Minnesota election news
- USSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Minnesota political candidates face hostility, hopefulness while campaigning
As the 2024 election cycle ramps up, the St. Cloud Times spoke with candidates across the state about their experiences on the campaign trail.
6 min read - USSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Kleis interviews 6 mayoral candidates ahead of Aug. 13 primary election
The six mayoral candidates are hoping to advance through the primary, with this year’s municipal election being the most crowded in recent history.
1 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Who are Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's top competitors for vice president?
There's little doubt at this point that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is in the mix as Vice President Kamala Harris gets ready to select a running mate. The Harris campaign hasn't confirmed anything publicly, but national media reports are consistently putting Walz in a select group of serious prospects under consideration. He's been acting ready for his closeup, managing to generate some viral fame ...
3 min read - PoliticsKMSP
Gov. Walz kicked off Harris campaign's 'weird' attack line
Kamala Harris' campaign allies have increasingly leaned on a new label for Donald Trump's campaign that was sparked by a viral comment made by Governor Tim Walz.
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Minnesota's primary elections are two weeks away. Here are four key races to watch.
A highly anticipated rematch between U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and her DFL challenger Don Samuels is just two weeks away. So is a Republican primary for the U.S. Senate that will determine who challenges Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Another GOP primary contest will decide who faces Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig in Minnesota's competitive Second Congressional District. Minnesota's primary ...
4 min read - USStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Winner of the award for friction: Orono
Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom. ••• Orono, a wealthy community on the north shore of Lake Minnetonka, has a reputation as a polite and peaceful suburb. Lately the reputation is starting to slip. Citizens rise in righteous indignation to challenge the actions of the City Council, which ...
4 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Brooks: GOP melts down after Walz calls Trump and Vance weirdness ‘weird’
Stung by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's suggestion that the Grand Old Party is full of "weird people" these days, Republicans set out to prove they're not weird in the weirdest possible ways. Donald Trump Jr., son of the former president/convicted felon, fired back with a video clip of Vice President Kamala Harris having a nice chat with a drag queen. The only one who came out looking less than ...
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Republicans put Joe Teirab on national Young Guns list after Tayler Rahm suspends his campaign
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has added GOP candidate Joe Teirab to its 2024 Young Guns leadership program, further signaling the importance of Minnesota's Second Congressional District seat to national Republicans this cycle. The announcement comes as Teirab essentially has a clear path to take on swing district Democratic Rep. Angie Craig in November, now that ...
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
At central Minnesota diner, JD Vance says the state is 'ready to turn red'
WAITE PARK, Minn. — A day after joining Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a high-energy rally in St. Cloud, Trump's running mate JD Vance had a more low-key morning greeting supporters and eating breakfast with his family at a central Minnesota diner. Vance, a senator from Ohio, was propelled to the national spotlight two weeks ago when he was named Trump's vice presidential ...
3 min read - USSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Midnight at the St. Cloud Trump rally: dozens camped out, creating community
The St. Cloud Times visited the Trump rally campout at midnight, here's what we discovered
4 min read - PoliticsSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Trump bashes Biden, Harris and promises to keep Social Security, Medicare at MN rally
In St. Cloud, Trump this Saturday took jabs at the Biden alongside talking about immigration, the 2020 George Floyd protests and the economy.
6 min read - PoliticsPioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
The case for, and against, picking Gov. Tim Walz to be Kamala Harris’ VP
As the Democratic Party rallies around Vice President Kamala Harris as its presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been floated as a possible running mate. Multiple news outlets, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, have reported Walz is on the Harris campaign shortlist for vice president, along with governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Gretchen Whitmer of ...
4 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Donald Trump, JD Vance see capacity crowd for first joint rally in Minnesota
ST.CLOUD - Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance enthusiastically stood for hours in withering heat Saturday to get into the ticket's first Minnesota rally of this election season, chanting "USA!" and "Fight, fight, fight!" as they pumped their fists in eager anticipation. Vance was greeted with loud applause and kicked off 20 minutes of ...
