Tim Walz’s Christmas Wish List

Gov.-elect Tim Walz (D-MN) still has a few weeks to go before he’s sworn in as the next governor of Minnesota, but he’s already made several indications as to what voters can expect in his first budget proposal due early 2019. Since defeating Republican Jeff Johnson in the November midterms,…

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New Minnesota Coalition Likes Jeff Johnson’s Idea of Building State of the Art Bus System

A new coalition of business leaders that launched at the Minnesota Capitol Tuesday plans to lobby state lawmakers to support a “comprehensive transportation system,” which could include $120 million in transit improvements for Greater Minnesota. The group, calling itself “Keep MN Moving,” is co-led by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber, the…

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Jeff Johnson Also Received More Votes Than Any Previous Gubernatorial Candidates

Gov.-elect Tim Walz (D-MN) has frequently boasted of historical victory in the Minnesota gubernatorial race, but the numbers were unprecedented on both sides of the ticket as the state saw record-setting voter turnout. “Peggy [Flanagan] and I are humbled by the support for One Minnesota. We received more votes than…

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DFL Candidates Condemn ‘Pettiness’ and ‘Division’ While Mocking Their Opponents At Final Event

The Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party gathered for its “Midnight Madness” event Monday night in an election-eve tradition where the entire slate of Democratic candidates cheered on Keith Ellison is his bid for attorney general. DFL Chairman Ken Martin delivered an impassioned speech when introducing Ellison to the stage, saying the Democratic…

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Walz Defeats Johnson As Democrats Maintain Control of Minnesota Governor’s Mansion

Democrat Tim Walz defeated Republican Jeff Johnson to become the next governor of Minnesota and extend the Democratic-Farmor-Labor (DFL) Party’s control of the governor’s mansion. Walz will succeed Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN), who has been governor of the state since 2011 but chose not to seek reelection after struggling with…

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Housley and Smith Meet for Final Debate in Front of Rowdy St. Paul Crowd

Minnesota’ candidates running in the special election to replace Al Franken in the U.S. Senate met for their final debate Sunday night in front of a raucous crowd at St. Paul’s Fitzgerald Theater. One of the topics discussed was the rise of incivility and “extremism” in politics, which was on…

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Closing Arguments: Johnson Takes Walz To Task On Sanctuary States, Using Disabled Man for ‘Vile’ Political Gain

Minnesota’s gubernatorial candidates made their final appeal to voters Friday night, and Republican Jeff Johnson pulled no punches during the hour-long debate. Right off the bat, Johnson went after Democrat Tim Walz for “never” answering questions, criticizing Walz for refusing to clarify his support for making Minnesota a “sanctuary state.”…

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Final Minnesota Polls: ‘Anything Could Happen’ on Election Night

Minnesota capitol

The midterm elections are now just two days away, and the results from a final round of polling in Minnesota are in. The polls, however, have a substantial margin of error of +/- 5.3 percent, making the KSTP and Survey USA polling of the Minnesota attorney general race essentially inconclusive.…

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The Star Trib Has Only Endorsed One Republican Gubernatorial Candidate In 30 Years

The Star Tribune, Minnesota’s leading news source, has only endorsed one Republican for governor during the state’s last eight gubernatorial elections. Apart from its 1994 endorsement of Republican Arne Carlson, The Star Tribune has otherwise supported six Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party candidates, and one Independence Party candidate since 1990. In order,…

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Minnesota Sheriff Debunks Tim Walz’s Sanctuary State Arguments

A group of prominent Minnesota Republicans visited a local ICE detention center to vocalize their support for the country’s federal immigration laws, but the real star of the show was the local sheriff in attendance. Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson, along with Republican attorney general candidate Doug Wardlow and Congressional…

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Tim Walz Flip-Flops On $15 Minimum Wage Proposal

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tim Walz spent Wednesday clarifying his stance on a $15 minimum wage hike, but in doing so seemed to only complicate his position on the issue. Speaking alongside a cohort of Minnesota mayors, Walz called his previous support of a statewide $15 minimum wage “aspirational” in response…

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POLL: Housley, Johnson Within Three Points, Dems Less Favorable Than Republicans

A new poll shows that Republican Karin Housley is within three points of incumbent Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) who is running in her first election since replacing Al Franken. According to Change Research, 43 percent of likely voters support Housley in the special election while 46 percent said they support…

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Minnesota Ranked As the Least Tax-Friendly State In the Country

Minnesota was recently ranked as the least tax-friendly state in the country, beating out both California and New York for the top spot on the list. According to Kiplinger, a D.C.-based financial outlet, Minnesota’s “income tax rate of 5.35 percent” earned it the title of “least tax-friendly” state on the…

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Rubio to Campaign for Johnson in Final Push Before Election

With Election Day closing in, Republican Jeff Johnson is enlisting Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to hit the campaign trail for him in his bid for Minnesota governor. Rubio enjoys relative popularity among Minnesota voters and won the state Republican caucus in his 2016 presidential campaign, making him a safe choice…

