Barkley predicts Ventura will enter Senate race

Jesse Ventura
Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura.
MPR Photo/Mark Zdechlik

The race for the Minnesota U.S. Senate seat held by incumbent Republican Norm Coleman is heating up with a new ad by DFL challenger Al Franken hitting the airwaves this week.

Both campaigns are predicting a close race, despite a KSTP-TV/USA Poll that gives Coleman a double-digit lead in a two-way race. But what might be the most intriguing result of the poll is when survey participants were asked their opinions in a three-way race former Governor Jesse Ventura polled 24 percent even though he's not running yet.

Former U.S. Senator Dean Barkley helped convince Ventura to run for Governor in 1998 and has been encouraging him to enter the Senate race this year. He talked with Minnesota Public Radio's Cathy Wurzer about the possibility that Ventura will run.

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