6 min read - PoliticsSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Minnesota Democrats, including Gov. Walz, launch Harris for President campaign in St. Paul
Minnesota Democrats gathered in St. Paul Saturday, supporting V.P. Kamala Harris. Gov. Tim Walz spoke about being on Harris' V.P. candidate list.
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Kamala Harris is a shot of political adrenaline
Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom. ••• An assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden deciding against running for re-election. Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in to run in his place. The breakneck pace of recent news events has many people recalling ...
5 min read - USStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Minnesota Democrats rally support for Kamala Harris ahead of Trump-Vance event in St. Cloud
Ahead of tonight's visit to St. Cloud of Republican nominees Donald Trump and JD Vance, hundreds of Democrats gathered Saturday morning in St. Paul to volunteer for Vice President Kamala Harris in her White House bid. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Attorney General Keith Ellison and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter were at the rally along with Gov. Tim ...
2 min read - USPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
In Byron, schools turn to voters for help one more time
Jul. 27—BYRON, Minn. — For the fourth time in four years, Byron voters will be asked if they're willing to pay a little bit more to support their local school system. This November, the community will vote whether to approve an operating levy for the school that would generate $800 per student, or roughly $1.9 million a year. The district's school board approved the decision to put the request ...
3 min read - USStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Pro-Israel groups stay out of Ilhan Omar, Don Samuels rematch so far
The powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee vowed to spend as much as $100 million this year to unseat members of the progressive "Squad." On paper, that would make U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, one of the founding members of the Squad and deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a top priority as she faces off in the Aug. 13 primary race against fellow Democrat Don ...
5 min read - USThe Bemidji Pioneer, Minn.
Local primary election set for Aug. 13
Jul. 26—BEMIDJI — Voters across Minnesota will head to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 13, to vote in the primary elections. This election will determine which candidates advance to the general election on Nov. 5. For Bemidji area voters, the primary election will include the Mayor, Ward 3 and Ward 5 seats on the Bemidji City Council, and the District 4 seat on the Beltrami County Board of ...
5 min read - OpinionAustin Daily Herald, Minn.
EDITORIAL: Reminder of paid political letters
Jul. 26—Editor's note: This editorial originally ran on June 1 and is running again because of the upcoming primary election in August. With election season underway, the Austin Daily Herald will soon begin its policy for letters to the editor endorsing political candidates. The policy will be in effect starting June 5 through Election Day. During that period, letters asking people to vote for ...
2 min read - PoliticsKMSP
Walz VP candidacy getting boost from social media platforms
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is reportedly on the short list of potential running mates for Vice President Kamala Harris.
3 min read - USStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Hennepin County Board candidate discusses being a 'sex worker' on podcast
Hennepin County Board candidate Marisa Simonetti appeared on a podcast Thursday to discuss being a "sex worker," including an OnlyFans model and previously an escort, while encouraging voters to back her in November. Simonetti had been coy when responding to questions about whether she was a sex worker, saying previously, "it would cost a lot of money to find out." On the "Other Words for ...
4 min read - PoliticsSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Minn. Gov. Tim Walz will lead event ahead of Trump rally
Gov. Tim Walz and other Minnesota leaders will lead a canvassing kickoff on Saturday in St. Paul, ahead of Trump's St. Cloud rally.
2 min read - PoliticsSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Trump isn't the first president to visit SCSU, but he'll be the first in its hockey arena
St. Cloud has long been a destination for presidential candidates hoping to reach rural and urban voters in America's northern heartland.
6 min read - USSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Road closures and overflow parking expected for Trump rally Saturday
St. Cloud State hockey fans may be used to bad gameday traffic, but expect heightened security and road closures Saturday for Trump's rally.
