...Barkley had less than an hour's notice of the decision and had to change from jeans and sweatshirt to a suit. If an interim senator had to be appointed (many people, including Independence Party Senate candidate Tim Penny, had advised the governor...

...governor. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's death has created a vacancy and there's a push to have the governor appoint an interim senator until the election is held. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick now thinks changing the law is a "reasonable idea...

ST. PAUL -- Gov. Jesse Ventura named fellow Independence Party member Dean Barkley as interim senator Monday, leaving the Senate split 49-49 with two independents. Photos The announcement came as Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat...

...Jesse Ventura's Monday morning announcement that Dean Barkley, director of Minnesota Planning, would serve as interim senator. On Monday afternoon he termed the appointment as "ridiculous," noting that Minnesota would select a new senator...

...be a U.S. senator," he said with some pride, and some marvel, on Monday, after Gov. Ventura appointed him interim senator to replace Sen. Wellstone, who died in a plane crash last month. Married with three children -- stepson Tim...

...said that he would most likely name a Democrat as interim senator as a tribute to Wellstone. Then there was the memorial...governor said he had changed his mind on appointing an interim senator. He might just pick someone off the street. Well...

...completing the term of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn. After being appointed by Gov. Jesse Ventura, the interim senator accomplished his three main goals: passage of a homeland security department, creation of a permanent Wellstone...