Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party. Leading the merger effort were Elmer Kelm, the head of the Minnesota Democratic Party and founding chairman of the DFL party; Elmer Benson, effectively the head of the Farmer-Labor Party by virtue of his leadership of its dominant left-wing faction; and rising star Hubert H. Humphrey, who chaired the Fusion Committee that accomplished the union and then went on to chair its first state convention. Members of the party are frequently referred to as "DFLers".

Orville Freeman was elected the state's first DFL governor in 1954. Important members of the party have included Minneapolis mayor Hubert H. Humphrey and Minnesota Attorney General Walter Mondale, who each went on to be United States Senators, Vice Presidents of the United States, and unsuccessful Democratic nominees for president, Humphrey in 1968 and Mondale in 1984; Eugene McCarthy, a Senator who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968 as an anti-Vietnam War candidate; and Paul Wellstone, a Senator from 1991–2002 who became an icon of populist progressivism. The party's headquarters are in Saint Paul.

Endorsed Challengers

 * Mike Obermueller for U.S. Representative (2nd district)
 * Brian Barnes for U.S. Representative (3rd district)
 * Jim Graves for U.S. Representative (6th district)
 * Rick Nolan for U.S. Representative (8th district)

Incumbents

 * Amy Klobuchar for United States Senate
 * Tim Walz for U.S. Representative (1st district)
 * Betty McCollum for U.S. Representative (4th district)
 * Keith Ellison for U.S. Representative (5th district)
 * Collin Peterson for U.S. Representative (7th district)

U.S. Senate

 * Amy Klobuchar
 * Al Franken

U.S. House of Representatives

 * (1st district) – Tim Walz
 * (4th district) – Betty McCollum
 * (5th district) – Keith Ellison
 * (7th district) – Collin Peterson

Statewide offices

 * Governor: Mark Dayton
 * Lieutenant Governor: Yvonne Prettner Solon
 * Attorney General: Lori Swanson
 * State Auditor: Rebecca Otto
 * Secretary of State: Mark Ritchie

State Legislature

 * Senate Minority Leader: Tom Bakk
 * House Minority Leader: Paul Thissen



Current leadership

 * Chair – Ken Martin
 * Associate Chair – Marge Hoffa
 * Treasurer – Tom Hamilton
 * Secretary – Jacob Grippen
 * Affirmative Action Officer – Eric Margolis

= Reources =