2 min read - USPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Ward 6 candidates highlight differences during forum
Jul. 25—ROCHESTER — Rebuttals emerged for the first time Thursday in a series of Rochester City Council candidate forums held by the local League of Women voters. Ward 6 council incumbent Molly Dennis used the first of her three allowed rebuttals to draw attention to campaign contributions received by one of her challengers, Becca Dyer Tesch, who also used rebuttal options during the forum. ...
5 min read - USThe Pine Journal, Cloquet, Minn.
Secretary of State talks voting rights at Moose Lake prison
Jul. 25—MOOSE LAKE — In a fluorescently lit room behind the walls of the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Moose Lake, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon spoke to roughly 40 inmates about a new law restoring their right to vote the moment they are released from prison. "The main reason I'm here before you is a law that was passed last year that's going to affect some of you, hopefully ...
4 min read - USPioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
Secretary of State Steve Simon meets with inmates about law restoring voting rights
Addressing a classroom of inmates in Lino Lakes on Thursday, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon acknowledged voting might not be the first thing on a person’s mind at the end of their incarceration. But the group of 20 or so men serving the final years or months of their sentences had plenty of questions for the state’s top election official. Simon has been touring state prisons to ...
3 min read - PoliticsSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Before Trump rally, St. Cloud welcomed several political leaders, including Kamala Harris
In roughly the past year, St. Cloud has welcomed both former President Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
5 min read - PoliticsSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Minnesota DFL releases statements tying state House GOP candidates to Trump ahead of rally
The Minnesota DFL is using the former president’s visit in its local Minnesota House of Representatives campaign rhetoric.
2 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
X's AI chatbot 'Grok' spread misinformation about Minnesota's ballots. Does the tech giant care?
The office of Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon has traced the recent spread of misinformation about the state's presidential ballot to a snarky AI chatbot named Grok, which is available to premium users of the social media platform X. After President Joe Biden dropped out of the race Sunday, screenshots circulated on social media showing Grok responding to a question about whether ...
3 min read - USSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
St. Cloud to vote on moving municipal elections
The city council approved the language Monday for a Nov. 5 ballot question asking voters to move St. Cloud’s municipal elections to odd-numbered years.
2 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
In Kamala Harris, Minnesota Democrats see chance to jolt grassroots support
The fledgling event of Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign in Minnesota centered on reaching out to Asian American voters in St. Paul, hoping to build enthusiasm among voters who might be swayed by a candidate positioned to be the first Black woman and first South Asian woman nominee for president. "I do think there are people who haven't been engaged before, who are calling their friends ...
4 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Gov. Tim Walz says virtual nomination process will create Democratic party unity
Democrats across the country will cast virtual votes to select the party's nominee for president in the first week of August, according to a plan adopted Wednesday by the Democratic National Convention's rules committee. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is co-chair of that committee, said the convention process "will bring our country and our party together" as it grapples with President Joe ...
2 min read - USStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Here's what would happen in Minnesota if Gov. Tim Walz were to become vice president
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is reportedly on the shortlist of candidates Kamala Harris is considering to be her vice presidential running mate. What would happen if the DFL governor becomes vice president? The state Constitution clearly lays out a line of succession. If the governor were to vacate his office, the state's lieutenant governor, Peggy Flanagan, would take his place. The last presiding ...
2 min read - USSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
What to know ahead of Trump rally in St. Cloud
The economy, crime and immigration are expected to be among Trump's talking points in St. Cloud this Saturday.
2 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Secretary of State: Contrary to misinformation, presidential candidates not finalized in Minnesota
Secretary of State Steve Simon said state law "makes it clear" that both major parties still have time to submit the names of their candidates for president and vice president in order to get on Minnesota's Nov. 5 ballot. The news over the weekend that President Joe Biden had dropped out of the race caused misinformation to circulate on social media that Minnesota's November ballots were ...
1 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Minnesota delegates, voters shift concerns about Israel, Gaza from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris
When Vice President Kamala Harris presumably takes over the top spot on the Democratic ticket, she will inherit unrest and anger in her party over President Joe Biden's position on the ongoing Israeli attack on Gaza. Some of the 10 uncommitted Minnesota delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month say Harris can earn their support by calling for a cease-fire and ending ...
