alternatehistory.com

Dean Barkley was a United States Senator appointed by Jesse Ventura from November 2002 to January 2003. He was a member of the Minnesota Independence Party (formerly the Minnesota branch of the Reform Party).

In January 2007 he said that the Minnesota Democrats had approached him to run against Michelle Bachmann. He said he'd only do it if he could run as an independent and the Minnesota Democrats allowed him to do as such (ergo an independent in the way Bernie Sanders is an independent). Ultimately nothing came of it.

What if Barkley had run and beaten Michelle Bachmann in 2008?

What would be the effect on the Tea Party without Bachmann appropriating it? Prior to the establishment of the caucus, there wasn't much of a social conservative element to the Tea Party - it was primarily focused on fiscal issues.

What would be the effect on the 2012 primary?
Top