Walker Orenstein reports on the state Legislature for MinnPost, with a particular focus on covering issues affecting Greater Minnesota. He can be reached at worenstein@minnpost.com, and you can follow him on Twitter at @walkerorenstein.
Any legislation significantly curtailing existing abortion access would likely fail if Walz is reelected or if Democrats are in control the state House or Senate next year. But if Republicans win full control of state government, the political picture would be different and abortion foes would have more power.
In total, the deal struck over the energy budget would have spent about $46.5 million from the state’s general fund over the next three years and another $36 million from the Renewable Development Account
In Greater Minnesota, where more people live in rural areas, 79 percent of respondents to a MinnPost poll said they felt their incomes were falling behind the cost of living.
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The state will give grants up to $15,000 per eligible farmer, which the person has to match.
People in Greater Minnesota reported a more dire economic picture than those living elsewhere in the state.
The poll found that 42 percent of likely general election voters would pick Walz, while 40 percent would favor Jensen — a result that is within the survey’s margin of error.
One stumbling block has been the state’s health and human services budget. Republicans in the state Senate want to use most of $1 billion for long-term care while the DFL-led House is pushing to spread the money among several priorities.
Questions like: What exactly is Jeremy Munson doing?
Tracking all the declared candidates.
Ettinger cruised to victory in the DFL contest, while Finstad eked out a 388-vote win over state Rep. Jeremy Munson in a race that pitted a candidate backed by the Republican establishment against a prospective member of the House Freedom Caucus.
Jensen has called on Republicans to “hold the line” and keep more of Minnesota’s historic surplus for next year — when he might be governor.
There are nine GOP candidates and seven Democrats vying to advance to the Aug. 24 special election.
Gov. Tim Walz’s threat that he would not call a special session may have served as a catalyst for action, but in the end, it didn’t push lawmakers toward success — and may not have actually been true.
The bill directs $18.4 million to address drought relief and includes $110 million to help build more high-speed internet infrastructure in Minnesota.
The tax bill is a major part of a so-called “4-4-4” deal to spend $4 billion of Minnesota’s historic surplus over the next three years on tax cuts, $4 billion on new spending and leave $4 billion remaining in reserves.
Justin Greiss left the group Young Americans for Liberty after allegations of sexual misconduct.
Munson is one of the front-runners in the special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn. But he also faces intense opposition from many of his fellow GOP legislators.
A common theme at the state Republican convention was electability — how the party can win more votes in DFL-friendly Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs, where most voters don’t support many of the policies GOP candidates for governor have campaigned on.
Jensen, a one-term Minnesota state senator and family doctor who rose to national prominence as a critic of COVID-19 restrictions, prevailed over four other Republican candidates.
