Smiling, because it's not his problem anymore

The IP continues its independence from political relevance.

Since “shocking the world” in 1998, the Independence/Reform Party of Minnesota has increasingly moved into, at best, spoiler candidacy territory.  And with the close of registration for 2012 candidates in Minnesota, the spoiler party looks more than ever to be officially spoiled.

From the party’s high-water mark of 47 candidates for statewide and legislative office in 2002 (an election that included the IP’s only other election victory with St. Sen. Sheila Kiscaden), the Independence Party has seen a slow drip both in terms of quantity and quality of their candidates.  From 23 total candidates in 2006, to 13 in 2008 (not exactly fair to compare since fewer offices were up for election), the IP looked barren.  An uptick in 2010 saw 25 candidates –  but the IP couldn’t even field a full slate of statewide candidates and most of the increase came from quixotic congressional bids.

With both chambers of the legislature up for re-election and a U.S. Senate seat on the line, what did the Independence Party field for 2012?  15 candidates total (actually 16, but two are competing in a US Senate primary).  Considering the number of offices on the ballot, it’s the worst recruitment class for the IP since obtaining majority party status.  It’s even smaller than their 20 candidate class of 1998 – when James Janos was considered a novelty act, not the leader of a political party.

Perhaps Mitch was right three years ago to call the IP “the thing that wouldn’t leave.”

It’s not hard to understand why the IP is increasingly unable to recruit candidates.  In the now nearly 14 years since Jesse Ventura’s upset victory, the party not only has no other significant victory but adamantly remains a political rorschach.  The IP’s solutions on most of the pressing issues remain vague as the party’s organizing principle continues to be “we’re not the other guys.”

In fairness, though, it’s typically not the party infrastructure’s responsibility to define issues – that’s the job of activists and candidates.  But at its core, the IP has become a warming house for policy wonks – thinkers who want to tinker with state government.  A think tank that caucuses is noble in spirit but completely impractical in execution, or in ability to win elections.

For 14 years, the IP/Reform Party has refused to do the necessary grassroots work of basic party building.  Instead of recruiting city councilmen, school board officials or county commissioners to run, the IP has tried (and tried and tried) to recapture lightning in a bottle.  Armed with little infrastructure but state subsidies, it’s not hard to see the IP’s future.

If the Ron Paul Brigades could over-run the GOP, it wouldn’t be hard for the same faction (or a similar one) to do the same to the Independence Party.  In fact, it could have happened two years ago had Joe Repya stayed in his IP campaign for governor.  Depending on what internal blood-letting may occur in the Grand Old Party post November as the Paul legions either dissipate or make camp, a libertarian or conservative take-over of the IP may be merely two years in the waiting.

To the victor will go the spoils – or in this case, a $348,000 check from the State of Minnesota to the party’s gubernatorial candidate.

This entry was posted by by First Ringer on Wednesday, June 6th, 2012 at 8:09 am and is filed under First Ringer, Minnesota Politics, MN Legislature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.