5 min read - USPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Rochester Ward 4 council candidates tackle homelessness and camping ban
Jul. 23—ROCHESTER — Homelessness was on the minds of audience members Tuesday during the Rochester League of Women Voters' candidate forum featuring the three Ward 4 Rochester City Council candidates. Incumbent council member Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick is facing challenges from first-time candidates Andy Friederichs and Cory Sorgenfrie in the ward that covers much of the downtown core, spreading ...
4 min read - PoliticsPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Donald Trump, J.D. Vance will rally in St. Cloud on Saturday night
Jul. 23—ST. CLOUD — Former President Donald Trump and running mate J.D. Vance will be coming to St. Cloud on Saturday, July 27. The duo will rally at 7 p.m. at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, according to a post on Trump's campaign website. Doors will open at 3 p.m., and attendees must register for tickets online to attend. This would be Trump's first visit to Minnesota ...
2 min read - PoliticsPioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
Trump, Vance to hold weekend campaign rally in St. Cloud
Former Republican President Donald Trump and running mate J.D. Vance are scheduled to make campaign stops in Minnesota on Saturday, including a rally in St. Cloud. The visit comes as Republican strategists once again set their eyes on winning Minnesota, despite no GOP presidential candidate prevailing against a Democrat in the state since 1972. The rally will be held on the campus of St. Cloud ...
2 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Brooks: One heartbeat away from making Kamala Harris’ search for a running mate all about Minnesota
Vice presidents have always been one of Minnesota's top exports. Hubert Humphrey. Walter Mondale. End of list. This is our moment. We are one heartbeat away from making Kamala Harris' search for a running mate all about Minnesota. Vice President Harris has a short time to choose her own vice president before the Democratic National Convention in August and a short list of potential vice ...
2 min read - PoliticsSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Trump will hold St. Cloud rally as GOP eyes Minn. political races
Former President Donald Trump is coming to St. Cloud this Saturday. St. Cloud is among Minnesota's key battleground areas this election cycle.
1 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Is Kamala Harris vetting Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for vice president? He's not saying.
Kamala Harris' nascent presidential campaign has reportedly asked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for vetting materials as she seeks a vice presidential running mate. The second-term DFL governor said it's been "a little weird" to see his name floated as a possible VP pick, but he wouldn't comment on whether he's being actively vetted by the Harris campaign. "I'm not going to talk about the specifics ...
3 min read - PoliticsKMSP
Donald Trump, JD Vance hold rally in St. Cloud Saturday
Former President Donald Trump and Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance are holding a rally in St. Cloud on Saturday.
1 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Trump, Vance will make first joint Minnesota appearance Saturday night in St. Cloud
Former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance, his new running mate, will make their first joint Minnesota appearance at a rally in St. Cloud on Saturday, trying to build momentum for swinging Minnesota to Republicans in November. Trump chose the Ohio Republican senator, in office for two years, to try to boost his appeal in midwestern states. Minnesotans will have their first chance to ...
1 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Tolkkinen: America is ready for a woman president, but Kamala Harris still needs to win over rural Democrats
Kathy Draeger was at a family reunion on Sunday in Big Stone Camp for Christ in Ortonville, Minnesota, when someone checked their phone. Word spread. President Joe Biden had bowed out of the race. Chatter immediately broke out as her family members speculated about who would replace him on the ticket. One wanted to see Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, team up with former U.S. Rep. ...
4 min read - USStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
'Educated participation': St. Cloud will ask voters to move city elections to odd years
ST. CLOUD — Voters here will see a question on the ballot this fall asking them to approve moving municipal elections to odd years — similar to how it's done in Duluth and Minneapolis, and how it used to be done in St. Cloud. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis proposed the change earlier this year and in July, the city's charter commission recommended the question go to the voters. He suggested the ...
