Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Friday, September 05, 2008

Barrett says Ventura backs Congressional bid

By CHRIS HUBBUCH | chubbuch@lacrossetribune.com

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has endorsed Sept. 11 conspiracy theorist Kevin Barrett in his bid for Congress, Barrett announced Thursday.

Barrett, a Libertarian running against incumbent Democrat Ron Kind for western Wisconsin’s seat, said he met the former wrestler turned politician Tuesday at Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul’s “Rally for the Republic” in Minneapolis.

Barrett, of Lone Rock, faces Ben Olson III in Tuesday’s Libertarian primary.

A former University of Wisconsin-Madison lecturer who believes the U.S. government was behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Barrett has supported some un-Libertarian policies, including a Canadian-style universal health care system. Olson says he’s running to give voters an orthodox Libertarian choice.

Ventura, a former professional wrestler, also has expressed skepticism about the official explanation for 9/11 events. He served one term after being elected Minnesota’s governor in 1998 as a third-party candidate.

“I’m trying to do what he did,” Barrett said of Ventura. “He’s kind of my political hero. He beat the two-party system.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.