Ventura administration and the United States Senate thumb|right|Barkley meets with president George W. Bush in 2002 Barkley was chairman of Jesse Ventura's successful gubernatorial campaign in 1998. In January 1999, Ventura appointed Barkley as director of the Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning (known as Minnesota Planning).
Ventura administration and the United States Senate thumb|right|Barkley meets with president George W. Bush in 2002 Barkley was chairman of Jesse Ventura's successful gubernatorial campaign in 1998. In January 1999, Ventura appointed Barkley as director of the Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning (known as Minnesota Planning).