The only special interest Independence Party endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Stephen Williams has is Madeline, his granddaughter.

“Grandpa” Williams and granddaughter were on display Saturday at the IP Senate endorsing convention at Bloomington.

Williams defeated two other candidates and a “no endorsement” option to win the endorsement.

“It was a very humbling experience,” Williams said from his Brownsdale home Monday in a telephone interview. “It’s also gratifying, but first and foremost its humbling to have received the nomination.

“I’m also relieved,” he said.

Until Saturday’s convention, Williams was a sweet corn farmer at Honey Tree Farm outside Brownsdale. He wanted to run for elective office to make a difference and those differences were described on his Web site, www.prairiefire.usa

Two years ago, running as an independent, non-endorsed IP candidate for the U.S. Senate, he was snubbed at the various candidates’ debates and garnered little attention or votes in the November 2006 election.

This year, he won the endorsement despite opposition from 2 other candidates and the ubiquitous “No endorsement” IP delegates had.

The latter was widely considered an open invitation to former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura to announce he would run for the Senate seat as an IP member.

Ventura, now promoting a book about his term as Minnesota governor, has repeatedly stated he will not decide until the July filing period whether he will seek political office or not.

“I needed to receive 60 percent of the votes to win the endorsement,” Williams said of the tense endorsement fight at the IP convention Saturday. “The first time, I got in the high 50s — I really don’t remember exactly how many — but it wasn’t enough to receive the endorsement.”

When the second ballot vote was taken, Williams had the majority he needed.

“The two other people seeking the nomination finished third and fourth and ‘no endorsement’ finished second in the balloting to me,” he said.

Williams, a “no frills” candidate if there ever was one — no campaign committee behind him, no campaign buttons, posters, banners or other literature and no money — has attempted to be heard in the media with a simple message: “I want to make our state a better place. As I told them on the convention floor, I’m an Independence Party candidate with no special interests other than to work for all of us and future generations like my granddaughter, Madeline.”

In his speech to the IP Senate endorsement convention delegates, he expanded on what sets him apart from other office-seekers and what he is seeking as a Senate candidate.

“Three words: ‘We the people’— the first three words proclaimed by our newborn nation,” Williams’ speech began. “A nation conceived by the ideals of equality and justice. The first three words are the three most important words in the U.S. Constitution.”

Williams went on to quote Will Rogers, who once said, “We have the best politicians money can buy.”

Next, Williams attacked lobbyists until he accused the political system of being controlled by a “small group of political elitists who use the powers of incumbency and the power of polarization and fear to dominate our government.”

As America, in Williams’ eyes, struggles to adhere to the “We the people” dictum of the Constitution, the candidate said, “We must elect independent candidates who are free of the domination of the ruling parties.” Do that and America can build an “enduring prosperity” for all.

There is still a curve the candidate must ascend. It includes “getting known across the state.”