3 min read - USPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Rochester Ward 2 council candidates see need to address housing
Jul. 22—ROCHESTER — Candidates seeking to replace Mark Bransford on the Rochester City Council voiced more agreement than divides Monday during the first of a series of League of Women Voters candidate forums . Seeking to represent Ward 2, which stretches west of downtown into surrounding core neighborhoods to the west edge of the city, the four candidates — Breanna Bly , Nick Miller , Loring ...
4 min read - PoliticsKMSP
Minnesota voters eye Democratic National Convention for ballot options
Over the weekend, Joe Biden announced the end of his campaign for a second term as president, before endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement him in the Oval Office next year.
1 min read - PoliticsPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
How Rochester's lone national delegate found his way to Kamala Harris
Jul. 22—ROCHESTER — Well, that didn't take long. President Joe Biden had no sooner bowed out of the race for president than John Swanson, Rochester's lone national delegate to next month's Democratic National Convention, made up his mind: Throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's presidential nominee. A pledged delegate to the Biden-Harris ticket, Swanson, a union ...
3 min read - PoliticsPioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
Gov. Walz, other top Minnesota Democrats line up to support Kamala Harris for president
Minnesota Democrats are coalescing around Vice President Kamala Harris as their favored presidential nominee after President Joe Biden announced Sunday he would not seek reelection. Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, along with most Democratic members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation and state party leadership, joined a swell of Democrats from across the U.S. backing Harris in ...
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
With Biden out, Dean Phillips still wants more presidential competition for Democrats
Dean Phillips, the suburban Minnesota congressman who ran a long-shot Democratic primary campaign against President Joe Biden this year, said Monday that he isn't looking for apologies after Biden dropped out of the race in response to concerns Phillips tried to raise for months. "I'm grateful we broke the delusion," Phillips said in an interview. "I'm not looking for vindication or I ...
3 min read - USPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Taxes on the left of me, taxes on the right
Jul. 22—Dear Answer Man: Would it be possible to have a public vote on the Rochester Public School referendum vs. the sports complex? We are being asked to pay $65 million for a sports complex. We're also going to be asked to pay about $20 million a year more for Rochester Public Schools. Having to pay for both of these seems like too much of a burden on my budget. Is there a way we vote on ...
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Rep. Angie Craig, who had called on Biden to drop out, endorses Kamala Harris for president
Rep. Angie Craig, running for re-election in what may be Minnesota's most competitive congressional district, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday. "I believe Vice President Kamala Harris can campaign against and defeat Donald Trump. She has my support as the Democratic nominee for President," Craig said in a statement Monday, adding that her focus would be on her own race this ...
1 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Gov. Walz backs Kamala Harris, as vice presidential speculation grows
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who on Monday morning endorsed Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination, has landed on the list of names being floated as her vice presidential nominee. Walz endorsed Harris for president in a post on X, thanking her for a call and pledging his "full support." "Let's go win this thing," he wrote. Other possible running mates from a handful of ...
5 min read - USSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
Kleis helps residents meet St. Cloud's 16 City Council candidates
Meet St. Cloud's 16 City Council candidates before the Aug. 13 primary. Mayor Dave Kleis interviewed candidates and put the recordings online.
2 min read - PoliticsPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
DFL candidates say Biden dropping out brings energy to their races
Jul. 21—ROCHESTER — Minnesota DFL leaders and candidates say they're energized by the prospect of a new top of the ballot following President Joe Biden's announcement Sunday that he's dropping his bid for a second term in the White House. In an unprecedented move, the incumbent and sitting president dropped from the race despite being the de facto nominee less than a month before the scheduled ...
4 min read - PoliticsSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
What will happen with President Joe Biden's Minnesota delegates?
President Joe Biden is no longer running for president. With less than a month before the Democratic National Convention, delegates are at stake.
