Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura Mulls Senate Run

Bloomington, MN (AHN) - Minnesota may be cold, but the race for the state's U.S. Senate seat just got a little more heated, after former Independent Gov. Jesse Ventura announced he is mulling a possible Independent run. While Ventura has been coy about his intentions to run for the U.S. Senate in the November elections, Ventura's former campaign manager Dean Barkley says if Jesse doesn't run, he will.

Barkley, who was appointed to the Senate for a brief period in 2002 after the sitting Sen. Paul Wellstone died, said he was serious about making another political run if Ventura opts out of the race.

"I don't like either of the candidates out there," Barkley told KARE-11 news. "And if no one else will do it, I will."

Nonetheless, Ventura did have some harsh words for the two candidates so far, Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and Democratic comedian and politician Al Franken.

At a book signing for his new hardcover, "Don't Start the Revolution Without Me," at the Mall of America, the former pro-wrestler told the crowd that "'none of the above' would be a better choice than Norm Coleman or Al Franken."

Ventura said that he and Barkley would come to a decision on which of them should be put on the ballot before the filing deadline of July 15, with Barkley saying he would defer to his former boss if Jesse decided to make a political run.