By Armen Toumajan
Congressional Quarterly

Electoral votes: 10

Delegates: 34

Chairman: Ron Eibensteiner

Hotel: Sheraton Park Ridge (610) 337-1800

1996 Election:
Clinton – 51%
Dole – 35%
Perot – 12%

Although Democratic figures such as Hubert H. Humphrey, Walter F. Mondale and current Sen. Paul Wellstone give Minnesota a liberal image to many Americans, the state's Republican Party has a strongly conservative bent. And, as has been the case for two decades or more, anti-abortion activists will dominate the state's delegation to the Republican National Convention.

In October 1999, social conservative activist Gary Bauer narrowly defeated Texas Gov. George W. Bush in a Minnesota Republican presidential straw poll. But by the time the Minnesota GOP held its official first-round caucuses in March, Bush had eliminated most of his opposition on his right and won with more than 60 percent of the vote.

Nonetheless, the delegation includes at least one supporter of the one candidate who did not accede to Bush's nomination: talk show host Alan Keyes, the former diplomat who is a fiery and eloquent social conservative spokesman. Jerry Oliver, a dentist and farmer, said in June that Keyes "can articulate very well" the Republican Party platform and said he would have liked to see Bush select Keyes as his vice presidential candidate.

Though largely aligned with Bush, many Minnesota delegates also expressed concern about the selection of a running mate. State Republican Party Deputy Chairman George Cable, a retired minister, said in June that "enthusiasm for [Bush's] campaign would be gone" if he picked a vice presidential candidate who supported abortion rights.

Former state Republican Party Chairman Bill Cooper said, "A pro-choice running mate would be very negatively viewed."

Minnesota's delegates are also putting great stock in Bush's claim - in light of President Clinton's scandals - that he would bring "moral authority" to the White House. "Integrity in the office is the biggest issue with Minnesota delegates," said Cooper.

State Republican Party Chairman Ron Eibensteiner will chair the Minnesota delegation in Philadelphia. Federal and state elected officials deferred delegate seats to local party activists. St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, the Republican nominee in the 1998 race for governor won by third-party candidate Jesse Ventura, is the highest-profile delegate.

Sen. Rod Grams, who faces a tough contest this year as he bids for a second term, is not a delegate but will make an appearance at the convention.

Minnesota's contingent is certainly in competition for the widest age range: It includes 88-year-old delegate Walter Klaus, a party activist since his days as a member of the Young Republicans, and 18-year-old alternate delegate John Sheehan.

Sheehan, who has developed a Web site called Churchshopper.com, said he hopes to "be a voice for and to younger Republicans, and . . . to learn as much as I can about our party and the process beyond the state level."

Alternate delegate Dan Williams is the only African-American in this year's Minnesota contingent. Blacks make up just 3 percent of the state's population.

MINNESOTA NOTABLES: State Republican Party Chairman Ron Eibensteiner, the delegation chairman; St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, the 1998 Republican nominee for governor; former state Republican Party Chairman Bill Cooper.