“I thought for sure we were going to completely lose control of the city at this point.” – Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara describing the moment he heard of Saturday’s shooting of Alex Pretti. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Z4Fv9w
From NPR, new details from a preliminary government review of the Pretti shooting. READ: https://fluence-media.co/49MOnXu
Real Clear Polling’s average of polls shows Democrats with a 4.7% advantage in a generic congressional vote. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/46bdhxB
Citizens Against Government Waste named Governor Tim Walz its “Porker of the Month.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4qL62Vh
Follow the 2026 Minnesota election’s up close with the Fluence ElectionTracker. www.FluenceElectionTracker.com
The MNSider Brief: With Michele Tafoya’s entrance into the US Senate race, the latest analysis for premium subscribers came out Friday. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/3NEy8Di
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4a2TzFC
Sunday Take covered the impact of Alex Pretti’s killing and ICE activity in Greater Minnesota with Rep. Dave Baker (R-Willmar). LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Zxvvpi
Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription
The latest insight from Fluence Advisory on the loss of institutional knowledge from the Minnesota Legislature. READ: https://fluence-advisory.com/insights/
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POLITICS
TODAY: Via news release from Senator Smith’s office, VERBATIM: “Today, Wednesday, January 28 at approximately 3 pm CT / 4 pm ET, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) will deliver remarks on the Senate floor about the violent ICE activity in Minnesota that resulted in the tragic killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.”
KLOBUCHAR: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Senior U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar says she’s encouraging federal officials to begin drawing immigration enforcement agents out of Minnesota as quickly as possible. Klobuchar tells WCCO Radio’s Vineeta Sawkar removing border patrol agents, and Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, was a start.” QUOTE: “So let me be clear, I’m not a Pollyanna about this, what I’m telling you is they have said that that operation they will start to drawdown to me,” Klobuchar explained. “But that just hasn’t happened yet. The only thing that’s happened that I know of is the border control agents.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3NCaQ0P
SENATE: Via Flanagan campaign, VERBATIM: “New polling released today shows Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan holds a commanding 13-point lead (49%-36%) over Congresswoman Angie Craig in Minnesota’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, with her advantage growing (59%-30%) as voters learn more about the candidates. Flanagan leads everywhere in the state, including a dominant 24-point lead in Greater Minnesota (53%-29%).”
RESPONSE: via Craig for Senate spokesperson, VERBATIM: “This is the third biased poll the Lt. Governor and her allies have released in a week, and they all show one thing: the Lt. Governor is in freefall. Democrats can’t afford to nominate a candidate that Republicans will tie to fraud and who has never run a competitive race on her own against a Republican.”
OMAR ATTACK: From ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott via X, VERBATIM: “Just spoke to Pres. Trump. I asked him if he had seen the video of Rep. Omar being attacked and sprayed by a substance. ‘No. I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,’ the president said.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4q33iBC
NEW AD: Via Senate DFL Caucus, VERBATIM: “Today, the Minnesota Senate DFL announced a new digital ad that began running on Monday against State Senator Karin Housley for her recent remarks that local law enforcement cannot be trusted to do a fair investigation of the killing of Renée Good.”
Here’s the ad the Senate DFL is running against Sen. Housley:
3A: Via Mesabi Tribune, VERBATIM: “State Representative Roger J. Skraba Monday announced his re-election campaign to continue to represent District 3A as a Republican in the Minnesota House. Skraba, born and raised in Ely, was first elected to the House in 2022 and won re-election in 2024.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qEGVn8
Follow all the top legislative, Congressional and statewide races at www.Fluence-ElectionTracker.com
TODAY: Via Folk campaign, VERBATIM: “Anders Folk, a former Acting US Attorney and career federal prosecutor, will host a launch event for his campaign to serve as the next Hennepin County Attorney. Folk, a former Acting US Attorney and career prosecutor, is highlighting his commitment to public safety and collaboration with key safety partners in his bid for the DFL endorsement.”
