Paul Wellstone Memorialized On 14th Anniversary Of Death

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Fourteen years ago Tuesday, Sen. Paul Wellstone was killed in a plane crash in northern Minnesota.

His wife Sheila, their daughter Marcia, three campaign staffers and two pilots were also killed in the crash near Eveleth.

It occurred just 12 days before the 2002 election, while DFL incumbent Wellstone was campaigning against Republican Norm Coleman. Former vice president and senator Walter Mondale replaced Wellstone on the ballot, but Coleman ended up winning the election.

This week, a number of people -- from politicians to Minnesotans -- paid tribute to Wellstone's legacy. Among them was Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic Party.

"Paul really represented the good of politics, the joy of politics, and the idea that you need to stand up and fight for what you believed," Martin said. "He said that politics is not about what happens in the Capitol. It's not about big money or special interests. Politics is about improving people's lives. On a day like today, it gives us a reason to believe that we can get back to that point in our politics, where you have politicians elected in both parties who want to find common ground and work together."

Others took to Twitter: