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.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref> The party was formed by a merger between the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1944.<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name=":2" />
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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref name="y283">Template:Cite web</ref> 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).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=":1">"DEMOCRATIC-FARMER-LABOR PARTY." n.d. Minnesota Historical Society. Accessed May 26, 2023. http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00586.xml .</ref> 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.<ref name="o936">Template:Cite journal</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Some disaffected Farmer–Labor leaders such as Benson moved to the Progressive Party.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> 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;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Amy Klobuchar, a U.S. senator who ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dean Phillips, a U.S. representative who ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2024;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Tim Walz, two-term governor chosen as Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 presidential election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=":1" />
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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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,<ref name="cbsnews.com">Template:Cite web</ref> the legalization of recreational cannabis, indexing education spending to inflation, investments in public transit, and paid sick leave for Minnesota workers.<ref name="cbsnews.com"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Party organization
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.<ref name=":3" />
Community caucuses
The party operates several community caucuses that organize and represent different communities within Minnesota; they not defined geographically.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These include the:
- African American Caucus, which organizes African Americans.
- Asian Pacific American Caucus, which organizes Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans.
- Disability Caucus, which advocates for Minnesotans with disabilities.
- Environmental Caucus, which advocates for environmental protection and sustainability.
- Feminist Caucus, which advocates for feminist and women's issues.
- Hmong American Caucus, which organizes Hmong Americans, the largest Asian American group in Minnesota.
- Latino Caucus (Spanish: Movimiento) which organizes Latino Americans.
- Minnesota Young DFL, which organizes young people.
- Muslim Caucus, which organizes Muslims, who make up between 1–2% of the state.<ref name="Masadde 2016 s257">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Native People's Caucus, which organizes and supports Native Americans and tribal communities.
- Progressive Caucus, which advocates for progressive policies and opposes "corporate money in politics".
- Rural Caucus, which supports the state's rural communities.
- Senior Caucus, which advocates for the interests of senior citizens.
- Somali American Caucus, which organizes Somali Americans, who make up over 1% of the state's population.<ref name="CBS Minnesota 2019 r5812">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Masadde 2016 s257" />
- Stonewall DFL, which organizes LGBTQ+ Minnesotans.
- Veterans Caucus, which organizes veterans and their families.
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.<ref name="Orrick 2018 n616">Template:Cite web</ref> The party has a strong presence in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.<ref name="Orenstein 2023 m709">Template:Cite web</ref> The DFL has lost support in traditional DFL strongholds such as the Iron Range since 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Current elected officials
Members of Congress
U.S. Senate
- Senior senator: Amy Klobuchar
- Junior senator: Tina Smith
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.
- 2nd district: Angie Craig (since 2019)
- 3rd district: Kelly Morrison (since 2025)
- 4th district: Betty McCollum (since 2001)
- 5th district: Ilhan Omar (since 2019)
Statewide
- Governor: Tim Walz
- Lieutenant Governor: Peggy Flanagan
- Secretary of State: Steve Simon
- State Auditor: Julie Blaha
- Attorney General: Keith Ellison
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State legislative leaders
- President of the Senate: Bobby Joe Champion (since 2023)
- Senate majority leader: Erin Murphy (since 2023)
- House minority leader: Zack Stephenson (since 2025)
Mayors
- Minneapolis (list): Jacob Frey (since 2018) (1)
- Saint Paul (list): Melvin Carter (since 2018) (2)
- Duluth (list): Roger Reinert (since 2024) (5)
Leadership
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Current
- Chair: Richard Carlbom (since 2025)<ref name="newchair25">Template:Cite news</ref>
- 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 chairmen
- Elmer Kelm (1944–1946)
- Harold Barker (1946–1948)
- Orville Freeman (1948–1950)