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Walz and Johnson Lay Out ‘Opposite’ Visions for State in Greater Minnesota Debate

With election day on the horizon, Minnesota’s gubernatorial candidates came out swinging during a Tuesday night “Greater Minnesota Debate” in Willmar to discuss the issues affecting rural Minnesotans, such as agricultural regulations and refugee resettlement. Republican Jeff Johnson started the debate by criticizing opponent Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN-01) for voting…

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Erik Paulsen’s Wife Threatened at Their Minnesota Home

Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN-03) recently revealed that his wife was threatened at their Minnesota home last week, saying the political animosity towards him and his family has been taken to the “next level.” While the Minnesota congressman is used to receiving threats, he said his office has “had to refer…

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Walz Doubles Down on Declaring Minnesota a ‘Sanctuary State’

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tim Walz is doubling down on his plan to transform Minnesota into a “sanctuary state,” saying his proposal would actually make the state “safer.” In his first ad of the campaign, Republican candidate Jeff Johnson attacked Walz for his progressive stance on immigration, which would make Minnesota…

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Obama Snubs Ellison and Omar In Latest Round of Endorsements

President Barack Obama endorsed a slate of candidates for Minnesota’s statewide elections Monday, but some high-profile Democrats were conspicuously absent from his list. Obama’s list of endorsements spanned 22 states and more than 100 candidates running for state and federal office, including gubernatorial candidates, their running mates, attorney generals, and…

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DFL Intern Lied to Track Minnesota Republican Candidate in Her Own Home

A Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party intern tracked down Republican lieutenant governor candidate Donna Bergstrom at her home and lied to her spouse in order to gain entry. “I’m disturbed to report that this weekend my amazing running-mate Donna Bergstrom returned to her home after a day on the campaign trail to…

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Hennepin County Board Candidates Campaign on Platform of Abolishing ICE

Candidates for Hennepin County Board gathered for an open forum Sunday where they showcased their radical views on immigration and efforts to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. According to the U.S. Census, Hennepin County is currently the largest of Minnesota’s 87 counties, and encompasses significant portions of…

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Walz and Johnson Release First Ads of the Campaign

Minnesota gubernatorial candidates Tim Walz and Jeff Johnson released their first ads of the campaign Tuesday after recovering from an expensive primary. Minnesota’s ad wars have been unusually toxic during this election cycle, particularly in Minnesota’s Third and Eighth Congressional Districts where the Republican-backed Congressional Leadership Fund is targeting Democratic…

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Polls Continue to Show Minnesotans Agree With Jeff Johnson on Immigration Policy

Minnesota gubernatorial candidates Tim Walz and Jeff Johnson have very different visions on immigration policy for the state, but poll after poll shows that Minnesotans tend to agree with the Republican on the issue. Walz, on the one hand, supports sanctuary-state policies and wants to limit local authorities from cooperating…

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New Poll Shows Minnesotans Agree With Jeff Johnson on Issues of Immigration, Taxes, and Health Care

A new poll released by the Center of the American Experiment shows Democrat Tim Walz with an eight-point lead in Minnesota’s gubernatorial race, though a plurality of respondents want to see the state move in a “more conservative” direction. According to the poll, 43 percent of likely voters plan to…

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Tim Walz Has Change of Heart on Gas Tax After Poll Shows Minnesotans Disagree With Him

Minnesota Democrat gubernatorial nominee Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) is walking back a promise to raise the gas tax in the state after a new poll shows that a majority of Minnesotans disagree with the proposal. According to a recent KSTP and Survey USA poll of likely Minnesota voters, 52 percent…

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Walz and Johnson Battle Over School Choice, Achievement Gap in Wednesday Debate

Minnesota gubernatorial candidates Jeff Johnson and Tim Walz squared off in a debate Wednesday morning at the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce to discuss workforce issues. The candidates remained civil throughout the discussion, but things grew noticeably heated when Minnesota’s achievement gap was mentioned, with the state consistently ranking among the…

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Jeff Johnson Asks Tim Walz to Clarify Impact of His Plan to Implement a Single-Payer System in Minnesota

With early voting set to begin Friday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson is calling on Democrat Tim Walz to clarify his stance on implementing a single-payer health care system in Minnesota. In a Tuesday press release, Johnson’s campaign states that while several media outlets have reported that Walz supports a…

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Poll Shows Large Number of ‘Undecided’ Voters Will Put Minnesota Gubernatorial Race in the Hands of ‘Independents’

A new poll shows Democrat Tim Walz leading Republican Jeff Johnson in Minnesota’s gubernatorial race, though both candidates are trying to win over a large percentage of undecided voters. According to a new MPR News and Star Tribune poll, 45 percent of likely voters favor Walz, while 36 percent said…

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Jeff Johnson Challenges Double Whammy Cost to State of Federal Refugee Program

