FRIDAY FINALLY
Twins in Chicago vs. the Cubs this weekend.
Smoke is clearing.
The Wild’s 2026-27 schedule is out, with their regular season home opener on Oct. 3. SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/4h1re7N
The Twins’ 2027 schedule has their regular season home opener on April 2. SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/457H6OF
Aer Lingus is discontinuing flights from MSP to Dublin, Ireland. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4fJrAO7
Minneapolis briefly had the worst air quality in the entire world yesterday. WCCO: https://fluence-media.co/4hnGiMO
In a primetime address, Pres. Donald Trump claimed that his own appointees were wrong about the 2020 election results. AP: https://fluence-media.co/4ftnjhE
Happy National Peach Ice Cream Day. The peach shake at client Chick-fil-A is very refreshing this summer.
Tune-in Sunday at 9AM for the CD2 DFL debate on WCCO radio.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take featured a preview of the CD2 DFL primary and Sec. Steve Simon discussing how federal changes could affect state elections. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4pB3865
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DAILY VISUAL
Via the MPCA today compared to yesterday.
Via Watch Duty yesterday’s fire spots compared to today.
TODAY
YESTERDAY
SMOKE: Via MinnPost, meteorologists say Minnesota’s smoky air could potentially last until August. VERBATIM: “There are hundreds of active fires in Canada, and forecasters predicted there would be 12 to 16 days of smoke in Minnesota from Canadian fires around the last week of July and the first week in August. … In the last five years, according to the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota has issued more air quality alerts because of wildfires than ever before because of hotter and drier conditions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fgw9At
EVENTS: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Organizations and event planners are scrambling as wildfire smoke pollutes the air in the Twin Cities. The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival, which is being held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at St. Paul’s Harriet Island Regional Park, is still on — for now. Organizers said they were closely monitoring conditions. … But wildfire smoke [is] affecting other Twin Cities events.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vwhjKH
CANADA: Via MPR, Gov. Tim Walz discussed how Minnesota and Canada are cooperating to address the ongoing wildfires. VERBATIM: “Walz texted Ontario Premier Doug Ford late Tuesday night asking if Canada could help with rescuing two groups of Minnesota campers. … Canada, which is dealing with several wildfires of its own north of the BWCA, jumped into action, Walz said. ‘It took one call, and over the night all their forces were activated to go and rescue Minnesota campers.’ … He added that it was a little disorienting to think about.” WALZ: “I can pick up the phone and get a Canadian official to answer immediately. … It’s not quite as simple right now for me on the national level, which I think is unfortunate.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fqkdeb
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THE FEED
DHS: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Shireen Gandhi, the former commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Human Services, has resigned from the agency, effective Tuesday. … In a message to DHS staff last week, temporary DHS Commissioner John Connolly thanked Gandhi for her ‘remarkable leadership.’ … Gov. Tim Walz appointed her as the permanent DHS head in February. Less than three months later, Gandhi was dropped to deputy commissioner, swapping places with Connolly. … Gandhi faced intense scrutiny over DHS’s handling of fraud.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4vU14HT
PERCEPTION: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “Operation Metro Surge polarized the national perception of Minnesota, with younger people viewing the state more positively and older generations turned off by what they saw. … The Minnesota Business Partnership commissioned Morning Consult polls to find [that] 26% of people [said] they had a more favorable opinion of Minnesota compared with a year earlier, and 34% said their view was more negative. The surge and how residents reacted to it gave Gen Z (+21) and Millennials (+12) a more positive view of Minnesota compared with a year ago, while Gen X (-27) and Baby Boomers (-31) soured on the state. The younger poll respondents said that last winter’s events made them more open to moving here.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44DW66K
(DISCLOSURE: Minnesota Business Partnership is a Fluence Advisory client)
WALZ PAC: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Gov. Tim Walz’s new Small Town PAC raised more than $387,000 in its first fundraising period and reported about $238,000 cash on hand, according to its first federal campaign filing...” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4byh7Ub
MORE: Gov. Tim Walz announced “the first members of Small Town PAC’s 2026 slate” yesterday:
CD1 DFLer Jake Johnson, Iowa Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott and Pennsylvania Democrat Rachel Wallace. Via his announcement, WALZ: “These working-class leaders know their communities and are ready to fight
for the people who call them home.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4wLyFV5
ENDORSEMENTS: Via Forum News Service, the party-endorsed candidates in several major races are lagging in fundraising behind non-endorsed challengers — Rep. Angie Craig is ahead of Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in the DFL Senate primary, Michele Tafoya leads Adam Schwarze in the GOP Senate primary, and state Sen. Matt Klein is ahead of Matt Little in the CD2 DFL primary. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fm6iWi