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
OBSERVERS: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Local officials have begun taking an accounting of how citizens say the deployment has affected them. In the early days—between Dec. 10 and Jan. 7—the city of Minneapolis received 10 calls to 911 relating to federal immigration agents ramming vehicles and blocking streets, and 11 calls relating to agents pepper spraying, shoving and brandishing weapons, according to a court declaration from Assistant City Attorney Heather Robertson. Numbers of calls for recent weeks weren’t available Monday. In courts, some three dozen Minnesota observers have detailed their encounters in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against the Department of Homeland Security and top officials.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49IYTyU
PROSECUTORS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Nine progressive prosecutors from cities around the country are launching a coalition to assist in prosecuting federal law enforcement officers who violate state laws, one of the prosecutors, Larry Krasner in Philadelphia, said on Tuesday. The organization, which is called the Project for the Fight Against Federal Overreach, will also include Mary Moriarty, the elected prosecutor in Minneapolis. Its acronym, F.A.F.O., references a slang term for negative consequences, and its formation was spurred by ‘growing concerns about warrantless entries, unlawful detentions, and coercive enforcement tactics by federal agents,’ according to a news release.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rcu37A
CHOI: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Ramsey County Attorney John Choi issued guidance Tuesday to county law enforcement partners that appears to push back against potential obstruction by the federal government during investigations into alleged misconduct by immigration officers. Choi issued a public statement noting that his office and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office have opened criminal investigations into multiple federal agents after receiving reports from residents about alleged kidnapping, false imprisonment and aggravated assault.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q2SVOc
FMR DHS SECY: NPR this morning talked with former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson about the current situation at his former agency and why deescalation is an important skill that may be missing among some of the newest recruits. JOHNSON: “What I used to say to enforcement removal personnel, Tom Homan included, is when you’re out on the street in a big city like Minneapolis or Chicago or New York, use your common sense. One notorious incident – dragging a grandmother off a church steps, or pulling a kid out of school – can derail your entire mission in a community by agitating the population there. And, unfortunately, we’re seeing that in spades right now in Minneapolis.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/45DxcFb
BROADBAND: Comcast is rewriting the broadband playbook in the Twin Cities. From neighborhood networks to next-gen tech, we’re delivering community-first internet connectivity with no contracts, no surprises. The new Xfinity package means unlimited data, blazing-fast, reliable speeds and a 5-year price guarantee, plus free mobile for a year. It’s not the old Comcast — it’s a bold new era of connection. Let’s power the future, together. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/Comcast2025-1 (SPONSORED: Comcast)
GUN OWNERS RESPOND
CAUCUS: Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus president Rob Doar talked about the Trump administration’s initial responses to the Alex Pretti shooting, including from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s assertion that Pretti “brandished” his gun, DOAR: “Well, there is no crime of brandishing in Minnesota, but it is in some states. It’s also a term of art. In common parlance, brandishing is just the act of displaying or making evident that you have a firearm with you. In any case, there’s no evidence whatsoever to show that he even touched his firearm throughout the course of the encounter, let alone brandished it.”
Doar was also asked about FBI Director Kash Patel’s statement that a person can’t bring a loaded firearm with multiple magazines to a protest. DOAR: “That’s fundamentally incorrect statement as to both Minnesota and federal law. Minnesota law makes no prohibitions about the number of magazines you can carry, and it is 100% perfectly legal to exercise your First Amendment rights and your Second Amendment rights simultaneously by carrying out a protest. So he’s just a hundred percent wrong.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/45CT7fM
MORE: Via gun violence-focused The Trace, a look at NRA member frustration over the organization’s early response to the Pretti shooting as well as frustration back in 2026 to its response to the killing of Philando Castile. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bXfPmG
CLEAN | RELIABLE | AFFORDABLE: Via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “We’re powering the Upper Midwest with clean, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy. For more than 50 years, our Prairie Island Nuclear Plant, located near Red Wing, MN, has been a workhorse of reliable, carbon-free energy. With two pressurized water reactors producing about 1,100 megawatts, Prairie Island generates enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes across the Upper Midwest. Unlike sources that depend on weather, nuclear energy delivers 24/7 reliability—providing the power we need today while protecting the environment for tomorrow.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4oCHdK9 (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
MINNESOTA AND BEYOND
MN-TEXAS: MPR talked with an attorney representing a man from Ecuador who, along with his 2-year-old daughter, was taken by ICE in Minneapolis last week. VERBATIM: “‘The court ordered the release of this child, and 20 minutes later they were put on a flight,’ said Irina Vaynerman, an attorney representing the man and his daughter. The 2-year-old’s detention is part of an accelerating trend of what Vaynerman describes as ICE agents sending children and adults with legal immigration status out of state to avoid dealing with accountability from the federal court system. Vaynerman said she and her colleagues filed an emergency motion in federal court Friday, asking a judge to stop the practice.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4k3Qx8t
RED LAKE: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The Red Lake Tribal Council has passed a resolution prohibiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from entering the Red Lake Nation unless they have a specific court order signed by a judge with jurisdiction to sign such an order.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3NC3vOP
