NEW MONTH
In so many ways… it’s Groundhog’s Day. Six more weeks of winter…but Bad Bunny had a good night at the Grammy’s before it performs at the Super Bowl this week.
Wild and Wolves play tonight.
A threat closes Columbia Heights schools today – more disruption that isn’t necessary or warranted.
Last night a quick Sunday Send that included Sen. Warren Limmer’s retirement – a seat that will be in play for control of the state Senate. Limmer’s seat is a Fluence Race to Watch. Follow the races at www.FluenceElectionTracker.com
House Speaker and Republican gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth and her lieutenant governor running mate Ryan Wilson will visit eight cities across the state just one day ahead of the Tuesday, Feb. 3 precinct caucuses.
There will be 37 Minnesotans competing in the Winter Olympics starting this week. STRIB: https://fluence-media.co/4ruIJ2g
Bruce Springsteen was a surprise guest at Tom Morello’s benefit concert in Minneapolis. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4qaZC0M
Saturday’s memorial bike rides for Alex Pretti saw thousands attend in Minneapolis, along with 250 other events in 14 countries. MPR: https://fluence-media.co/3NPSvNQ
The Nation will nominate “the people of Minneapolis” for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3NRnE3y
Sunday Take analyzed this week’s caucuses and what’s changed in the Legislature with retiring GOP Rep. Paul Torkelson. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qd7D5h
Follow the 2026 Minnesota elections up close with the Fluence Election Tracker. www.FluenceElectionTracker.com
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
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
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The latest insight from Fluence Advisory on the loss of institutional knowledge from the Minnesota Legislature. READ: https://fluence-advisory.com/insights/
MIDTERM CASH
NUMBERS: The FEC deadline for year-end fundraising reports has passed, so here is a summary of 2025 campaign finance data in Minnesota’s biggest races. These totals are not finalized as some candidates do not have Q4 data available on the FEC’s website yet. DATA: https://fluence-media.co/4rk1qFA https://fluence-media.co/49TLHHE
SENATE: On the DFL side, Angie Craig raised $5,620,293 with $373,000 in loans, $776,495 in transfers and $3,786,724 on hand, and Peggy Flanagan raised $3,257,286 with $810,646 on hand. On the GOP side, Adam Schwarze raised $814,884 with $1,330 in transfers and $293,729 on hand, and Royce White raised $452,056 with $86,843 on hand.
CD1: GOP Rep. Brad Finstad raised $933,284 with $98,416 in transfers and $616,748 on hand. DFL challenger Jake Johnson raised $509,387 with $258,588 on hand.
CD2: On the DFL side, Matt Klein raised $369,014 with $14,000 in transfers and $231,770 on hand; Matt Little raised $302,912 with $155,000 in loans and $346,210 on hand; and Kaela Berg raised $132,117 with $53,162 on hand. On the GOP side, Tyler Kistner raised $253,721 with $74,166 in transfers and $10,345 on hand, and Eric Pratt raised $103,663 with $105,000 in loans and $142,508 on hand.
CD3: DFL Rep. Kelly Morrison raised $776,177 with $227,144 on hand. No GOP challengers raised money in this race last year.
CD4: DFL Rep. Betty McCollum raised $794,668 with $628,814 on hand. No GOP challengers raised money in this race last year.
CD5: DFL Rep. Ilhan Omar raised $2,993,866 with $122,111 in transfers and $1,120,805 on hand. GOP challenger Dalia al-Aqidi raised $738,202 with $13,342 on hand.
CD6: GOP Rep. Tom Emmer raised $2,931,814 with $3,826,651 in transfers and $4,945,131 on hand. DFL challenger Doug Chapin raised $80,575 with $50,000 in loans and $79,881 on hand.
CD7: GOP Rep. Michelle Fischbach raised $750,595 with $47,315 in transfers and $766,734 on hand. DFL challenger Heather Keeler raised $18,973 with $12,263 on hand.
CD8: GOP Rep. Pete Stauber raised $1,072,228 with $48,263 in transfers and $931,475 on hand. DFL challenger Chad McKenna raised $24,540 with $20,033 on hand.
POLL: A KSTP poll of Minnesota voters found that Pres. Donald Trump and Gov. Tim Walz both hit new lows in their statewide approval ratings, with Trump at 39% and Walz at 45%. Voters have mixed opinions on the ongoing ICE surge — only 35% approve of ICE’s tactics, but 50% say local police should help enforce federal immigration law. More than 6 in 10 voters said the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti were not justified, and 7 in 10 think the state should be allowed to investigate their deaths independently. DATA: https://fluence-media.co/3M7ND5Z https://fluence-media.co/4bsmBRj
USSEN: via news release from David Hann this morning, VERBAITM: “Former Minnesota Republican Party Chairman and Senate Minority Leader David Hann today called on U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer and U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley to call — or subpoena if necessary — Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan to testify under oath regarding the massive fraud that occurred during her tenure alongside Governor Tim Walz….HANN: “Now that law enforcement is allowed to do its job,” Hann said, “it doesn’t take a sideline reporter to know that we’ve got to keep our eye on the ball and uncover the truth about the massive fraud on the Walz-Flanagan watch.
