Dean Malcolm Barkley (born August 31, 1950) is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2002 to 2003 as a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota. The founder and chair of the Minnesota Reform Party (later renamed the Independence Party), he chaired Jesse Ventura's campaign for governor of Minnesota in 1998. Ventura subsequently appointed him director of the state's Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning. After Senator Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash just weeks before the 2002 election, Ventura appointed Barkley to fill Wellstone's Senate seat. His brief tenure ended when Republican Norm Coleman was elected and sworn in.

Barkley has run for office four times. Inspired by Ross Perot's 1992 presidential campaign, he first ran for Congress as an independent in that year's election in Minnesota's 6th congressional district. He ran three times for the U.S. Senate: in Minnesota's 1994 Senate election, in 1996, and in 2008. He received 5%, 7%, and 15% of the vote in those elections, respectively.

Early life, education, and early career

Barkley was born in Annandale, Minnesota, on August 31, 1950, and graduated from Annandale High School in 1968. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota in 1972 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1976.

Career

After graduating from law school, he practiced law and in 1988 became president of Dayton's Furniture in Annandale, a position he held until 1991.

After Ventura administration

After leaving office, Barkley did a stint in St. Paul as a state government lobbyist for a tobacco company, a casino, and the private prison industry.

In a June 2007 interview with Minnesota Monitor, Barkley confirmed that he had been approached by Democrats in Minnesota's 6th congressional district about a possible challenge to Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann. Barkley indicated he would consider running if the DFL would support him as an independent candidate.

As of May 2008 Barkley was working part-time as a bus driver for the elderly and disabled.

2008 U.S. Senate campaign

thumb|right|Barkley at a debate with [[Norm Coleman and Al Franken in 2008]]

Both Barkley and Ventura considered challenging Norm Coleman for reelection to the U.S. Senate seat that Barkley previously held. On July 14, 2008, Ventura announced that he would not seek the seat, prompting Barkley to announce his candidacy. Ventura supported Barkley and donated $500 to the campaign.

Despite entering the race late, Barkley was polling as high as 19% by October 1. The campaign also produced two statewide radio ads featuring Barkley and Ventura. Barkley, unlike many third-party and independent candidates, was included in public debates with the major party nominees; the first of five three-way debates took place October 5. He received the endorsement of former U.S. Representative Tim Penny. Numerous polls showed that Barkley would affect the outcome of the race. Barkley raised $163,358 for his campaign (less than 1% of each of his opponents' totals). He received over 435,000 votes, about 15% of the total, significantly affecting a race in which Franken defeated Coleman by only 312 votes.

2012 Minnesota Supreme Court campaign

Barkley ran against Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson in the 2012 election. Anderson was appointed to the court by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2004, was elected to a six-year term in 2006, and was reelected in 2012.

Post-political career

Barkley returned to law practice in Bloomington, with a general practice. He later focused on estate planning law and continues to advise unaffiliated political candidates, such as Kinky Friedman's Texas gubernatorial campaign.

Papers

Dean Barkley's senatorial papers are in the library of the Minnesota Historical Society. They include biographical files, press releases and speeches, legislative files, and issue mail.

Electoral history

References

  • Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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