{{Short description|American lawyer and politician (born 1950)}} {{Use American English|date=November 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Dean Barkley | image = Dean Barkley official portrait.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2002 | jr/sr = United States Senator | state = Minnesota | term_start = November 4, 2002 | term_end = January 3, 2003 | appointer = Jesse Ventura | predecessor = Paul Wellstone | successor = Norm Coleman | birth_name = Dean Malcolm Barkley | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|8|31}} | birth_place = Annandale, Minnesota, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Independence (1992–present) | other_party = Democratic (before 1980)<br />Independent (1980–1992) | education = University of Minnesota (BA, JD) }} '''Dean Malcolm Barkley'''<ref>{{cite web |title=BARKLEY, DEAN MALCOLM - Candidate overview |url=https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/S4MN00262/ |website=FEC.gov |date=January 2001 |publisher=Federal Election Commission |access-date=November 28, 2022}}</ref> (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.<ref name="MinnPost3">{{cite news |last=Grow |first=Doug |date=2008-07-14 |title=Ventura out, but ally Dean Barkley set to run for U.S. Senate |publisher=MinnPost.com |url=http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2008/07/14/2565/ventura_out_but_ally_dean_barkley_set_to_run_for_us_senate |url-status=dead |access-date=2008-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719133803/http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2008/07/14/2565/ventura_out_but_ally_dean_barkley_set_to_run_for_us_senate |archive-date=2008-07-19}}</ref>
==Early life, education, and early career== Barkley was born in Annandale, Minnesota, on August 31, 1950, and graduated from Annandale High School in 1968.<ref name="congbio">{{Biographical Directory of Congress|B001237|inline=1}}</ref> 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.<ref name="congbio"/> During his university years, Barkley volunteered for George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign because of his opposition to the Vietnam War.<ref name="ap">[http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/17/america/Minnesota-Senate-Barkley.php Minn.'s senator of 62 days seeks 6 more years], a July 2008 Associated Press article via the ''International Herald Tribune''</ref>
==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.<ref name="congbio" />
A founder of the Minnesota Reform Party, Barkley ran for the U.S. House in 1992, a run inspired by Ross Perot's presidential campaign,<ref name="ap" /> and received 16% of the vote, thanks in part to Perot voters. He was also a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1994 and 1996.
===Ventura administration and the United States Senate=== [[File:President George W. Bush and Dean Barkley.jpg|thumb|right|Barkley meets with president George W. Bush in 2002]] Barkley was chairman of Jesse Ventura's successful gubernatorial campaign in 1998. In January 1999, Ventura appointed Barkley as director of the Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning (known as Minnesota Planning).
On November 4, 2002, Ventura appointed Barkley to complete the Senate term of Paul Wellstone, who died in a plane crash on October 25. The appointment was announced during the Senate debate between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Walter Mondale, who had taken Wellstone's place on the ballot; Ventura intended to upstage the debate. Barkley served until the 107th United States Congress ended on January 3, 2003, when he was replaced by Coleman, who won the election. Ventura had previously stated that he would not appoint a replacement for Wellstone, but said he changed his mind out of disgust at Wellstone's memorial service, which he felt was used as a rally for the Democratic Party, and because the major parties refused to take the third-party senatorial candidate seriously or to allow him to participate in the debates.
During his weeks as senator, Barkley helped pass legislation establishing a memorial for Wellstone and voted to clear the final passage of the Homeland Security Act.<ref name="crossfire">[http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/11/18/cf.opinion.dean.barkley/index.html In the Crossfire: Dean Barkley discusses his short career in the Senate] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404131805/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/11/18/cf.opinion.dean.barkley/index.html |date=2008-04-04 }}, a November 2002 transcript of a ''Crossfire'' interview with Paul Begala and Robert Novak</ref>
===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.<ref name="ap"/> Beginning in April 2005, Barkley served as director and chief strategist for Texas independent Kinky Friedman's 2006 gubernatorial campaign.<ref>[http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/2005/04/former_us_senator_dean_barkley.html Former U.S. Senator Dean Barkley Joins Kinky Friedman for Gov. Campaign] {{Webarchive|url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20061005055156/http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/2005/04/former_us_senator_dean_barkley.html |date=2006-10-05 }} from Kinky Friedman's website</ref>
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.<ref name="MinMon 6-13-06">{{cite news | first =Jeff | last =Fecke | title =Could an Independent Win in the 6th? Barkley Might Challenge Bachmann | newspaper =Minnesota Monitor |date=June 13, 2007 | url = http://minnesotamonitor.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1926}}</ref>
As of May 2008 Barkley was working part-time as a bus driver for the elderly and disabled.<ref name="ap"/> He said he enjoyed the job and saw it as a public service.<ref name="WCCO">{{cite news|first=Pat |last=Kessler |title=Barkley Back In Politics? He Says He Never Left |url=http://wcco.com/politics/dean.barkley.politics.2.717611.html |work=WCCO-TV |publisher=CBS Broadcasting |date=2008-05-07 |access-date=2008-05-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510124930/http://wcco.com/politics/dean.barkley.politics.2.717611.html |archive-date=May 10, 2008 }}</ref>
