Formation 2002 Executive Director Edith Sargon | Headquarters St. Paul, Minnesota Website www.wellstone.org | |
 | ||
Purpose grassroots campaign training organization for progressives | ||
Wellstone Action is a 501(c)(4) progressive advocacy organization founded by Jeff Blodgett. Based in Minnesota, it trains community organizers, student activists, campaign staff, progressive candidates and elected officials. The organization is named after Paul Wellstone, a U.S. Senator who died in a plane crash along with his wife Sheila on October 25, 2002. After Wellstone's death, his surviving children and former campaign manager founded the group to carry on Wellstone's populist approach to progressive politics.
Tim Walz, elected to represent Minnesota's 1st congressional district in 2006, was the progressive training program’s first successful candidate on the federal level. Mark Ritchie, Minnesota's former Secretary of State, is a Wellstone Action alum.