GOP gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson has raised the trifecta of issues facing states where the federal government’s contractors are resettling refugees – cost, transparency and accountability.  Johnson’s call to pause refugee resettlement in Minnesota demonstrates his understanding that costs being forced onto the state to pay for the federal program is…

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Polls Show Voters Agree With GOP’s Johnson On Key Issues, But Democrat Walz Holds Small Lead in Governor’s Race

Jeff Johnson, Tim Walz

Two new polls released this week show that Democrat Tim Walz has a slight edge over Republican Jeff Johnson in the race for Minnesota’s governor. The first poll, conducted by KSTP and Survey USA, reveals that 47 percent of likely voters back Walz, while 40 percent support Johnson, and 10…

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Minnesota Candidates Break from the Campaign Trail to Commemorate 9/11

Minnesota’s political candidates took a brief pause from the campaign trail Tuesday morning to commemorate the seventeenth anniversary of 9/11. “Today, we both mourn and remember the tragedy of September 11. We’re reminded of those who gave everything serving and sacrificing for others. 17 years later, we remember those highest…

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EXCLUSIVE: MyPillow’s Mike Lindell Opens Up About Trump, Crack, ‘Evil’ Ellison, and More

Mike Lindell

Mike Lindell, founder and CEO of MyPillow, first met President Donald Trump the summer before the 2016 election. “When I met him, I go: ‘Wow, there’s nobody on this planet I’d rather have be my president than Donald Trump,’” he told The Minnesota Sun. Lindell was launched into the political…

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Minneapolis is Doing Everything It Can to Become a Sanctuary City

Minneapolis-St. Paul

A Minneapolis city ordinance prevents local police officers from inquiring “about immigration status” when conducting their policing. The policy made local headlines in early August when Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey disparaged Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis President Bob Kroll and his colleagues for appearing in a campaign mailer for Tim…

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Democrat Tim Walz Wants to Offer Two Years of Free College If Elected Minnesota’s Governor

Tim Walz

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tim Walz wants to provide 2 years of tuition-free college to Minnesota students if elected to become the state’s next governor. According to his campaign website, Walz wants to give “every Minnesotan a shot at higher education,” saying his administration would offer “2 years” of “tuition-free education…

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Minnesota Gubernatorial Candidates Face Off in Heated Debate at State Fair

Gubernatorial candidates Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN-01) and Republican Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson squared off at the Minnesota State Fair Friday in their most heated debate yet. In front of a large crowd at the St. Paul fairgrounds, the two typically cordial candidates hurled an atypical number of accusations at…

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Data On Minnesota’s Participation in Refugee Resettlement Program Is Hard to Come By

Mark Dayton

Minnesota has generously welcomed more refugees per capita than any other state under the federal government’s Refugee Resettlement Program, but data on its cost to taxpayers is difficult to come by. In March, the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor released a report on the program to determine what sort…

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FEATURE: How An Unelected Board of Officials is Deliberately Sabotaging Minnesota Commuters

Jason Lewis

It’s two hours before class starts, but Haley is already on the road. “I haven’t missed work or class because I always try to leave two hours before I start, just to make sure I get there on time,” she said. In one week, Haley estimates that she wastes up…

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Minnesota Politicians Invade State Fair, But Voters Want to Leave Politics At Home

Each year, the Minnesota State Fair looks more and more like a political convention, but this year fair-goers seem to have had enough of the politicization of the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Both major parties, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party and the state GOP, have booths at the fair with their respective…

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Republican Jeff Johnson Closing In On Tim Walz In Minnesota Governor’s Race

Jeff Johnson, Tim Walz

The latest poll out of Suffolk University shows that Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson (pictured, left) trails his opponent Rep. Tim Walz (pictured, right) by only five points in the race for Minnesota’ governorship. The poll, conducted between August 17 and August 20, surveyed 500 Minnesotans on their opinions of…

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VP Pence Will Return to Minnesota, Highlighting High-Stakes Election for Republicans

Mike Pence

Vice President Mike Pence plans to return to Minnesota for the second time in one month, highlighting the unusual importance of the consistently blue state for the 2018 elections. On August 8, both Pence and President Trump visited Duluth, Minn. to campaign for Pete Stauber, a candidate for the state’s…

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Johnson and Walz Spar Over Taxes, Refugee Resettlement In First Minnesota Gubernatorial Debates

MN Governor Debate

It’s been just one week since Rep. Tim Walz and Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson won their respective primaries, but the two are already hitting the debate circuit in their race for Minnesota’s governor seat. On Friday, the two went head-to-head in front of a live audience in Nisswa, Minn.,…

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In Upset Over Pawlenty, Johnson Will Face Off Against Dem Walz in Minnesota Gubernatorial Race

Jeff Johnson, Tim Walz

After a shocking upset over former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Republican nominee Jeff Johnson is set to face off against Rep. Tim Walz in the Minnesota gubernatorial contest. Pawlenty, the last Republican to occupy the Governor’s mansion, failed to secure the nomination from the state party, but vastly outspent the Hennepin…

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