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Mark Zdechlik
St. Paul, Minn.

Dean Barkley urging 'Tea Party' activists to join Independence Party

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One of the founders of Minnesota's Independence Party is urging so-called "Tea Party" activists to join the Independence Party, and change its name to the Tea Party.

Dean Barkley helped Jesse Ventura win the governor's race in 1998 as a reform party candidate. The reform party changed its name to the Independence Party while Ventura was governor.

Barkley says the Independence Party would be a good fit for fiscally-conservative tea party activists, who are concerned about the deficit and the scope of government.

"The core reasons why we're upset with our government are very similar, so I think if they went to our Web site and looked at our platform they would agree with 95 percent of what we stand for," Barkley said.

Barkley says if enough "tea party" activists became Independence Party delegates through his party's online caucus, they could change the party's name at this year's state convention.

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On the Web:

Message from Dean Barkley.