Preview of DFL State Conventions
Karen Boothe, 6/6/96

The fight for control of Congress is being waged this election year, in states where Republicans believe they have a strong chance of winning seats. Minnesota is one of the battleground states. Republicans are targeting Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone in order to reclaim the seat they lost to him in 1990. And right NOW, his most formidable challenger is the man whom he beat six years ago, former Republican U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz.

Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports, Wellstone will have this weekend to rally his troops at the state party convention in St.Paul before embarking on his statewide campaign Monday morning:

State DFL Party Chairman Mark Andrew predicts a fair share of vigorous debate over some platform isues, but says the convention will end more unified than the Republicans.

BITE: #8490 11-secs "the dfl party is the party of diversity, we're very proud of that...ah, it's caused us problems inthe past of course...but in reality our diversity is our strength ."

Central to a Democratic win in the U.S. Senate race will be state DFL delegates throwing their support behind incumbent paul Wellstone again.

Wellstone is targeted by all sides of the Republican party. He's not only going to have to face off with his eventual Republican opponent following the primary, but state AND national Republican machinery is targeting him too.

Pat McCarthy, of the U.S. Republican Senatorial Committee says HIS office is putting the heat on Wellstone by criticizing his voting record. McCarthy says Wellstone is one of the more vulnerable Congressional Democrats seeking re-election this year.

BITE:# 8270 :29-secs "his ideology is so far to the left it is SO liberal that it is well out of the mainstream of american political discourse. Senator Wellstone has consistently voted as THE most liberal member of the u.s. senate and as people find out just what he's been doing in washington for the past six years voting for welfare over workfare, higher taxes and against balancing the budget...that we're going to see a change in representation coming from minnesota inthe u.s. senate."

McCarthy and others in the Republican party are characterizing Wellstone as an outdated politican running on outdated democratic ideals. State Republicans this week unveiled a vintage 1967 Volkswagen bus they've made their U.S. Senate Campaign's roving headquarters for the next five months. It features caricatures of Wellstone. Though SOME might be laughing, It's a theme Wellstone has reprised this year. Beginning MONDAY, he'll be travelling the state in his rickety green bus...a symbol which won over the state's working class six years ago.

Wellstone argues, that his political views are not outdated, they're rooted in the progressive tradition of the state, once embodied by the likes of Hubert H. Humphrey.

BITE:#8285 :25-secs "therefore, number one that invites an awful lot of attacks from ALL of these folks representing ALL of these powerful economic interests that represent the basic thrust of where the republican party is right now. we're ready for a focus on issues debates campaigning around the state in the BUS, spaghetti dinners and I'll tell ya, it is my judgement and call me naive if you want to, that's the way you win in Minnesota"

Progressive tradition aside...Wellstone seems to be moving toward the middle this year. He recently announced, to the surprise of his gay and lesbian constituency, that he would consider voting for a bill that would allow states to block legalized same-sex marriage. It's an issue that's expected to heat up on the floor during this weekend's state party convention in St. Paul.

Steven Schier is a Political Science professor at Carleton College in Northfield. He says Wellstone will need to re-gain the confidence of his constituency that favors civil rights for gays and lesbians:

BITE: 8429 :24-secs "Well the gay marriage deal i think will take some of the enthusiasm out of paul wellstone's base of activists which is NOT a good thing. I think the timing of his announcement is curious ah, coming just before the convention...i don;t think that helps paul wellstone in the short term....and it brings up an issue that i think he'd like to see go away, but it' going to be with him for a while."

Another issue Wellstone could find himself in the middle of on the convention floor...is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Other than those two potentially divisive platform planks...the state DFL Party Convention is EXPECTED to be more UNIFIED than the past Republican convention in Duluth.

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