In 2002, Tim Penny as Independence Party candidate got 16.2% of the vote, a respectable third.
What if Penny had won? In September, Penny (30%) polled ahead of Pawlenty (28%) and Moe (27%).
Given the mid-00s economy, I can see him getting reelected in 2006. If Minnesota has Independence Party Governors from 1999-2011 (Ventura, then Penny), I imagine the party would become a fixture of state politics.
What's interesting about the Independence Party is that they had some pretty decent candidates. I can see it growing over time to capture some other offices - state legislative seats, county offices, city offices, and maybe a house seat or two.
Peter Hutchinson was their 2006 gubernatorial candidate. He’d been Deputy Mayor of Minneapolis, superintendent of Minneapolis schools, State Finance Commissioner, and Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools. He also had a decent private sector background, including chairing a foundation that distributed 110m nationwide for community improvement projects.
Dean Barkeley was their 2008 Senate nominee. The Democrats tried to recruit him to run against Bachmann in 2008, he got 15.15% of the vote in 2008. He was Ventura's director of the state's Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning. He briefly was the Senator between Wellstone's passing and Coleman's inauguration (two months), and during his time in the Senate established a Memorial for Wellstone.
Maureen Reed was the 2006 Lieutenant Governor nominee. She'd been Chair of the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota, Medical Director and VP of a not-for-profit Health Provider with 26,000 employees as of 2019 (unsure about 2006 figures). She would later become Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum in 2011 and be the Democratic nominee for congress in the sixth district against Michelle Bachmann in 2010.
Lucy Gerold was the 2006 nominee for State Auditor. She'd been Minneapolis's Deputy Chief of Police.
John James was the 2006 nominee for Attorney General. He'd been State Commissioner of Revenue.
Joel Spoonheim was the 2006 nominee for Secretary of State. He'd been Economic and Redevelopment Director for Brooklyn Park, the sixth largest city in Minnesota (and the town Ventura had been mayor of before running for Governor).
Tom Horner was the 2010 nominee for Governor. He was Senator David Durenburger's Chief of Staff and Press Secretary. He got 11.9% of the vote, and had been endorsed by former Senator David Durenburger, former Governor Arne Carlson, former Governor Al Quie, former State House Speaker David Jennings, and 14 other previously elected Republicans in the state. He'd also been endorsed by the state's largest paper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
What if Penny had won? In September, Penny (30%) polled ahead of Pawlenty (28%) and Moe (27%).
Given the mid-00s economy, I can see him getting reelected in 2006. If Minnesota has Independence Party Governors from 1999-2011 (Ventura, then Penny), I imagine the party would become a fixture of state politics.
What's interesting about the Independence Party is that they had some pretty decent candidates. I can see it growing over time to capture some other offices - state legislative seats, county offices, city offices, and maybe a house seat or two.
Peter Hutchinson was their 2006 gubernatorial candidate. He’d been Deputy Mayor of Minneapolis, superintendent of Minneapolis schools, State Finance Commissioner, and Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools. He also had a decent private sector background, including chairing a foundation that distributed 110m nationwide for community improvement projects.
Dean Barkeley was their 2008 Senate nominee. The Democrats tried to recruit him to run against Bachmann in 2008, he got 15.15% of the vote in 2008. He was Ventura's director of the state's Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning. He briefly was the Senator between Wellstone's passing and Coleman's inauguration (two months), and during his time in the Senate established a Memorial for Wellstone.
Maureen Reed was the 2006 Lieutenant Governor nominee. She'd been Chair of the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota, Medical Director and VP of a not-for-profit Health Provider with 26,000 employees as of 2019 (unsure about 2006 figures). She would later become Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum in 2011 and be the Democratic nominee for congress in the sixth district against Michelle Bachmann in 2010.
Lucy Gerold was the 2006 nominee for State Auditor. She'd been Minneapolis's Deputy Chief of Police.
John James was the 2006 nominee for Attorney General. He'd been State Commissioner of Revenue.
Joel Spoonheim was the 2006 nominee for Secretary of State. He'd been Economic and Redevelopment Director for Brooklyn Park, the sixth largest city in Minnesota (and the town Ventura had been mayor of before running for Governor).
Tom Horner was the 2010 nominee for Governor. He was Senator David Durenburger's Chief of Staff and Press Secretary. He got 11.9% of the vote, and had been endorsed by former Senator David Durenburger, former Governor Arne Carlson, former Governor Al Quie, former State House Speaker David Jennings, and 14 other previously elected Republicans in the state. He'd also been endorsed by the state's largest paper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
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