[jdege]

Wendell Anderson did exactly the same thing.

[Sonny M]

Even if Barker and Ventura were down right liberals left wing idiots, they have to realize that you want your state senator to have a chairmanship if possible, that is very important, besides, Barker was only appointed because Ventura thought mondale was going to win, and he wanted to screw the dems over the wellstone debackle.

[Snuffington]

The Senate itself may have something to say about this. But if they're amenable to it, there is one easy way for Norm to pull this off. Cut a deal with Barkley to support including the Independence Party candidate in the next senatorial and gubernatorial debates.

You wouldn't believe how important this is to the Independence party. Barring major shifts in politics, it also serves the Republican Party, because the Independence Party is pulling significantly more votes from the DFL than the Republicans.