Populism Is Alive and Well in Southern Minnesota

“Southwestern Minnesota politics is based on populism,” said the dinner guest at the 11th annual Dan and Ronnie Burton dinner held in the ballroom of the student union at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Saturday night. The folks in St. Paul think of the area as solidly conservative, he continued, but that’s not true. Some of those farmers may be rock-ribbed Republicans, others life-long progressives, but they all had one thing in common: They voted for Wellstone.

Whether rural Minnesota politics is populist-based or not, another trend has become apparent for all of southern Minnesota. This once solidly conservative, Republican-dominated part of the state is turning more and more blue with each election.

more insideAt one time the Mankato-St. Peter area was a mixed political bag, represented by both Republicans and Democrats. But since 2004 it’s been solidly Democrat, mirroring similar changes that have occurred in Rochester 80 miles to the east.

Evidence of DFL strength in the area can be seen in the growth in attendance at the annual Burton dinner, named after DFL stalwarts Dan and Ronnie Burton, who over a lifetime have managed, sometimes almost single-handedly, to keep the local party alive even in the bleakest of times. Dan passed away 10 years ago, but Ronnie, whose real name is Verona, is still active in DFL affairs, and despite all the firepower at the dinner in her name, she was still the guest of honor.

Less than a handful of years ago, the dinner crowd would fit comfortably into the Eagles Club banquet hall in downtown Mankato, and any number above 100 was deemed a success. Last night, for the second year in a row, the guest list topped 220.

Recognized names attending the confab Saturday night included Brian Melendez and Donna Cassutt, chair and vice-chair of the DFL; Secretary of State Mark Ritchie; local freshmen legislators Sen. Kathy Sheran and Reps. Kathy Brynaert and Terry Morrow; announced U.S. Senate candidates Mike Ciresi, Jim Cohen, Al Franken and Bob Olson; and Congressman Tim Walz.

Several common themes graced nearly every speech. Paramount was the call for Minnesota to invest in its future