One question: Why is there no "Democratic" party in MN... only the "Democratic-Farmer-Laborer" (DFL) party? Thanks to any FReepers who can answer this question.
Why is it DFL instead of D? I don't have a definitive answer, but I think that it's nothing more than symantics. It must have something to do with the glut of farmers and laborers in this state.
During the Depression, far left wingers in the Farmer-Labor party in Minnesota made inroads in state elections, taking a lot of votes away from the Democrats. After WWII, Hubert Humprhey worked to consolidate the two parties. It was a tough job that took several election cycles. He had to kick the hard core communists out of the Farmer-Labor party to make it work and they did not go gently. At one point, Humphrey had to walk out of his own convention.
Humphrey made his national reputation on this. But after he died, the splits have opened up again as the far left wing has come to the dominate the state DFL. Both Coleman and former Blue Dog Democrat Congressman Tim Penny would have been able to work with the likes of Humphrey. Neither could work with the likes of the people in Wellstone's camp.