Independent-Republican Party
|
Republican Party of Minnesota
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|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chairman | Keith Downey |
| Senate leader | Paul Gazelka |
| House leader | Kurt Daudt |
| Founded | March 29, 1855 |
| Headquarters | 2200 East Franklin Avenue Suite 201 Minneapolis |
| Student wing | Minnesota College Republicans |
| Youth wing | Minnesota Young Republicans |
| Ideology |
Conservatism (American) |
| National affiliation | Republican Party |
| Colors | Red |
| Senate |
34 / 67
|
| House of Representatives |
77 / 134
|
| U.S. Senate |
0 / 2
|
| U.S. House of Representatives |
3 / 8
|
| Website | |
| mngop |
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The Republican Party of Minnesota is a conservative political party in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is affiliated with the United States Republican Party.
The Republican Party in Minnesota was the dominant party in the state for approximately the first seventy years of Minnesota's statehood, from 1858 through the 1920s. The 1892 Republican National Convention was held in Minneapolis. Republican candidates routinely won the state governorship as well as most other state offices. The party was aided by an opposition divided between the Democratic Party and the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, who eventually merged in 1944.
The Independent-Republicans of Minnesota (I-R) was the name of the party from November 15, 1975 until September 23, 1995. The name change was made because the "Republican" name was damaged by the Watergate Scandal. Polls conducted in the early-mid-1970s indicated people in Minnesota were more likely to vote for a candidate who identified as an "Independent" versus a "Republican". During that time, the state party became more dependent on grassroots fundraising and eventually went bankrupt. After the National party pumped money into the party, in the early-mid-1980s, their image and base began turning more conservative. During this time the party had both US Senate seats and briefly held control of the state House of Representatives. By 1994, the grassroots had turned socially more conservative, and changed the name back in 1995. Attempts to drop the term "Independent" had been defeated in 1989, 1991 and 1993.
The previous Governor of Minnesota Tim Pawlenty is a Republican. After Pawlenty's re-election in 2006, Republicans held the governorship for 16 of 20 years through the end of 2010. In the general election of 2010, the party captured both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature for the first time since the 1970s, and defeated 18-term Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar by electing Chip Cravaack, despite having lost every statewide race. The 2008 Republican National Convention was held in St. Paul.
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Wikipedia