St. Paul, Minn. ? This is a primary election year with much at stake for American feminists, leaders of the National Organization of Women said Friday as it opened its three-day national conference in St. Paul.

The organization is banking on a substantial slate of Congressional and gubernatorial candidates across the country to promote its feminist causes. Among women on their list of favorites is Kathleen Falk, Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor. Their top pick in Minnesota: incumbent U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone.

“Many people think Paul Wellstone is the strongest feminist in the entire Senate,” Linda Berg, NOW’s political director, told the conference audience.

“We need feminists in every single level of office from dogcatcher on up,” Berg said. “People at low levels will go on to run for higher offices.”

About 400 participants from California to New Hampshire showed up for the conference’s first day at the Radisson Riverfront St. Paul. The event marks the first time the activist group has brought its annual conference to the Midwest. A program of workshops, speakers and forums will culminate Sunday with delegates’ approval of resolutions that determine key issues NOW will push and lobby for throughout the year.

“We are making serious policy here for the organization,” NOW president Kim Gandy told the conference-goers. “The resolutions inform our leadership where we want to spend our resources.”

A dozen workshops Friday focused on such women’s rights issues as violence against women, recruiting young feminists and laws against discrimination. Marjorie Fish shared the behind-the-scenes story of a successful class-action lawsuit filed by 250 women faculty at St. Cloud State University against the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Fish, one of the plaintiffs, encouraged women to aggressively raise the equal-pay issue.

“Women, in general, are still very far away from achieving pay equity in the workplace,” she said. “But we showed we wouldn’t sit by and allow inequities to happen and say nothing.”

A small group of anti-abortion activists protested outside the hotel Friday morning.

Women of all ages, a few girls and at least a dozen men filtered into conference sessions. Many raised their hands when asked for a show of NOW members. Others, including many Twin Citians in attendance, said they came Friday because the conference had come to them. Some lingered in an exhibit area featuring a women’s art show, another conference first.

Judy Gibson was among conference newcomers. The St. Paul resident with a longstanding interest in women’s issues, such as pay equity and violence, saw the meeting as “a chance to get connected,” she said.