Ventura picks senator

last updated 8 January 2015

St. Paul

Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura this week named a member of his Independence Party, Dean Barkley, to succeed the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, a Democrat who died in a plane crash Oct. 25. Ventura had planned to appoint a Democrat, but angrily changed his mind after accusing the party of turning Wellstone’s memorial service into a partisan rally. It remained unclear whether Barkley would serve only until this week’s election results were certified or until the new Congress convenes in January. The appointment left the Senate split 49-49, with two Independents, so Barkley could hold a powerful swing vote in a lame-duck session. He refused to say whether he would side with the Democrats or the Republicans, promising only to make “as much mischief as I can.”