Minnesota Lawyer Blog

Independent senatorial candidate Dean Barkley is a bit late to the race, but he’s making up for lost time by zeroing in on the issues that really matter to Minnesotans: the economy, gas prices, health-care reform, and….Brett Favre.

Barkley’s lawn signs, while touting his candidacy on one side, have a separate message on the back: “Brett Favre for Minnesota Quarterback.”

Never mind that as long as Favre’s current team (which shall remain nameless -- after all, this is Minnesota Lawyer) retains his rights, he will never play for the Vikings. Part of the job of a candidate is to tell people what they want to hear.

At the moment, Favre has yet to offer an official endorsement of Barkley’s candidacy. Who knows -- maybe he’s waiting to endorse a candidate from the Green Party.

Barkley, of course, ran Jesse Ventura's successful Independence Party gubernatorial campaign in 1998. He was later rewarded with an appointment as the director of the Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning. After Ventura left office, Barkley continued to work in matters political, including chairing the ultimately unsuccessful campaign of Texas Independent gubernatorial hopeful Kinky Friedman in 2006.

Looking at the Sun Sailor ad, I notice in big prominent letters above Barkley's face it refers to him as Senator Dean Barkley. Lest you forget, Barkley became a U.S. Senator for two months or so when Ventura picked him as an interim appointment to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Paul Wellsone.

In any event, the Minnesota Monitor recently reported that Barkley has been approached by DFLers in the 6th District about the possibility of challenging Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann. Barkley reportedly expressed interest if the DFL would support him as an independent candidate. The Monitor also confirms reports that Barkley, whose 23-year marriage ended in divorce last year, has placed his profile on the dating website Match.com.

So, if you need a will -- or are a woman between the ages of 30 and 56 who is smart, funny and likes to be spontaneous and passionate -- give Barkley a call.