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
With Biden out of race, big-name Minnesota Democrats move to Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris emerged Sunday as the chosen presidential candidate of multiple prominent Minnesota Democrats, as the party scrambled to unify behind a successor to President Joe Biden. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and Reps. Ilhan Omar and Dean Phillips quickly voiced support for Harris, as Democrats reckoned with Biden's extraordinary decision to step aside just weeks ...
4 min read - PoliticsKMSP
Biden drops out: MN leaders react after president drops re-election bid
Minnesota political leaders are reacting after President Joe Biden announced Sunday he would bow out of his re-election campaign, putting his support behind Kamala Harris as his replacement.
4 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Biden bows out, putting country first
Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom. ••• A critical though unsung test of leadership comes when it's time to exit the public stage, with the ideal leave-taking done at the right time, accompanied by grace and selflessness. While President Joe Biden's troubling debate performance strongly ...
5 min read - PoliticsPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Southeast Minnesota Republicans weigh in on Senate primary battle
Jul. 21—ROCHESTER — Sara Bertschinger doesn't care about any "baggage" Royce White may be carrying into an Aug. 13, 2024, primary battle against fellow Republican Joe Fraser. And she's not alone. Republican officials — from the state GOP chairman to lawmakers and county-level party leaders — are backing White, who was endorsed by a wide margin at the May GOP state convention. This support ...
8 min read - PoliticsPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
During a stop in Rochester, Sen. Tina Smith was asked whether Biden should drop out of presidential race
Jul. 19—ROCHESTER — With a debate raging within the Democratic Party about whether President Joe Biden should step aside as the party's presidential candidate, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minnesota, declined to add her voice to the growing chorus of lawmakers calling on Biden to end his campaign, saying it was Biden's decision to make whether he should run. During a tour of the Rochester International ...
2 min read - USPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
All this campaign money; where does it go when the race is done?
Jul. 19—Dear Oracle of Olmsted: Now that the election campaign season is upon us, a recurring question in my mind returns: What happens to the money that is left over in the candidates campaign fund after the election is complete? Does it go to the candidate for his/her personal use? Does it go to the party? To charity? And does it differ for federal/state/local elections? Thanks for your help. ...
4 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Should President Joe Biden drop his re-election bid? Here's where Minnesota Democrats stand
A growing roster of prominent Democrats are calling on President Joe Biden to drop his re-election bid as fallout continues to spiral from his disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump. The Republican officially accepted his party's nomination on Thursday night in Milwaukee. So far, three U.S. Senate Democrats and more than 20 in the House, including two members of the Minnesota ...
5 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Rep. Betty McCollum calls on Biden to withdraw from presidential race
U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., has joined the chorus of Democrats asking President Biden to withdraw his re-election bid. The congresswoman on Friday endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's standard-bearer, and suggested Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. "Winning in November and defeating [former President Donald] Trump's dangerous, hate-filled agenda must be ...
3 min read - USStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Purple reign: Being a legislator in a swing district means frequent voter contact
LINO LAKES, Minn. ― On a steamy Tuesday evening as some Lino Lakes residents took their dogs for post-dinner walks, mowed their lawns into sharp diagonal stripes and chatted on their stoops, state Sen. Heather Gustafson scrolled through addresses on her cellphone as she stood in the street. With a lightweight "Tortured Poets Department" tote over her shoulder, the first-term DFL senator from ...
4 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Five Minnesota-specific takeaways from the Republican National Convention
MILWAUKEE ― Minnesota had its moments at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week. Former President Donald Trump's campaign staff mentioned Minnesota as a state they want to turn red for the first time since 1972. Minnesota Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer snagged a primetime speaking slot in front of a national audience. And Gov. Tim Walz traveled to Milwaukee to help Democrats ...
3 min read - PoliticsPioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
Royce White, Joe Fraser present contrasting conservative visions in first Senate debate
With early voting already underway in the August primary, the two Minnesota Republican Senate candidates seeking their party’s nomination to challenge three-term U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar met on the debate stage Thursday and presented contrasting versions of conservatism. GOP-endorsed candidate Royce White, a former pro basketball player turned right-wing media personality, and Joe Fraser, a ...