===2008 U.S. Senate campaign=== {{Main|2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota}} [[File:Debate handshake 7276.jpg|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.<ref name="WCCO"/><ref>{{cite web | title = Dean Barkley Ponders Race for Senate | publisher =MPR | date=2008-05-02 | url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/05/02/barkleysenate/| access-date = 2008-05-10}}</ref> 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.<ref name="The Star Tribune">{{cite news |url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/33284879.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUMEaPc:E7_ec7PaP3iUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU |date=2008-10-27 |access-date=2008-11-04 |title=Dean Barkley: As a 'viable alternative,' he's a force that matters |newspaper=Star Tribune |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324192829/http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/33284879.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c%3A%3AD3aDhUMEaPc%3AE7_ec7PaP3iUiD3aPc%3A_Yyc%3AaULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU |archive-date=March 24, 2009 }}</ref>
Despite entering the race late, Barkley was polling as high as 19% by October 1.<ref>{{cite web |author=Eric Ostermeier |url=http://blog.lib.umn.edu/cspg/smartpolitics/2008/10/dean_barkley_hits_19_percent_i_1.php |title=Smart Politics - Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs |publisher=Blog.lib.umn.edu |access-date=2012-12-24 |archive-date=December 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225185727/http://blog.lib.umn.edu/cspg/smartpolitics/2008/10/dean_barkley_hits_19_percent_i_1.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> The campaign also produced two statewide radio ads featuring Barkley and Ventura.<ref>[http://www.barkleyforsenate.org/pressrelease22.htm Contact Support<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726061704/http://www.barkleyforsenate.org/pressrelease22.htm |date=2012-07-26 }}</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/30498859.html U.S. Senate candidates spar in first of five meetings] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324192818/http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/30498859.html |date=March 24, 2009 }}</ref> He received the endorsement of former U.S. Representative Tim Penny.<ref>[http://www.barkleyforsenate.org/message_from_tim_penny.htm Contact Support<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105213951/http://www.barkleyforsenate.org/message_from_tim_penny.htm |date=2009-01-05 }}</ref> Numerous polls showed that Barkley would affect the outcome of the race.<ref name="Bloombert">{{cite web |url= https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=a6RLQFu.9QRk&refer=home |date=2008-10-20 |access-date = 2008-11-04 |title = Ventura Haunts Minnesota Senate Race as Barkley Taps Voter Ire |publisher = Bloomberg News }}</ref> Barkley raised $163,358 for his campaign (less than 1% of each of his opponents' totals).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=MNS1&cycle=2008 |title=Congressional Elections: Minnesota Senate Race: 2008 Cycle |publisher=OpenSecrets |access-date=2012-12-24}}</ref> He received over 435,000 votes, about 15% of the total, significantly affecting a race in which Franken defeated Coleman by only 312 votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=S&R=all&P=A&Races= |title=Election Reporting |publisher=Electionresults.sos.state.mn.us |access-date=2012-12-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017124822/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=S&R=all&P=A&Races= |archive-date=2012-10-17 }}</ref><ref>[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/11/05/minn_senate_race_very_close/ ''AP uncalls race due to slim margin''], Minnesota Public Radio, November 5, 2008. Accessed November 8, 2008</ref>
===2012 Minnesota Supreme Court campaign=== Barkley ran against Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson in the 2012 election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/155672205.html|title=Ex-Senator Barkley tries for state Supreme Court|publication-place=Minneapolis, MN|work=Star Tribune: Hot Dish Politics|author=Rachel E. Stassen-Berger|date=May 30, 2012|access-date=2012-11-03|archive-date=June 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602052021/http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/155672205.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://deanbarkley.com/?page_id=9 |title=Contact – Dean Barkley Law Practice |publisher=Deanbarkley.com |date=1999-02-22 |access-date=2012-12-24 |archive-date=July 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718102008/http://deanbarkley.com/?page_id=9 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He later focused on estate planning law and continues to advise unaffiliated political candidates, such as Kinky Friedman's Texas gubernatorial campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |last=El-Hai |first=Jack |date=2022-09-13 |title=Where Are They Now?: Dean Barkley |url=https://www.minnesotamonthly.com/lifestyle/people/where-are-they-now-dean-barkley/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Minnesota Monthly |language=en-US}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00894.xml |title=Dean Barkley senatorial papers |publisher=Mnhs.org |date=2003-01-07 |access-date=2012-12-24}}</ref>
