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Tim Pugmire
ST. PAUL, Minn.

Independence Party meets for convention

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Independence Party delegates were gathering Saturday in St. Cloud for a state convention that will include decisions about the party's constitution, platform and leaders.

One of the resolutions up for consideration would support the legalization of marijuana.

Delegates will also decide whether to lift a longtime prohibition on IP candidates accepting money from political action committees, said state party chairman Mark Jenkins, as the party responds to changes in the political landscape.

"Because of things like Citizens United, there are actually now independent-minded, more centrist moderate-minded PACs beginning to form to try to battle the money from the left and the right," Jenkins said. "We start to keep us out of that mix if we continue with the prohibition."

After sitting out last year's U.S. Senate race, Jenkins said the IP will field candidates for U.S Senate and governor in 2014.

Jenkins also faces a challenge to his re-election as party chairman during the convention at St. Cloud State University.

The Independence Party has enjoyed major-party status in Minnesota since its origins during the political career of former governor Jesse Ventura. The party has fielded a number of statewide and congressional candidates in recent years but none have mustered more than 20 percent of the vote. In 2010, the party's candidate for governor Tom Horner got about 12 percent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.