Party of Jesse Ventura Vies to Be More

The Big Two Dwarf Minnesota's Independence Party, but It Refuses to Fade

In 12 years as a major political party in Minnesota, the Independence Party has produced one larger-than-life governor, an appointed U.S. senator for 7 1/2 weeks and a smattering of local officials.

Now the party of Jesse Ventura is pinning its hopes on eight statewide and federal candidates, none of whom has ever stood for election before, plus a collection of 17 seekers of lesser offices.

Is this really a major party?

Officially it is, by virtue of attaining 5 percent or more of the vote in at least one statewide race in every Minnesota general election since 1994. And polls show that string is likely to continue with veteran public policy wonk Peter Hutchinson's long-shot gubernatorial run this year.

In some ways, the Independence Party is a serious political force while in others it's still a struggling newcomer.

"They are definitely a player, at the moment probably the most successful third-party movement in America," said Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. "But they're not yet an organization, and their support can be unstable."

Not surprisingly, the two dominant parties -- with more than 200 nominees apiece on the Nov. 7 ballots -- scoff at the IP's thin candidate slates, threadbare finances, middle-of-the-road politics and recent election failures.

"It's hard to talk about the future of a party that hit its high-water mark eight years ago," said Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party spokeswoman Jess McIntosh, referring to Ventura's election. "They had their shot, they showed us what independent leadership looks like, and I don't imagine voters will give them another chance anytime soon."

Added state Republican Party spokesman Mark Drake: "They've been losing a lot of influence in the post-Ventura years."

But state IP Chairman Jim Moore shot back: "The last time the state worked was with a former wrestler who wore a feather boa."

Since Ventura "shocked the world" in 1998 by winning a three-way gubernatorial race with 37 percent of the vote, Tim Penny, the IP's choice in 2002, saw his support fall from the mid-20 percent range in an early poll to 16 percent on Election Day. Hutchinson is languishing in single digits.

Moore says that's about where Ventura was at this stage eight years ago -- he registered 10 percent in a Sept. 23, 1998, poll. But while Hutchinson, a former state finance commissioner and Minneapolis schools superintendent, has impressed debate audiences with his articulate grasp of issues, he has not matched Ventura's name recognition, florid personality and ability to connect with alienated voters.