CAUCUSES: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Scrambled races for the U.S. Senate and Minnesota governor and an ongoing immigration operation lend to more unpredictability in Tuesday’s precinct caucuses that serve as the starting line for voters and a possible winnowing point for candidates. … With all that’s going on, DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom is bracing for record turnout on his side. … Republican Party Chair Alex Plechash said current events are drawing people toward political participation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ruFgRi
● CARLBOM: “I think that precinct caucuses [are] an act of political speech, where they can show up, participate in the process and help determine who will be the Democratic standard bearer. … It’s so important for us to have that moment of convening for people to be heard.”
● PLECHASH: “There is a strong motivation for people that want to show up and voice their concern, get involved in the process, maybe support their favorite candidate for whatever position. … It’s going to be an interesting season.”
SD65: Senate District 65 candidate Jamael Lundy was one of the people arrested by the U.S. Dept. of Justice in connection to the Cities Church protest last week along with Don Lemon, Georgia Fort and others, as seen in Friday’s lunch take. Via a statement, Lundy said he is not dropping out of the race. LUNDY: “I will not allow President [Donald] Trump to arrest me out of this campaign. I will continue my campaign for Minnesota State Senate District 65. … I refuse to be silenced.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LJAOio
SD37: GOP Sen. Warren Limmer will retire at the end of his term this year. Via his announcement, LIMMER: “After serving the people in our area for 38 years in the MN Legislature, I have decided to retire from my office. … [But] I do not plan on going silently into retirement. I know way too much to stay quiet and I enjoy mixing it up with people too much. … I plan to stay involved. America is worth the fight!”
8B: DFL Rep. Liish Kozlowski is running for reelection this year.
KLOBUCHAR: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Sen. Amy Klobuchar [is at] the center of the debate over immigration enforcement, an issue that is likely to test her decades of bipartisan work with Republicans in Washington and relationships within her own party. … In Washington, Klobuchar was among the Senate Democrats leading the push against additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security. … Over the past week, she’s shuttled between meetings with members of both parties [and] calls with the White House. … Klobuchar has also been meeting with local police, mayors and activists to understand their needs. She plans to meet with border czar Tom Homan next.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46kNhjh
MN GOP: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Republicans appeared poised for a political resurgence, then January happened. … Bill Kuisle, a former GOP state representative and one-time candidate for lieutenant governor, said Republicans’ electoral prospects have suffered from all the attention focused on ICE operations. … Kuisle [said] he recently had lunch with Kendall Qualls, a strong contender for GOP endorsement for governor. The two discussed the ICE operations and the civil unrest it has created and what Qualls should do.” KUISLE: “I didn’t have a clear answer for him, just because of the agitation that’s going on out there. It’s never been seen before.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q7U5I7
MORE: Sahan Journal contacted 112 Republican officials in Minnesota asking for their thoughts on ICE operations in the state and received responses from only 3 of them: State Sen. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka; State Rep. Elliott Engen, R-Lino Lakes; and State Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar. READ: https://fluence-media.co/46dH5cW
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
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ICE UDATES
AGENTS: ProPublica released the names of the two agents involved in the Alex Pretti shooting… Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez. READ: https://fluence-media.co/45MEEhs
5-YEAR-OLD: via ABC News, VERBATIM: “On Sunday morning, 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, were released from a detention center in Texas following a judge’s order Saturday. They boarded a flight to return to Minneapolis. … Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche [said] the administration will appeal. … Lawyers for the father and son have said they were following the legal process to claim asylum. Blanche disputed that.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4ruopOv
MORE: Via Axios, Democrats in Minnesota and Texas are now refocusing their efforts on releasing other young children from ICE detention. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a4zajd
COURT CASE: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “A federal judge has denied a request from the State of Minnesota for a temporary restraining order (TRO) or preliminary injunction to stop the Trump Administration’s Operation Metro Surge. Judge Kate Menendez made the ruling on Saturday morning, finding that the suit filed by AG Keith Ellison and the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis [hasn’t] sufficiently proved the ICE crackdown in the state is in violation of the 10th Amendment. … The ruling was made solely on the application for temporary relief, with Menendez saying at this time she is making ‘no final determination on the merits of any claims.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45L3Btv
RESPONSE: via Attorney General Keith Ellison statement, ELLISON: “We’re obviously disappointed in the court’s ruling today, but this case is in its infancy and there is much legal road in front of us, so we’re fighting on. … We will keep using the law in every way we can think of to protect Minnesotans.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NTNkwg
INVESTIGATIONS: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Justice said Friday it had opened a civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. … Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche [said] the civil rights investigation was independent from the internal review being conducted by the Department of Homeland Security. … It is unclear whether Minnesotan officials will be involved with the DOJ’s investigation. … Blanche sidestepped questions about whether an earlier killing by federal agents, the death of Renee Good on Jan. 7, would also face a civil rights investigation.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45HnUYX
POLICE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “MPR News has [video evidence] that the police chief in the small southern Minnesota city of St. Peter intervened Thursday to prevent federal immigration agents from taking a local resident into detention, although the city of St. Peter denied the intervention in a statement. … It’s believed to be the first time a local police department in Minnesota intervened in a federal law enforcement action since the surge in immigration enforcement began.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Z8efqF
