Excuse me, should’ve clarified that. He did run and win on Perot’s Reform Party banner, but then associated with the IPM (MN Ind. Party). Although that party technically was in existence since 1992, it was effectively supplanted when Ventura moved into it (so it was virtually a “new” party with Ventura as its head), but I was referring to the IPM and not the defunct Reform.
I noticed the IPM also cost Sen. Rod Grams in 2000. Their candidate took more than the margin between Grams and Mark Dayton. Grams wouldn’t have likely won in 2006, but had he won reelection in 2000, it would’ve altered the dynamics because of Judas Jeffords’ switch.
Ventura’s Senate appointee, Dean Barkley, had been a leader in the IPM/Reform pre-Ventura and a prior Senate candidate (1994 & 1996).
Ultimately, there was a bit of an overlap between the two parties and how they were founded that gets a bit confusing. Wikipedia’s entry does a better job of breaking it down.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Party_of_Minnesota
But it is clear that it has done more to help Democrats score plurality wins in key races since 2000 despite ostensibly being a “fiscal Conservative” party. You could even add Egg McMuffin to the equation, since they gave him their line (and lo and behold, he got more than the difference between Trump and Hillary).
I never understood the appeal of that guy. I took one look at his "conservative alternative to Trump" candidacy and said "hold on just one damned minute--this guy is to the LEFT of Trump!"
If I didn't know better, I'd assume there was some kind of underground factory in Utah producing all these worthless smarmy RINOs like Huntsman and McMuffin. Very bizarre that they come out of the most reliably GOP states in the nation. Thankfully McMuffin will never be on the ballot in Minnesota again.