4 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
GOP U.S. Senate hopefuls Royce White and Joe Fraser spar over conservative credentials, issues
Minnesota Republicans Royce White and Joe Fraser went head-to-head Thursday evening on the issues, the state's endorsement process and who's a stronger supporter of former president Donald Trump in their first debate. Both candidates are running in the August primary to be the nominee to take on Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November. The debate was hosted by the Minnesota Federation of ...
3 min read - USAlbert Lea Tribune, Minn.
'History is being made here': 4 from Freeborn County taking part in Republican National Convention
Jul. 18—As the nation has watched the Republican National Convention unfold on television and online, four members of the Freeborn County GOP Party have had a front-row seat to the convention as delegates and alternates. Out of Minnesota's 39 delegate votes, Freeborn County GOP Chairman Robert Hoffman was elected as an at-large state delegate to take part in the convention, along with 1st ...
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
At RNC, Trump’s inner circle adamant they can turn Minnesota red
MILWAUKEE – Minnesota was the talk of former President Donald Trump's orbit during the Republican National Convention. RNC Co-Chairwoman Lara Trump told Pennsylvania delegates she now considers the North Star state a battleground, Trump GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio told Florida delegates Minnesota is a toss-up and Trump senior advisor Chris LaCivita said during a breakfast in Milwaukee that ...
4 min read - USPost-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
Candidate forums planned for Rochester, Olmsted County primary races
Jul. 18—ROCHESTER — A series of local candidate forums is set to start Monday. With Aug. 13 primary races for all Rochester City Council seats up for election, as well as one Olmsted County commissioner seat, the League of Women Voters of Rochester is planning five forums. The forums will allow the candidates a chance to answer a variety of questions submitted by the audience, as well as ...
1 min read - USStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
St. Anthony to hold special election for City Council seat
Two candidates are vying to fill an open seat on the St. Anthony City Council in a special election Aug. 13, the same day as the state primary. The seat became vacant when Wendy Webster, who was on the council, became mayor this year. Andrea Stephens was appointed to fill the role in the interim. The term ends in January 2026. The candidates are Nadia Elnagdyand Randy Stille. Stille served as ...
1 min read - USSC Cloud | St. Cloud Times
St. Cloud's 6 mayoral candidates go head-to-head on Aug. 13
The primary election is less than a month away, and six St. Cloud mayoral candidates are trying to break out of the pack to be one of two finalists in the Nov. 5 general election.
3 min read - PoliticsAlbert Lea Tribune, Minn.
As Vance makes vice president debut, his appeal in upper Midwest is source of debate
Jul. 17—After the Republican convention concludes this week, the first stop for former President Donald Trump and new running mate JD Vance will be a rally in central Michigan. It's an indication of the key role that state and the upper Midwest in particular will play in the Republican campaign calculus going forward, a bet that is also sure to include neighboring Wisconsin and Minnesota. And ...
5 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
At RNC, Emmer cements himself as a top Trump backer
MILWAUKEE — Rep. Tom Emmer sang Donald Trump's praises when he took the stage during prime time at the Republican National Convention, vowing to turn the former president's "America first principles" into law if he wins in November. The House majority whip joined Trump and his vice presidential pick Sen. JD Vance in the box off the convention floor after his impassioned speech for the former ...
3 min read - PoliticsStar Tribune (Minneapolis)
Money flowing to Democrat Kelly Morrison in open congressional race in west metro
Democrat Kelly Morrison has raised over $1.2 million in the race to replace Rep. Dean Phillips in the Third Congressional District — almost ten times the take of her Republican opponent Tad Jude. The Democrat's fundraising advantage is another sign of the wealthy suburban district's progressive turn since Phillips was elected in 2018. Before Phillips, Republicans held the district for 60 ...
2 min read