- Karl Rolvaag (1950–1954)
- Ray Hemenway (1954–1960)
- Adrian Winkel (1960–1961)
- George Farr (1961–1967)
- Warren Spannaus (1967–1969)
- Richard Moe (1969–1972)
- Hank Fischer (1972–1975)
State chairwomen
- Ione Hunt (1948–1950)
- Dorothy Jacobson (1950–1956)
- Anne Vetter (1956–1958)
- Geri Joseph (1958–1960)
- Evelyn Malone (1960–1962)
- Pat St. Angelo (1962–1963)
- Betty Kane (1963–1968)
- Koryne Horbal (1968–1972)
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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| Year | Candidate | Votes | % | Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Theodore Jorgenson | 349,520 | 39.8 | Template:No |
| 1952 | William E. Carlson | 590,011 | 42.5 | Template:No |
| 1958 | Eugene McCarthy | 608,847 | 53.0 | Template:Yes |
| 1964 | 931,363 | 60.3 | Template:Yes | |
| 1970 | Hubert Humphrey | 788,256 | 57.8 | Template:Yes |
| 1976 | 1,290,736 | 67.5 | Template:Yes | |
| 1978 (sp) | Bob Short | 538,675 | 34.6 | Template:No |
| 1982 | Mark Dayton | 840,401 | 46.6 | Template:No |
| 1988 | Skip Humphrey | 856,694 | 40.9 | Template:No |
| 1994 | Ann Wynia | 781,860 | 44.1 | Template:No |
| 2000 | Mark Dayton | 1,181,553 | 48.8 | Template:Yes |
| 2006 | Amy Klobuchar | 1,278,849 | 58.1 | Template:Yes |
| 2012 | 1,854,595 | 65.2 | Template:Yes | |
| 2018 | 1,566,174 | 60.3 | Template:Yes | |
| 2024 | 1,792,441 | 56.2 | Template:Yes |
| Year | Candidate | Votes | % | Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Hubert Humphrey | 729,494 | 59.8 | Template:Yes |
| 1954 | 642,193 | 56.4 | Template:Yes | |
| 1960 | 884,168 | 57.5 | Template:Yes | |
| 1966 | Walter Mondale | 685,840 | 53.9 | Template:Yes |
| 1972 | 981,320 | 56.7 | Template:Yes | |
| 1978 | Wendell R. Anderson | 638,375 | 40.4 | Template:No |
| 1984 | Joan Growe | 852,844 | 41.3 | Template:No |
| 1990 | Paul Wellstone | 911,999 | 50.5 | Template:Yes |
| 1996 | 1,098,430 | 50.3 | Template:Yes | |
| 2002 | Walter MondaleTemplate:Efn | 1,067,246 | 47.3 | Template:No |
| 2008 | Al Franken | 1,212,629 | 42.0 | Template:Yes |
| 2014 | 1,053,205 | 53.2 | Template:Yes | |
| 2018 (sp) | Tina Smith | 1,370,540 | 53.0 | Template:Yes |
| 2020 | 1,566,522 | 48.7 | Template:Yes |
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U.S. House
| Election | Votes | % | Seats (MN) | ± | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,234,204 | 52.2 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Decrease 1 | 62.5 |
| 2002 | 1,097,911 | 49.9 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Decrease 1 | 50.0 |
| 2004 | 1,399,624 | 51.4 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady 0 | 50.0 |
| 2006 | 1,152,621 | 52.9 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Increase 1 | 62.5 |
| 2008 | 1,612,480 | 57.5 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady 0 | 62.5 |
| 2010 | 1,002,026 | 47.9 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Decrease 1 | 50.0 |
| 2012 | 985,760 | 55.5 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Increase 1 | 62.5 |
| 2014 | 985,760 | 50.2 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady 0 | 62.5 |
| 2016 | 1,434,590 | 50.2 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady 0 | 62.5 |
| 2018 | 1,420,748 | 55.1 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady 0 | 62.5 |
| 2020 | 1,554,373 | 48.7 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Decrease 1 | 50.0 |
| 2022 | 1,250,479 | 50.1 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady 0 | 50.0 |
| 2024 | 1,579,742 | 50.2 | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady 0 | 50.0 |
State
Governor
| Year | Candidate | Votes | % | Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Byron G. Allen | 430,132 | 37.8 | Template:No |
| 1946 | Harold H. Barker | 349,565 | 39.7 | Template:No |
| 1948 | Charles Halsted | 545,766 | 45.1 | Template:No |
| 1950 | Harry H. Peterson | 400,637 | 38.3 | Template:No |
| 1952 | Orville Freeman | 624,480 | 44.0 | Template:No |
| 1954 | 607,099 | 52.7 | Template:Yes | |
| 1956 | 731,180 | 51.4 | Template:Yes | |
| 1958 | 658,326 | 56.8 | Template:Yes | |
| 1960 | 760,934 | 49.1 | Template:No | |
| 1962 | Karl Rolvaag | 619,842 | 49.7 | Template:Yes |
| 1966 | 607,943 | 46.9 | Template:No | |
| 1970 | Wendell Anderson | 737,921 | 54.0 | Template:Yes |
| 1974 | 786,787 | 62.8 | Template:Yes | |
| 1978 | Rudy Perpich | 718,244 | 45.3 | Template:No |
| 1982 | 718,244 | 58.8 | Template:Yes | |
| 1986 | 790,138 | 56.1 | Template:Yes | |
| 1990 | 836,218 | 46.8 | Template:No | |
| 1994 | John Marty | 589,344 | 34.1 | Template:No |
| 1998 | Skip Humphrey | 587,528 | 28.1 | Template:No |
| 2002 | Roger Moe | 821,268 | 36.5 | Template:No |
| 2006 | Mike Hatch | 1,007,460 | 45.7 | Template:No |
| 2010 | Mark Dayton | 919,232 | 43.6 | Template:Yes |
| 2014 | 989,113 | 50.1 | Template:Yes | |
| 2018 | Tim Walz | 1,393,096 | 53.8 | Template:Yes |
| 2022 | 1,312,349 | 52.3 | Template:Yes |
Minnesota Senate
Minnesota House
See also
References
Further reading
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- Template:Cite bookTemplate:SndDiscusses the entry of radicals into the DFL party in 1968.
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External links
Template:MinnesotaPoliticalParties Template:U.S. Democratic Party state parties Template:Authority control