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Ventura Senate decision expected Monday on "Larry King Live"
Ten years after he shocked the world and became Minnesota governor, the world is wondering if Jesse Ventura will return to politics. "If I had to guess, I think he's gonna do it," says Dean Barkley, who was appointed by Ventura to complete Paul Wellstone's Senate term in 2002. "I think there's enough things that anger him about this race." Barkley met with Ventura Friday to discuss a possible Senate run. "As for Friday afternoon when he left, he had not made up his mind, he was going to take the weekend, talk it over with [his wife] Terry," Barkley says. Ventura is now expected to announce his decision Monday night on CNN's "Larry King Live." "I hope he does it because I think we need him," Barkley says. "I think the Senate could use a breath of fresh air or maybe a bomb-thrower every once in a while that'll go shake up that institution." Hamline University professor David Schultz also thinks Ventura might get into the race. "It's unusual for someone to go on national television to declare they're not a candidate for office," Schultz says. "However, he's such a quirky individual, it's possible he could go on and say he's not running." Schultz says, if Ventura runs, he'll face a number of obstacles, including raising enough money. Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken have already raised millions. If Ventura can't catch up in the fund-raising department, "He's going to have to rely upon free media coverage," Schultz says. But during a book-signing appearance at the Mall of America in May, Ventura made it clear he's still upset with the local media. "The only way I can strike back at you people is to not talk to you," he said. Schultz says that could be a problem. "If he doesn't start cooperating with the local media, in terms of talking to them and trying to get on the news, that's going to make it very hard for him to get his message across," he says. So if he runs, will he talk to the local media? "When it suits him and when the time is right, he'll talk to the local media," Barkley says. "But that's going to be a call that he's going to make." Ventura could also announce that he's not running. "If he's not going to run, I think that sort-of reinforces a lot of the cynicism that people had that what he's been doing for the last couple months was simply an effort to sell books," Schultz says. If Ventura does not run, Barkley says he's "leaning" toward running. He has until Tuesday to decide and file his papers.
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