Election

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ― Whether or not Jesse Ventura runs for U.S. Senate this year, the former Minnesota governor has already demonstrated the kind of impact he would have on the race.

Ventura was scheduled to announce his decision before a national audience Monday night on CNN's "Larry King Live." If the unpredictable independent decides on a comeback, his flair for generating media attention would transform an already expensive and contentious race between GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and Democrat and former "Saturday Night Live" personality Al Franken into a free-for-all.

Dean Barkley, Ventura's political mentor and longtime adviser, said Monday that Ventura made his decision over the weekend. Barkley wouldn't drop any hints, but was happy to talk about what a Ventura candidacy would look like.

"I think the public is 10 years more disgusted than they were" when the former pro wrestler shot to national prominence in 1998 with his upset win in a three-way governor's race, Barkley said. "I think it's a historic opportunity for somebody to offer the public an alternative between Democrats and Republicans."

Barkley said Ventura wouldn't try to match the fundraising of Coleman and Franken, who together have raised more money than in any other Senate race in the country this year. Ventura would only attempt to raise $1 million to $1.5 million, Barkley said, relying mostly on media exposure to spread his message. Barkley said advertising would again be orchestrated by Bill Hillsman, who in 1998 helped Ventura sell his blend of fiscal conservatism, social liberalism and government reform without sanding off his rough edges.

Coleman and Franken initially dismissed Ventura's interest in the race as an attempt to publicize his latest book, "Don't Start The Revolution Without Me," a quirky blend of personal memoir and political rant published this spring. Both candidates have since moderated their remarks, admitting that a Ventura candidacy would alter the race.

Asked what effect Ventura might have in the race, Coleman said he thinks it's possible Ventura and Franken would split what he called the "angry vote" -- "If that's the case, it's to my advantage," said Coleman, who finished second to Ventura in the 1998 governor's race.

Franken's campaign didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. When Franken filed last week, he declined to speculate on what Ventura would do but admitted it would likely require changes to his campaign strategy.

Steve Frank, a political scientist at St. Cloud State University who co-wrote a book about Ventura's term as governor, said it would be a mistake for either campaign to underestimate Ventura's draw to voters. But he said Ventura might find it harder than last time around.

"We're in a much more serious time than when he ran in 1998," Frank said. "I think there'd be some initial infatuation with Jesse, but as we get closer -- especially with two decent candidates who are well-financed -- I think it would be tougher."

In the last week, Ventura showed he's still adept at kicking up a media frenzy. A report by National Public Radio indicated Ventura was likely to run, setting off breathless speculation in political circles. Ventura denied he'd made a decision, but gave numerous interviews to national news outlets where he bashed Coleman, Franken and the two-party system.

The Coleman-Franken contest didn't lack for drama even before Ventura's public flirtations. Franken's celebrity brought extra attention to his first-time candidacy, allowing him ample opportunity to criticize Coleman as too closely aligned with the Bush administration. Coleman aggressively criticized some of the outrageous and potentially offensive things Franken said or wrote in 30 years as a comedian and satirist.

Barkley said part of Ventura's motivation is personal displeasure with both candidates. Ventura -- who's maintained a home in Minnesota most of his life but now spends part of the year in Baja California, Mexico -- has ridiculed Franken's 2005 move back to Minnesota as politically opportunistic. Franken grew up in Minnesota but left after high school.

Ventura has also harshly criticized Coleman's support of the Iraq war, of which he is a staunch critic, and has happily pointed out that he already beat Coleman once.

Barkley said Ventura spent the weekend discussing his options with his family. Barkley said Ventura is weighing not just the requirements of a campaign but also the reality of spending much of the next six years in Washington.

"On Friday I gave him the schedule of the Senate in 2008 so he'd know how much time they spend in Washington," Barkley said. "His life would change if he became senator. But the good news is it's nothing like being governor where you're always tied to the governor's office. The Senate does have breaks often."

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