Albert R. Hunt, Columnist

It’s Not Your Minnesota Uncle’s Political Season

Division and chaos prevail in a state that’s produced some of the most constructive U.S. politicians.

June 24, 2018 at 2:00 PM UTC

Albert R. Hunt is a former Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was the executive editor of Bloomberg News, before which he was a reporter, bureau chief and executive Washington editor at the Wall Street Journal.

Unpredictable.
Photographer: Daniel Kucin Jr./Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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If you started reporting on American politics in the 1970s and 1980s, Minnesota was the place to look for gold-standard politicians. Democrats included Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Donald Fraser and Tim Penny. The Republicans had Al Quie, Bill Frenzel and Vin Weber.

Covering a personal and philosophical spectrum, they were serious, productive politicians. Each could be a fierce partisan, yet all enjoyed bipartisan respect.