Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

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The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is a political party in the U.S. state of Minnesota affiliated with the national Democratic Party.[1][2] The party was formed by a merger between the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1944.[3] The DFL is one of two state Democratic Party affiliates with a different name from that of the national party, the other being the neighboring North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party.[1]

The DFL controls four of Minnesota's eight U.S. House seats, both of its U.S. Senate seats, the Minnesota Senate, and all other statewide offices, including the governorship, making it the dominant party in the state. In the Minnesota House, it has a power-sharing agreement with its main political rival, the Republican Party of Minnesota, following a tie in the 2024 election.

History

Background

The Nonpartisan League (NPL), founded in North Dakota in 1915 was an agrarian party focused on farmer grievances against corporate monopolies.[4] It expanded to Minnesota in 1917 and in 1918 it merged with the Duluth Union Labor Party to create the Farmer–Labor Party (FLP).

During the 1930s, the FLP gained support with radical platforms against economic and social inequalities. The party won the 1930 gubernatorial election under Floyd B. Olson. During this decade, Democrats had minimal success in the state now that the FLP effectively captured the left-wing vote and drew support away from urban workers, rural farmers, and immigrants. The party often won only single digits in statewide races as the FLP aligned informally with Roosevelt's New Deal coalition.

By 1938, the Farmer–Labor party's influence waned because of internal conflicts and accusations of incompetence and corruption, leading to a loss in that year's gubernatorial election.[5] The party suffered further setbacks in 1940 and 1942, losing congressional seats and the gubernatorial race.

Establishment

On April 15, 1944, the Farmer–Labor Party merged with the Minnesota Democratic Party, forming the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL).[6] Leading the merger effort were Elmer Kelm, the head of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the founding chairman of the DFL; Elmer Benson, effectively the head of the Farmer–Labor Party by virtue of his leadership of its dominant left-wing faction; and rising star Hubert H. Humphrey, who chaired the Fusion Committee that accomplished the union and then went on to chair its first state convention.[7] This merger marked a pivotal shift influenced by academic liberals at the University of Minnesota who advocated for integrating the New Deal's progressive reforms within a more centralized, managerial political framework, transitioning from the movement-oriented politics of the Farmer-Labor party to a structure that emphasized interest-group pluralism.

During the post-war years, the DFL confronted various social issues, including antisemitism, which reflected broader national conversations about race and ethnicity. The DFL also navigated with its stance on civil rights and economic justice, influenced significantly by Minnesota's small but politically active African American communities. In early 1946, as a Fair Employment Practice (FEPC) bill was moving through Congress, there was a surge of civil rights activism in the Twin Cities.[8]

Factional battles were intensified by differing views on how to address the left-wing influence within the party, with significant conflicts between proponents of Henry A. Wallace's progressive policies and the more moderate wing led by figures like Hubert Humphrey. By the party's second convention in 1946, tensions had re-emerged between members of the two former parties. While the majority of delegates supported left-wing policies, Humphrey managed to install a more conservative, anti-communist ally, Orville Freeman, as party secretary.[9] Some disaffected Farmer–Labor leaders such as Benson moved to the Progressive Party.[3] 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; Paul Wellstone, a U.S. senator from 1991 to 2002 who became an icon of populist progressivism;[10] Amy Klobuchar, a U.S. senator who ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020;[11] Dean Phillips, a U.S. representative who ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2024;[12] and Tim Walz, two-term governor chosen as Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 presidential election.[13] 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.[7]

Modern

Following the 2022 Minnesota elections, the DFL became the dominant party in the state, retaining every executive office, winning majorities in the state House and Senate, and re-electing all incumbent congressional representatives. With their newly elected trifecta, the DFL pursued a progressive agenda in their first legislative session. Governor Tim Walz described the session as "the most successful legislative session, certainly in many of our lifetimes and maybe in Minnesota history."[14] The newly elected government passed large expansions in welfare programs and spending. Notable policies passed include the expansion of abortion rights, new programs to provide reproductive healthcare, protection of gender affirming care,[15] the legalization of recreational cannabis, indexing education spending to inflation, investments in public transit, and paid sick leave for Minnesota workers.[15][16] 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."[17]

Party organization

File:RichardCarlbom.jpg
DFL chair Richard Carlbom in 2025

The DFL is governed by a state central committee, which is composed of representatives from each of the state's congressional districts. The state central committee is responsible for setting the party's platform, electing party officers, and conducting other party business. The DFL also has a constitution and bylaws that govern its operations.[2]

Community caucuses

The party operates several community caucuses that organize and represent different communities within Minnesota; they not defined geographically.[18] These include the:

Voter base

The DFL's base of support is diverse, and it includes urban and suburban voters, working class voters, labor unions, environmentalists, and other progressive groups.[21] The party has a strong presence in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.[22] The DFL has lost support in traditional DFL strongholds such as the Iron Range since 2016.[23]

Current elected officials

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

U.S. House of Representatives

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

Statewide

State legislative leaders

Mayors

Leadership

File:The Minnesota DFL Booth at the Minnesota State Fair (53956129681).jpg
DFL booth at the 2024 Minnesota State Fair

Current

  • Chair: Richard Carlbom (since 2025)[24]
  • Vice chair: Marge Hoffa (since 2011)
  • Second vice chair: Shivanthi Sathanandan (since 2021)
  • Treasurer: Lindy Sowmick (since 2025)
  • Secretary: Ceri Everett (since 2021)
  • Outreach officer: Quentin Wathum-Ocama (since 2025)

Historical party chairs

Through 1975, the party's constitution called for the election of a separate chairman and chairwoman to head state party activities. Only the chairman received compensation. In the mid-1970s, the party voted to change the titles of the chief party offices to chair and associate chair, specifying that they must both be salaried and must be of the opposite sex.

