Ventura’s ‘98 run was more notable for the fact that he effectively killed Skip Humphrey’s political career for good. Many expected Humphrey to win that election before Ventura’s boomlet. Ventura took a big bite out of the DFL base, far more than the GOP’s. A lot of folks don’t realize that despite MN being fairly rodent, it’s been 22 years since they last won the Governorship (and that with the pro-lifer Rudy Perpich).
Too bad he couldn’t have killed Norm’s too.