PAUL WELLSTONE

Paul Wellstone, a fiery liberal senator, died 20 years ago Tuesday in a plane crash in Minnesota's Iron Range, a bedrock of Democratic support. Now, the big mining region has broken toward Trump, a miniature version of what's happened in other rural, once-liberal regions.

President Joe Biden has saluted his “friend of five decades” Walter Mondale, traveling to the University of Minnesota to remember the former vice president and Democratic Party elder whose memorial service was delayed for a year due to the pandemic.

Many Americans may remember Walter Mondale for his near-shutout defeat for the White House in 1984.

Former Vice President Walter Mondale, a liberal icon who lost one of the most lopsided presidential elections after bluntly telling voters to expect a tax increase if he won, has died.

In a statement, Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig urged voters to mark their ballots in her race anyway. "You should continue to vote for the entire ballot, including for this congressional race. Simon said the special election would be Feb. 9. Craig hinted that a legal challenge to the special election may be getting planned. Someone could argue that the state law violates that federal law, he said.