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.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
June 26 editorial cartoonsCartoons Thursday's cartoons include a White House misspelling, a heatwave in the northern hemisphere, and a ticking clock for climate change
-
The mystery of France's 'needle attacks' on womenIn the Spotlight Nearly 150 women reported being spiked with needles at France's open-air music festival
-
What to see at GlastonburyThe Week Recommends Whether you've got your tent and your ticket or you're watching from home, these are the hottest acts to catch at Worthy Farm