COMMERCE
USBANK: Via Investing, VERBATIM: “U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) announced Wednesday that CEO and President Gunjan Kedia will assume the role of chairman of the Board of Directors following the annual shareholder meeting in April 2026. Kedia, 55, will succeed Andy Cecere, the current executive chairman, who will retire from the board at that time. Roland Hernandez will continue serving as the company’s lead independent director.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q34IvS
SLEEP NUMBER: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “National Football League star Travis Kelce is taking a stake in Sleep Number as part of a partnership that will make him one of the mattress maker’s top shareholders and a spokesman as it looks to attract new customers, the company said. The company said the partnership, first reported by Reuters, will give Kelce a stake of under 5% in the mattress maker and will feature the Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end in its national advertising campaigns over the next three years.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bZ0WjH
GEN MILLS: Via Food Dive, VERBATIM: “General Mills sold its Muir Glen brand of organic tomatoes to Violet Foods, a manufacturer of pizza sauce, pasta sauce and other tomato products owned by Amphora Equity Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The divestiture allows General Mills to shed a non-core brand to focus on its faster-growing snacks and pet food offerings. The sale follows the company’s divestiture of its North American yogurt business, which included Yoplait, for $2 billion last year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bYimgr
TARGET: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “For the first time in 24 years, Target has not been named in Fortune Magazine‘s World’s Most Admired Companies All-Star list. The Minneapolis retailer has been ever-present on the list from 2002 onwards, but didn’t make the cut in this year’s All-Star selection.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rlIy9f
BRIDGEWATER: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. (BWB) on Tuesday reported fourth-quarter profit of $13.3 million. The bank, based in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, said it had earnings of 43 cents per share . . . The company posted revenue of $76.5 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $38.8 million, topping Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4k8g948
ACQUISITION: Via Hopkins-based Digi, VERBATIM: “Digi International Inc. (Nasdaq: DGII), a leading global provider of business and mission-critical Internet of Things (IoT) products, services and solutions, today announced its acquisition of Particle Industries, Inc., a leading provider of edge-to-cloud application infrastructure for intelligent devices.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t2BBLQ
WILD ABOUT READING: Join more than 800 Minnesota classrooms and 30,000 students participating in the “Wild About Reading” program, a partnership with Flint Hills Resources which encourages students to read more using Minnesota Wild-branded posters, reading logs, and bookmarks. Teachers set weekly reading goals and give certificates to students who complete the four-week program. Fun program incentives include classroom visits from the Wild’s mascot, Nordy – and the team dog, Paulie; a pair of tickets to a Wild home game, player signed pucks and photos; and a pizza party for a classroom. LEARN MORE: Wild About Reading (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
AROUND MINNESOTA
BROOKLYN CENTER: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The Brooklyn Center High School’s main gym is showing signs of aging. CCX News recently reported the court closed for use after excessive moisture was discovered in the concrete under the gym floor surface. There’s no timeline on what’s next leading to community leaders voicing concerns about what this means for the school.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a5TDEB
SOLAR: Via Connecticut-based Altus, VERBATIM: “Altus Power, a leading commercial scale power company, today announced the acquisition of a portfolio of operational community solar projects in Minnesota, reinforcing the company’s ability to transact effectively with a wide range of partners and deploy capital with discipline across diverse and evolving market environments.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t0LWrT
WHAT’S NEXT?
TODAY: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Permit reservations open Wednesday for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rmVrjy
THIS WEEKEND: Via Forgotten Star Brewing, VERBATIM: “Our annual Bonspiel, winter festival and curling tournament, is back January 30, 31 and February 1. Get a team together and sign up to curl below, or just join us for a weekend of festivities including beer poking, bingo, trivia, sauna rentals, hot cocoa and more.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4bY6jzJ
NEXT WEEK: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Downtown Rochester doesn’t hibernate—it glows. Feb. 6-7, the Rochester Downtown Alliance once again transforms Peace Plaza into a luminous, joy-filled winter playground as Social-Ice returns for its 19th year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q5lpqz
NEXT MONTH: Via New Prague-based Electromed, VERBATIM: “Electromed, Inc. (NYSE American: ELMD), a leader in innovative airway clearance technologies, today announced that it will issue its financial results press release for the fiscal 2026 second quarter ended December 31, 2025, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 after the close of the stock market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t6s1I2
NEXT MONTH: Via Fergus Falls-based Otter Tail, VERBATIM: “Otter Tail Corporation (Nasdaq: OTTR) will issue a news release announcing 2025 financial results after the stock market closes on Monday, February 16, 2026 and will host a live conference call and webcast on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. CT to discuss the corporation’s financial and operating performance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qELhuu
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BBQ + PIZZA: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports the Famous Dave’s on West 7th in St. Paul, which has been closed for remodeling, will re-open tomorrow with an adjoining space for a Papa Murphy’s. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NW6Kk5
BDAYS: lobbyist Andrew Chelseth, Initiative Foundation’s Anne Trombley, Hamline’s David Schultz
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