventura supported Barkley and donated $500 to the campaign.
Despite entering the race at a late date Barkley was polling as high as 19% by October 1. The campaign also produced two statewide radio ads featuring Barkley and Ventura. Barkley, unlike many third party and independent candidates, was included in public debates with the major party nominees; the first of five three-way debates took place October 5. He received the endorsement of former U.S. Representative Tim Penny
. Numerous polls showed that Barkley would have an impact on the outcome of the race. Barkley raised $163,358 for his campaign (less than 1% of each of his opponents' totals). He received over 435,000 votes or about 15% of the total, significantly affecting a race in which the eventual winner Al Franken
and incumbent Norm Coleman
were separated by only 312 votes.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
following the death of Paul Wellstone
Paul Wellstone
Paul David Wellstone was a two-term U.S. Senator from the state of Minnesota and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which is affiliated with the national Democratic Party. Before being elected to the Senate in 1990, he was a professor of political science at Carleton College...
. A founder and chair of the Minnesota Reform Party (the predecessor of the Independence Party of Minnesota
Independence Party of Minnesota
The Independence Party of Minnesota , formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Republican Party . It is the political party of former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura , and endorsed former U.S...
), he chaired Jesse Ventura
Jesse Ventura
James George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host...
's successful 1998 gubernatorial campaign; Ventura subsequently appointed him director of the state's Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning. Barkley ran as the Independence Party's candidate for the Senate in 2008
United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 4, 2008. After a legal battle lasting over eight months, Al Franken from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in one of the closest elections in the history of the Senate...
, coming third to Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
and Norm Coleman
Norm Coleman
Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...
.
Early life and career
Barkley was born in Annandale, MinnesotaAnnandale, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,684 people, 1,098 households, and 698 families residing in the city. The population density was 990.3 people per square mile . There were 1,163 housing units at an average density of 429.1 per square mile...
, graduating from Annandale High School in 1968. He received his BA from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1972 and JD from the University of Minnesota Law School
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,...
in 1976 During his university years Barkley volunteered for George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 1972
The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...
because of his opposition to the Vietnam War.
After graduating from law school, he practiced law and in 1988 became president of Dayton’s Furniture in Annandale, a position he held until 1991.
Prior to Jesse Ventura
A founder of the Minnesota Reform Party, Barkley ran for the U.S. House in 1992, a run inspired by Ross PerotRoss Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
's presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 1992
The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot....
. He was also a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1994
United States Senate elections, 1994
The U.S. Senate election, 1994 was an election held on November 8, in which the Republican Party was able to take control of the Senate from the Democrats. In a midterm election, the opposition Republicans held the traditional advantage...
and 1996
United States Senate elections, 1996
The 1996 elections to the United States Senate coincided with the 1996 presidential election, in which Democrats Bill Clinton and Al Gore were reelected President and Vice President of the United States, respectively....
.
Ventura and the United States Senate
Barkley was chairman of Jesse VenturaJesse Ventura
James George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host...
's successful gubernatorial campaign in 1998
Minnesota gubernatorial election, 1998
The 1998 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998. Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura defeated Republican Party challenger Norm Coleman and Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party challenger Hubert H. "Skip" Humphrey III...
.
Barkley was appointed director of the Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning (known as Minnesota Planning) by Governor
Governor of Minnesota
The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
Ventura in January 1999. Ventura appointed Barkley to complete the Senate term of Paul Wellstone, who died in a plane crash on October 25, 2002. Barkley served until the 107th congress
107th United States Congress
The One Hundred Seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 2001 to January 3, 2003, during the final...
ended on January 3, 2003, when he was replaced by Norm Coleman
Norm Coleman
Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...
, who had been elected
United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2002
The 2002 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone was running for re-election to a third term, but died in a plane crash eleven days before the election. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chose former Vice President...
on November 5, 2002 to the term lasting from 2003 to 2009. Ventura had previously stated that he would not appoint a replacement for Wellstone and preferred to wait for the election results. Ventura explained his subsequent reversal as being due to his disgust at Wellstone's memorial service, which he felt was used as a political rally for the Democratic Party. This was compounded by the fact that the established political parties refused to take the third-party candidate for the position seriously or to allow that person to participate in pre-election debates.
During his weeks as senator, Barkley helped pass legislation establishing a memorial for Wellstone and provided a pivotal vote in clearing the final passage of the Homeland Security Act
Homeland Security Act
The Homeland Security Act of 2002, , 116 Stat. 2135 was introduced in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and subsequent mailings of anthrax spores. The HSA was cosponsored by 118 members of Congress. It was signed into law by President George W...