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)
DC DOTS
COOPERATION: Attorney General Keith Ellison told WCCO-TV yesterday that he thinks communication between state and federal officials is improving now that Tom Homan is leading immigration enforcement operations. ELLISON: “Kristi Noem never called, never wanted to talk. [Greg] Bovino never called, never wanted to talk. So at least now we are having adult conversations with administration leaders. We didn’t agree on everything, but we did agree on some things.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bsm4Pj
TRUMP: via AP News, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem not to intervene in protests occurring in cities led by Democrats unless local authorities ask for federal help. … He provided no further details on how his order would affect operations by [ICE] and DHS personnel, or other federal agencies.” QUOTE: “If they want help, they have to ask for it. Because if we go in, all they do is complain. … They have to say please.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tb5idF
BOVINO: Via CBS News, Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino allegedly went on an “antisemitic rant” in a private meeting before he was removed from leading immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4roSFKr
OVERSIGHT: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison will testify before Congress amid federal investigations into widespread fraud allegations in state programs. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the chairman of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, confirmed Friday that Walz and Ellison have set time to testify before the committee on March 4.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4t9Z91u
SHUTDOWN: via AP News, VERBATIM: “House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday it will be a few days before a government funding package comes up for a vote, all but ensuring the partial federal shutdown will drag into the week as Democrats and Republicans debate reining in the Trump Administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement. … [House] Democrats are refusing to provide the votes for speedy passage. … It’s all forcing Johnson to rely on his slim House GOP majority in a series of procedural votes, starting in committee on Monday and pushing a potential House floor vote on the package until at least Tuesday, he said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kdfRc7
MORE: Via Axios, a Texas special election has put the GOP’s House majority at 218-214, meaning Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford one Republican defector to pass legislation — including current funding bills — without Democratic votes. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4k8V8pQ
BUSINESS
DAYCARES: via AP News, VERBATIM: “After a viral video alleged fraud in Somali-run child care centers in Minneapolis, [daycare] centers across the United States have become targets. … In the Minneapolis area, child care providers, many of them immigrants, say they’re being antagonized, exacerbating the stress they face from [ICE]. … One child care provider [said] she’s had to create new lockdown procedures, is budgeting for security and now keeps the blinds closed to shield children from unwanted visitors and from witnessing immigration enforcement actions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3MkdFDh
RESTAURANTS: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund launched on Friday, aiming to provide financial relief to Minnesota restaurants which are ‘facing an unprecedented operational crisis.’ … Declining sales, overall uncertainty, and safety concerns have stretched many small businesses to the breaking point. … The fund, administered by the Minneapolis Foundation, is looking to assist restaurants and others in the industry through financial support for payroll and rent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rqIkgX
SHIPPING: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Total maritime tonnage at the Port of Duluth-Superior fell this past year to its lowest since 1938, a decline that officials at the port authority said was caused by a handful of factors. … The 2025 season, which ended mid-January this year with the closing of the Soo Locks, saw 25.3 million short tons, a 14% drop from the previous year. Bulk cargo [was] below the five-year average.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bqbRTs
LAYOFFS: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Around 120 employees are set to be laid off from a roofing manufacturing facility in north Minneapolis this spring. Building Materials Manufacturing LLC recently informed Minnesota’s State Rapid Response Team that it intends to permanently close its facility at 50 Lowry Avenue North by April 4. … Impacted positions at the Minneapolis facility include mechanics, engineers, janitors, managers, electricians, truckers, and shipping and receiving staff.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qNsMEh
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Officials with St. Paul Planning and Economic Development made the case that a developer should receive nearly $3 million in tax incentives to demolish the three buildings at the northeast corner of Grand Avenue and Victoria Street and replace them with a six-story, mixed-use apartment building. The St. Paul City Council agreed. … [But] to grant the developer $2.96 million from a new $9.4 million, 26-year tax increment financing district, state statute required city officials to prove the site was ‘blighted.’ … City staff have justified the creation of the $9 million TIF district based on two reports commissioned by the Housing and Redevelopment Authority.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45KFYRX
BEMIDJI: via Bemidji Pioneer, VERBATIM: “The Bemidji City Council discussed its top legislative priorities during [last week’s] work session to prepare for Minnesota’s upcoming biennial session. Recovery aid from the devastating June windstorm, as well as housing, were at the top of many councilors’ agendas. … Now, the list can be shared with state legislators during the 19th annual Bemidji Day at the Capitol on Thursday, March 5.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bqdFfc
NEXT
TOMORROW: Precinct caucuses to decide on party-endorsed candidates will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
WEDNESDAY: GOP Rep. Kristin Robbins will testify before the U.S. Senate regarding fraud in Minnesota.
WEDNESDAY: DFL Sen. Aric Putnam will hold a public town hall in St. Cloud at 6:30 p.m.
FEB 17: The Minnesota Legislature’s 2026 session will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 12:00 noon.
BDAYS: Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura, US Rep. Kelly Morrison, fmr. Sheriff Rich Stanek
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.