Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

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"DFL" redirects here. For other uses, see DFL (disambiguation).

Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
Peggy Flanagan
Senate PresidentBobby Joe Champion
Senate LeaderErin Murphy (politician)
House SpeakerMelissa Hortman
FoundedApril 15, 1944; 80 years ago (1944-04-15)
Merger ofMinnesota Democratic Party and Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party
Headquarters255 Plato Boulevard East
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Youth wingMinnesota Young DFL (MYDFL)
IdeologyModern liberalism
Progressivism
National affiliationDemocratic Party
Colors  Blue
State Senate
34 / 67
State House
70 / 134
Statewide Executive Offices
5 / 5
U.S. Senate
2 / 2
U.S. House of Representatives
4 / 8
Website
dfl.org

The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL)[1] is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2024, it controls four of Minnesota's eight U.S. House seats, both of its U.S. Senate seats, the Minnesota House of Representatives and Senate, and all other statewide offices, including the governorship, making it the dominant party in the state.

The party was formed by a merger between the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1944.[2] The DFL is one of two state Democratic Party affiliates with a different name from that of the national party, the other being the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party.

History

DFL logo used on a lectern at the 2006 DFL state convention
DFL 2006 state convention registration desk

The DFL was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the larger

Progressive Party.[2]

Freeman was elected the state's first DFL governor in 1954. Important members of the party have included Humphrey and Walter Mondale, who each went on to be United States senators, vice presidents of the United States, and unsuccessful Democratic nominees for president; Eugene McCarthy, a U.S. senator who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968 as an anti-Vietnam War candidate; and Paul Wellstone, a U.S. senator from 1991 to 2002 who became an icon of populist progressivism.[6] The DFL has had varied success beginning in the late 1970s and through the late 2010s, in part due to the growth of single-issue splinter groups after reforms brought by the national party.[4]

After the

legalization of recreational cannabis, indexing education spending to inflation, investments in public transit, and paid sick leave for Minnesota workers.[8][9] Former President Barack Obama praised the state government's actions, saying that "Minnesota has made progress on a whole host of issues – from protecting abortion rights and new gun safety measures to expanding access to the ballot and reducing child poverty. These laws will make a real difference in the lives of Minnesotans."[10]

Current elected officials

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

Democrats have held both of Minnesota's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2009:

U.S. House of Representatives

Out of the eight seats Minnesota is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, four are held by Democrats:

District Member Photo
2nd Angie Craig
3rd Dean Phillips
4th Betty McCollum
5th Ilhan Omar

Statewide officials

The Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party controls all five of the elected statewide offices:

State legislative leaders

Mayors

Current leadership

  • Chair: Ken Martin (since 2011)
  • Party Vice Chair: Marge Hoffa (since 2011)
  • Second Vice Chair: Shivanthi Sathanandan (since 2021)
  • Treasurer: Leah Midgarden (since 2021)
  • Secretary: Ceri Everett (since 2021)
  • Outreach Officer: Cheniqua Johnson (since 2021)

Past chairs

See also

References

  1. ^ "DFL Minnesota Home – MN Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party". DFL Minnesota. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Nathanson, Iric (February 26, 2016). "The caucus that changed history: 1948's battle for control of the DFL". Minnesota Post.
  3. ^ "Democrats, F-L, Complete Fusion". The Minneapolis Star (Minneapolis, Minnesota). April 15, 1944. p. Saturday Page 1.
  4. ^ a b “DEMOCRATIC-FARMER-LABOR PARTY.” n.d. Minnesota Historical Society. Accessed May 26, 2023. http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00586.xml .
  5. ISSN 0026-5497
    .
  6. ^ Loughlin, Sean (October 25, 2002). "Wellstone Made Mark as a Liberal Champion". CNN. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  7. ^ "'Transformational' and also 'bonkers:' Minnesota Legislature ends big session". MinnPost. May 23, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  8. ^ a b ""It's a good day for freedoms": Walz signs bills on reproductive freedom and trans refuge, ban on conversion therapy". www.cbsnews.com. April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  9. ^ "Weed, abortion, paid leave, rebates and taxes: A look at what MN lawmakers got done this year". Duluth News Tribune. May 26, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  10. ^ Turtinen, Melissa (May 26, 2023). "Barack Obama tweeted about Minnesota as reason you should vote". FOX 9. Retrieved May 26, 2023.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.
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