Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

Infobox American_State_Political_Party
party_name = Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
party_
chairman = Brian Melendez
senateleader = Lawrence Pogemiller
houseleader = Margaret Anderson Kelliher
foundation = April 15, 1944
colours = Blue
ideology = American Liberalism
Progressivism
Center-left
national = Democratic Party
headquarters = 255 East Plato Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55107
website = [http://www.dfl.org/ www.dfl.org]
footnotes =

The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) is a major political party in the US state of Minnesota. It was created on April 15, 1944 when the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer-Labor Party merged. Hubert Humphrey was instrumental in this merger. The party is affiliated with the national Democratic Party. The nickname "DFLer" is often used in Minnesota, by both members of the party and non-members, as an alternative to "Democrats". [cite web| title =Farmer Labor Party| publisher =Spartacus| url =http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAfarmerlabor.htm| accessdate =2007-08-31]

In 1954 Orville Freeman was elected the state's first DFL governor. Minneapolis Mayor Hubert H. Humphrey, and Walter Mondale, who each served as a US Senator and as US vice president, were important members of the party. Both ran for the presidency as the nominees of the national Democratic Party; Humphrey in 1968 and Mondale in 1984. Both were unsuccessful, losing to Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan respectively. Both also made bids to return to the Senate after their presidential runs, Humphrey successfully in 1971 and Mondale unsuccessfully in 2002.

Other important party members include Senator Eugene McCarthy, who ran for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1968 as the anti-Vietnam War candidate, and Senator Paul Wellstone, known during his years in the Senate (1991-2002) as one of that body's chief voices of populist progressivism. [cite web| last =Loughlin| first =Sean| title =Wellstone Made Mark as a Liberal Champion| publisher =CNN Washington Bureau| date =2002-08-25| url =http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/10/25/elec02.mn.s.wellstone.obit| accessdate = 2007-08-31] The party's headquarters are in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Currently Endorsed Candidates

Federal

*Al Franken for US Senate
*Incumbent Tim Walz for US Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn01_109.gif1st District] )
*Steve Sarvi for US Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn02_109.gif2nd District] )
*Ashwin Madia for US Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn03_109.gif3rd District] )
*Incumbent Betty McCollum for US Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn04_109.gif4th District] )
*Incumbent Keith Ellison for US Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn05_109.gif5th District] )
*Elwyn Tinklenberg for US Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn06_109.gif6th District] )
*Incumbent Collin Peterson for US Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn07_109.gif7th District] )
*Incumbent Jim Oberstar for US Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn08_109.gif8th District] )

Current elected officials

Constitutional officers

*Attorney General Lori Swanson
*Auditor Rebecca Otto
*Secretary of State Mark Ritchie

tate legislative leaders

*President of the Senate James Metzen
*Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Margaret Anderson Kelliher
*Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller
*Minnesota Senate Asst. Majority Leader Tarryl Clark
*Minnesota House of Representatives Majority Leader Tony Sertich

Members of Congress

*Senator Amy Klobuchar
*U.S. Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn01_109.gif1st District] ) - Tim Walz
*U.S. Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn04_109.gif4th District] ) - Betty McCollum
*U.S. Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn05_109.gif5th District] ) - Keith Ellison
*U.S. Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn07_109.gif7th District] ) - Collin Peterson
*U.S. Representative ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/mn08_109.gif8th District] ) - Jim Oberstar

Current leadership

*Chair - Brian Melendez
*Associate Chair - Donna Cassut
*Treasurer - Bill Davis
*Secretary - Sue Rego
*Affirmative Action Officer - Megan Thomas

ee also

* Republican Party of Minnesota
* Independence Party of Minnesota
* United States presidential election, 1968
* United States presidential election, 1984

References

External links

* [http://www.dfl.org/ Official Minnesota DFL website]
* [http://www.dodgecounty-dfl.org/ Official Dodge County DFL website]

Further reading

* Delton, Jennifer A. Making Minnesota Liberal: Civil Rights and the Transformation of the Democratic Party. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002.
* Haynes, John Earl. "Farm Coops and the Election of Hubert Humphrey to the Senate". Agricultural History 57, no. 2 (Fall 1983).
* Haynes, John Earl. Dubious Alliance: The Making of Minnesota’s DFL Party. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1984.
* Henrickson, Gary P. Minnesota in the "McCarthy’ Period": 1946-1954. Ph.D. diss. University of Minnesota, 1981.
* Lebedoff, David. The 21st Ballot: A Political Party Struggle in Minnesota. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1969.
* Lebedoff, David. Ward Number Six. New York: Scribner, 1972. Discusses the entry of radicals into the DFL party in 1968.
* Mitau, G. Theodore. "The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Schism of 1948". Minnesota History 34 (Spring 1955).