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State chairs

  • Koryne Horbal (1968–1977)
  • Claire Rumpel (1978–1979)
  • Mike Hatch (1980–1983)
  • Mary Monahan (1983–1985)
  • Ruth Stanoch (1985–1989)
  • Todd Otis (1990–1993)
  • Rick Stafford (1993–1995)
  • Mark Andrew (1995–1997)
  • Richard Senese (1997–1999)
  • Mike Erlandson (1999–2005)
  • Brian Melendez (2005–2011)
  • Ken Martin (2011–2025)
  • Richard Carlbom (2025–present)

Electoral history

Federal

U.S. Senate

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U.S. House

Election Votes % Seats (MN) ± %
2000 1,234,204 52.2 Template:Composition bar Decrease 1 62.5
2002 1,097,911 49.9 Template:Composition bar Decrease 1 50.0
2004 1,399,624 51.4 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 50.0
2006 1,152,621 52.9 Template:Composition bar Increase 1 62.5
2008 1,612,480 57.5 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 62.5
2010 1,002,026 47.9 Template:Composition bar Decrease 1 50.0
2012 985,760 55.5 Template:Composition bar Increase 1 62.5
2014 985,760 50.2 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 62.5
2016 1,434,590 50.2 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 62.5
2018 1,420,748 55.1 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 62.5
2020 1,554,373 48.7 Template:Composition bar Decrease 1 50.0
2022 1,250,479 50.1 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 50.0
2024 1,579,742 50.2 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 50.0

State

Governor

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Year Candidate Votes % Won
1944 Byron G. Allen 430,132 37.8 No
1946 Harold H. Barker 349,565 39.7 No
1948 Charles Halsted 545,766 45.1 No
1950 Harry H. Peterson 400,637 38.3 No
1952 Orville Freeman 624,480 44.0 No
1954 607,099 52.7 Yes
1956 731,180 51.4 Yes
1958 658,326 56.8 Yes
1960 760,934 49.1 No
1962 Karl Rolvaag 619,842 49.7 Yes
1966 607,943 46.9 No
1970 Wendell Anderson 737,921 54.0 Yes
1974 786,787 62.8 Yes
1978 Rudy Perpich 718,244 45.3 No
1982 718,244 58.8 Yes
1986 790,138 56.1 Yes
1990 836,218 46.8 No
1994 John Marty 589,344 34.1 No
1998 Skip Humphrey 587,528 28.1 No
2002 Roger Moe 821,268 36.5 No
2006 Mike Hatch 1,007,460 45.7 No
2010 Mark Dayton 919,232 43.6 Yes
2014 989,113 50.1 Yes
2018 Tim Walz 1,393,096 53.8 Yes
2022 1,312,349 52.3 Yes

Minnesota Senate

Election Votes % Seats ± % Majority
1976 1,024,624 51.9 Template:Composition bar N/A 73.1 Yes
1980 1,024,624 49.3 Template:Composition bar Decrease 3 68.7 Yes
1982 951,287 51.8 Template:Composition bar Decrease 4 62.7 Yes
1986 765,584 52.6 Template:Composition bar Increase 5 70.2 Yes
1990 990,513 53.7 Template:Composition bar Decrease 1 68.7 Yes
1992 1,247,594 53.0 Template:Composition bar Decrease 1 67.2 Yes
1996 1,129,095 51.1 Template:Composition bar Decrease 3 62.7 Yes
2000 1,219,497 49.6 Template:Composition bar Decrease 3 58.2 Yes
2002 1,080,975 49.7 Template:Composition bar Decrease 4 52.2 Yes
2006 1,183,319 55.3 Template:Composition bar Increase 6 65.7 Yes
2010 1,005,132 48.9 Template:Composition bar Decrease 16 44.7 No
2012 1,532,065 55.8 Template:Composition bar Increase 9 58.2 Yes
2016 1,409,775 50.1 Template:Composition bar Decrease 6 49.3 No
2020 1,577,523 49.8 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 49.3 No
2022 1,239,682 50.7 Template:Composition bar Increase 1 50.7 Yes

Minnesota House

Election Votes % Seats ± % Majority
2002 1,034,046 47.8 Template:Composition bar Decrease 11 38.8 No
2004 1,381,412 51.2 Template:Composition bar Increase 13 49.3 No
2006 1,169,298 54.9 Template:Composition bar Increase 19 63.4 Yes
2008 1,516,633 54.9 Template:Composition bar Increase 2 64.9 Yes
2010 995,853 48.5 Template:Composition bar Decrease 25 46.3 No
2012 1,468,364 53.7 Template:Composition bar Increase 11 54.5 Yes
2014 944,961 49.3 Template:Composition bar Decrease 11 46.3 No
2016 1,366,375 49.1 Template:Composition bar Decrease 4 42.5 No
2018 1,388,938 54.4 Template:Composition bar Increase 18 55.9 Yes
2020 1,601,357 51.1 Template:Composition bar Decrease 5 52.2 Yes
2022 1,237,520 50.9 Template:Composition bar Steady 0 52.2 Yes
2024 1,545,213 49.9 Template:Composition bar Decrease 3 50.0 No

See also

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References

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Further reading

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External links

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Template:MinnesotaPoliticalParties Template:U.S. Democratic Party state parties Template:Authority control

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  7. ↑ a b "DEMOCRATIC-FARMER-LABOR PARTY." n.d. Minnesota Historical Society. Accessed May 26, 2023. http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00586.xml .
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