By Dan Linehan
Mankato Free Press

The Independence Party of Minnesota will endorse a candidate for governor next spring in Mankato.

The party decided on Saturday to hold its 2014 state convention on Saturday, May 17, at Minnesota State University, said Mark Meyer, the party’s 1st Congressional District chairman.

Mankato is a convenient location outside of the Twin Cities, and voter statistics show that New Ulm, Mankato and Rochester are areas of growth for the party, Meyer said in an email.

The party may also endorse a candidate to challenge Sen. Al Franken.

Meyer said the party also made two major changes to its platform on Saturday.

First, it will lift the party’s ban on money from political action committees, or PACs. It is a response to the increasing importance of these committees after the 2010 Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allows unions and corporations to give unlimited amounts of money to independent groups.

Meyer said he doesn’t like the Supreme Court decision, but not accepting PAC money puts Independence Party candidates at a disadvantage.

Also, the party delegates voted to support the legalization, taxation and regulation of marijuana.

Meyer said the vote reflected the party’s libertarian elements, and a view that the “government ought to stay out of the way of making decisions for people.”

The party considered, but decided against, supporting the legalization of other types of drugs.