29 May 2024
DULUTH — Following two years of control over state politics, Minnesota Democrats are determined to keep the good times rolling as they prepare for their convention, held May 31 through June 2 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
“I think it will be remarkably different than what we saw on display at the Republican convention, but we’re obviously looking forward to unity and a convention that allows us to come out and prepare for the general election in front of us,” said DFL Chairman Ken Martin.
Martin was referring to the first day of the Republican convention in St. Paul this month, which was mostly mired in intra-party fighting over which delegates to seat for Otter Tail County.
Conventions are often thought of as rah-rah events, but the business to be conducted is also largely routine: There, the DFL’s leaders and rank-and-file will discuss campaign strategies, form a cohesive policy platform, endorse candidates, and nominate national delegates for the Democratic National Convention, held Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.
Before the state convention, the DFL state convention committees met on May 18 to finalize committee reports regarding, among other things, the party’s platform. Delegates and their sponsored guests can register here.
While the party has held sway over state government, it is by the thinnest of threads, only hanging onto the Minnesota House by six votes and the Senate by one.
“Folks who know me know that I always run like we’re 20 points behind even if we’re 20 points ahead,” Martin said.
Structural advantages like an electoral map that favors the DFL could help the party maintain its majority party status in the House.
This election will be, in some ways, a referendum on what the DFL has accomplished in Minnesota these last two legislative sessions, according to Martin.
“It’s been quite tremendous, DFLers are much more in line with where Minnesota is at both on social issues, but also economic issues,” he said.
A topic sure to be brought up is the Israeli-Hamas war. There are at least five resolutions by local party members regarding the war that will be brought up during the convention. Some call for a ceasefire or ending financial support to Israel until it complies with international law, while others are focused on the right of Israel to exist as a state.
“We welcome different opinions on a whole host of issues, including Gaza and what’s happening in the Middle East,” Martin said. “There’s a lot of different ideas and thoughts on that issue within our party, and you’ll see that talked about this upcoming week.”
In addition to those topics, DFLers have 113 resolutions that will be voted on by delegates over the weekend, including possible support for nuclear power and safer mining practices in Minnesota.
Earlier this month, Trump’s campaign team told Republican donors that they believe they can flip Minnesota this year, according to NBC News.
“While it might be a cute thing to say that you’re going to win, he’s already struck out twice here, both in 2016 and 2020,” Martin said. “Despite having spent a lot of money and time in this state in both elections, he lost both times.”
While no agenda for the convention has been released, delegates are expected to endorse incumbent Sen. Amy Klobuchar. First elected to the Senate in 2007, she’s maintained a double-digit lead in polls over formerly expected Republican challenger Joe Fraser.
While Fraser, a Navy veteran and businessman, was expected to capture the GOP’s endorsement this month, Republican delegates instead selected Royce White, a former basketball player and current political podcaster, as the candidate they wanted to face Klobuchar. Voters will decide who will challenge Klobuchar during the August primary.
Martin said the Republican endorsement of White to face Klobuchar is emblematic of the political landscape in Minnesota.
“(Republicans) haven’t run a credible campaign in years now and they continue to lurch to the right with these really fringe conspiracy-loving candidates that have no business running for office, much less running in a Republican Party which used to be somewhat sane,” he said.
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