.
After Ventura
| Electoral history |
|---|
2008 Race for U.S. Senate
|
| 1996 Race for U.S. Senate
Paul Wellstone Paul David Wellstone was a two-term U.S. Senator from the state of Minnesota and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which is affiliated with the national Democratic Party. Before being elected to the Senate in 1990, he was a professor of political science at Carleton College... (DFL) (inc.), 50% Rudy Boschwitz Rudolph Ely "Rudy" Boschwitz is a former Independent-Republican United States Senator from Minnesota. He served in the Senate from December 1978 to January 1991, in the 96th, 97th, 98th, 99th, 100th, and 101st congresses. He was then defeated by Paul Wellstone.-Life and career:Boschwitz was born... (R), 41% |
| 1994 Race for U.S. Senate
Rod Grams Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :... (R), 49% |
| 1992 Race for U.S. House of Representatives — 6th District Minnesota's 6th congressional district Minnesota's 6th congressional district includes most or all of Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright, Anoka, and Washington counties. The district is Republican-leaning with a CPVI of R + 7. It is currently represented by Republican Michele Bachmann.... Rod Grams Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :... (R), 44% Gerry Sikorski Gerald Edward Sikorski is a Minnesota politician and lawyer. He was a U.S. Representative representing Minnesota's 6th congressional district as a DFL member from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1993 in the 98th, 99th, 100th, 101st, and 102nd Congresses. He served as Whip-at-Large and as a member of... (DFL) (inc.), 33% |
After leaving office, Barkley did a stint in St. Paul as a state government lobbyist for a tobacco company, a casino, and the private prison industry. Beginning in April 2005, Barkley served as campaign director and chief strategist for Texas Independent Gubernatorial hopeful Kinky Friedman
Kinky Friedman
Richard S. "Kinky" Friedman is an American Texas Country singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly who styles himself in the mold of popular American satirists Will Rogers and Mark Twain. He was one of two independent candidates in the 2006 election...
in 2006.
In a June 2007 interview with Minnesota Monitor, Barkley confirmed that he had been approached by Democrats in Minnesota's 6th congressional district
Minnesota's 6th congressional district
Minnesota's 6th congressional district includes most or all of Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright, Anoka, and Washington counties. The district is Republican-leaning with a CPVI of R + 7. It is currently represented by Republican Michele Bachmann....
about a possible challenge to Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann
Michele Bachmann
Michele Marie Bachmann is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing , a post she has held since 2007. The district includes several of the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, such as Woodbury, and Blaine as well as Stillwater and St. Cloud.She is currently a...
. Barkley indicated he would consider running if the DFL
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
would support him as an independent candidate.
As of May 2008 Barkley was working part-time as a bus driver for the elderly and disabled. He says he enjoys the job and sees it as a public service.
2008 U.S. Senate campaign
Both Barkley and Ventura considered challenging Norm ColemanNorm Coleman
Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...
for reelection to the U.S. Senate seat
United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 4, 2008. After a legal battle lasting over eight months, Al Franken from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in one of the closest elections in the history of the Senate...
that Barkley previously held. On July 14, 2008, Ventura announced that he would not seek election to the seat, prompting Barkley to announce his candidacy. Ventura supported Barkley and donated $500 to the campaign.
Despite entering the race at a late date Barkley was polling as high as 19% by October 1. The campaign also produced two statewide radio ads featuring Barkley and Ventura. Barkley, unlike many third party and independent candidates, was included in public debates with the major party nominees; the first of five three-way debates took place October 5. He received the endorsement of former U.S. Representative Tim Penny
Tim Penny
Timothy Joe "Tim" Penny , is an American politician from Minnesota. Penny was a Democratic-Farmer-Labor member of the United States House of Representatives, 1983–1995, representing Minnesota's 1st congressional district in the 98th, 99th, 100th, 101st, 102nd and 103rd congresses.-Early life:Penny...
. Numerous polls showed that Barkley would have an impact on the outcome of the race. Barkley raised $163,358 for his campaign (less than 1% of each of his opponents' totals). He received over 435,000 votes or about 15% of the total, significantly affecting a race in which the eventual winner Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
and incumbent Norm Coleman
Norm Coleman
Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...
were separated by only 312 votes.
Papers
Dean Barkley's senatorial papers are available for research use. They include biographical files, press releases and speeches, legislative files, and issue mail.External links
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States CongressBiographical Directory of the United States CongressThe Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as well as its predecessor, the Continental Congress...