== Electoral history == {{Election box begin no change | title = United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party=Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate=Al Franken |votes=1,212,629 |percentage=41.99 |change=−5.35% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate=Norm Coleman '''(inc.)''' |votes=1,212,317 |percentage=41.98 |change=−7.55% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Independence Party of Minnesota |candidate=Dean Barkley |votes=437,505 |percentage=15.15 |change=+13.15% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Libertarian Party (United States) |candidate=Charles Aldrich |votes=13,923 |percentage=0.48 |change=''n/a'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Constitution Party (United States) |candidate=James Niemackl |votes=8,907 |percentage=0.31 |change=+0.21% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party= Independent politician |candidate= ''Write-ins'' |votes=2,365 |percentage=0.08 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 2,887,646 | percentage = 100.00 }} {{End}}
{{Election box begin no change | title=United States Senate election in Minnesota, 1996}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = Paul Wellstone (inc.) |votes = 1,098,430 |percentage = 50.32 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Rudy Boschwitz |votes = 901,194 |percentage = 41.28 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Reform Party of Minnesota |candidate = Dean Barkley |votes = 152,328 |percentage = 6.98 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Grassroots Party |candidate = Tim Davis |votes = 14,139 |percentage = 0.65 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Libertarian Party (United States) |candidate = Roy Ezra Carlton |votes = 5,428 |percentage = 0.25 |change = }} {{Election box candidate no change | |party = Resource |candidate = Howard Hanson |votes = 4,381 |percentage = 0.20 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Natural Law Party (United States) |candidate = Steve Johnson |votes = 4,321 |percentage = 0.20 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Socialist Workers Party (US) |candidate = Thomas A. Fiske |votes = 1,554 |percentage = 0.07 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Independent politician |candidate = ''Write-ins'' |votes = 1,130 |percentage = 0.05 |change = }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 2,182,905 | percentage = 100.00 }} {{End}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = United States Senate election in Minnesota, 1994}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Rod Grams | votes = 869,653 | percentage = 49.12 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | candidate = Ann Wynia | votes = 781,860 | percentage = 44.17 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Independence Party of Minnesota | candidate = Dean Barkley | votes = 95,400 | percentage = 5.39 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Independent politician | candidate = Candice E. Sjostrom | votes = 15,920 | percentage = 0.90 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Natural Law Party (United States) | candidate = Stephen Johnson | votes = 5,054 | percentage = 0.29 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Socialist Workers Party (United States) | candidate = Marea Himelgrin | votes = 2,428 | percentage = 0.14 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 1,770,315 | percentage= 100.00 }} {{End}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = U.S. House of Representatives election, 1992<br />Minnesota's 6th congressional district}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Rod Grams | votes = 133,564 | percentage = 44.37 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | candidate = Gerry Sikorski | votes = 100,016 | percentage = 33.23 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Independence Party of Minnesota | candidate = Dean Barkley | votes = 48,329 | percentage = 16.05 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Independent politician | candidate = James H. Peterson | votes = 16,411 | percentage = 5.45 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Natural Law Party (United States) | candidate = Tom Firnstahl | votes = 2,400 | percentage = 0.80 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Independent politician | candidate = ''Write-ins'' | votes = 303 | percentage = 0.10 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 301,023 | percentage= 100.00 }} {{End}}
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B001237 Biography] at the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress'' * {{C-SPAN|30799}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-new|rows=2|party}} {{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Independence nominee for U.S. Senator from Minnesota}}<br>(Class 1)|years=1994}} {{s-aft|after=James Gibson}} |- {{s-ttl|title=Independence nominee for U.S. Senator from Minnesota<br>(Class 2)|years=1996}} {{s-aft|after=Jim Moore}} |- {{s-bef|before=Jim Moore}} {{s-ttl|title=Independence nominee for U.S. Senator from Minnesota<br>(Class 2)|years=2008}} {{s-aft|after=Steve Carlson}} |- {{s-par|us-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Paul Wellstone}} {{s-ttl|title=U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Minnesota|years=2002–2003|alongside=Mark Dayton}} {{s-aft|after=Norm Coleman}} |- {{s-prec|usa}} {{s-bef|before=Laphonza Butler|as=Former U.S. Senator}} {{s-ttl|title=Order of precedence of the United States|years=}} {{s-aft|after=Sheila Frahm|as=Former U.S. Senator}} {{s-end}}
{{United States senators from Minnesota}} {{Third-party US senators}} {{USCongRep-start |congresses=107th United States Congresses |state=Minnesota}} {{USCongRep/MN/107}} {{USCongRep-end}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barkley, Dean}} Category:1950 births Category:21st-century United States senators Category:Candidates in the 2008 United States elections Category:Candidates in the 2012 United States elections Category:Independence Party of Minnesota politicians Category:Living people Category:Minnesota Democrats Category:Minnesota independents Category:Minnesota lawyers Category:People from Wright County, Minnesota Category:State cabinet secretaries of Minnesota Category:United States senators from Minnesota Category:University of Minnesota Law School alumni