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.
Due to a lack of contested races, the party’s state convention was sparsely attended and tepid in tone. It took all of six minutes for delegates to nominate and endorse both Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan by acclamation.
House Commerce Committee Chair Zack Stephenson, who has been in the middle of both issues, said he is not giving up on the gambling legislation — and is ecstatic about the proposed liquor law changes.
“It’s not a coincidence that the net worth of U.S. senators and U.S. House members has been growing in the last 15 or 20 years because more and more of them are financing their own campaigns in part or in whole and winning.”
Justin Greiss left the group Young Americans for Liberty after allegations of sexual misconduct.
Not since 1994 has a non-endorsed GOP candidate won Minnesota’s Republicans primary, which means candidates must cater to the most active and conservative party members — the 2,000 delegates who show up at the state convention.
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.
Unlike previous deals struck by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, the agreement announced Monday puts the onus on committee chairs at the Legislature to work out many of the details.
With Speaker Nancy Pelosi determined to win House approval of the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act this week, talks began Monday with recalcitrant Democrats like Omar, who represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.
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.
Dakota is showing other Minnesota counties how to implement the new law that requires 911 operators to refer calls involving mental health issues to crisis teams rather than to law enforcement.
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.
The Republican convention is set to endorse a candidate for governor on Saturday.
In the absence of independent polls, one picture we do have — and it’s a limited one — is fundraising.
The purpose is to help move people out of homeless shelters and to help transition people being released from treatment facilities.