CD5: Candidates’ Q2 fundraising reports for the CD5 DFL primary are now public, and Rep. Ilhan Omar raised $624,776 with $1,572,633 on hand. Latonya Reeves raised $10,346 with $3,579 on hand, while Julie Le raised $3,683 with $8,988 on hand. DATA: https://fluence-media.co/3TDO1fS
BATTLES
CRAIG: Rep. Angie Craig announced that she and 108 other members of the U.S. House sent a letter requesting the Trump Administration to shut down an ICE detention center in Texas run by CoreCivic — a company that Craig has frequently mentioned in her criticism of Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan due to its donations to the Democratic Lt. Governors Association. Craig’s press release further added that Pres. Donald Trump owns stock in CoreCivic, according to recent financial disclosures. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fFYpwk
MORE: On social media, Rep. Angie Craig accused Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan of hypocrisy again due to donations received by the Democratic Lt. Governors Association. Craig called the DLGA, which is supporting Flanagan in the DFL Senate primary, a “dark money super PAC” because it has accepted donations from PhRMA, a pharmaceutical trade group, “including while [Flanagan] was chair.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4fH2Cje
FLANAGAN: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan made a social media post reiterating her support for “Medicare for All” after Rep. Angie Craig announced her support in the U.S. House for a public option via the Medicare-X Choice Act, as seen in Wednesday’s morning take. QUOTE: “I want to pass Medicare for All. I want to ban prior authorization. The insurance companies don’t. That’s why they’re backing Congresswoman Craig in this race.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3TFtCHj
MNGOV: Via Star Tribune’s Sydney Kashiwagi, GOP Rep. Tom Emmer “refused” to discuss Pres. Donald Trump’s endorsement of Mike Lindell in the Minnesota race for governor, and “he also would not say whether he agrees with Trump’s decision.” GOP Rep. Pete Stauber “also refused” to talk about the endorsement when asked. TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/4poe7j7
A deep dive into the CD1 race between Rep. Brad Finstad and Jake Johnson for MNSider subscribers. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/49OqNJu
STATE STUFF
CYCLOSPORA: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesota hasn’t yet been ensnared in a multistate outbreak of a parasitic infection called cyclosporiasis, but it’s already captured Minnesotans’ attention. … Minnesota has reported 41 cases of the parasitic infection so far this year. … However, the cases in Minnesota appear sporadic and public health investigators haven’t linked them to clusters of cyclosporiasis in Michigan, New York and other states that might be tied to specific lettuce or mixed greens products.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vAS1eu
FEED FRAUD: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A key figure in the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation who fled the country after his indictment nearly four years ago is now in custody back in Minnesota after his arrest in Somalia. Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, was booked Thursday into the Sherburne County jail. … Eidleh remains held without bail ahead of a court appearance Friday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/459W9Hy
REAL ESTATE: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s housing inventory reached its highest point in seven years in June 2026. Both buyer and seller activity increased, with more homes for sale and more deals closing. … Pending sales throughout Minnesota jumped 8% year-over-year, while in the Twin Cities they rose 9.7%. … Meanwhile, new listings increased 11% across Minnesota and 10.5% in the metro, as the state ended June with 19,008 homes for sale, up 7.5% from last year. In the Twin Cities, inventory climbed 5.1% to 10,897 homes.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4f6ApCn
SPEEDING: via AP News, VERBATIM: “[Speeding] not only wastes money in gas and sends harmful emissions into the air, it barely saves you time, new research says. … University of Minnesota researchers analyzed 120 million vehicle trips across the United States. … They found that if drivers of light-duty, conventional internal combustion engine vehicles actually drove at posted speed limits, it could save an average of $22 million, based on fuel costs at the time, 6.7 million gallons of fuel and 57,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide every day. The researchers said that is comparable to taking about 5.5 million passenger vehicles off the road.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gIDRV8
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)
CITIES
MPD: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis City Council rejected a drone pilot program that would allow the Minneapolis Police Department to contract with the controversial company Skydio. Council members were divided on the issue. … MPD already uses drones in some circumstances, but the pilot program proposed using drones as first responders for 75 days. … Members who supported the proposal said drones would help an understaffed city police force, [but] several members spoke passionately against the pilot [because] Spydio drones have been used by ICE.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f2UJVe
MPLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis officials say they will evacuate people from a dilapidated north Minneapolis housing development where 685 people now live in moldy, rat-infested, trashed apartments and townhomes. The Minneapolis City Council voted 12-0 Thursday to approve $2.5 million in emergency funds to help the residents of Heritage Park move and make crucial repairs. … It’s not clear yet how or when that will be done.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yJpGWr
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “The St. Paul City Council will host a public hearing at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday to solicit feedback on Mayor Kaohly Her’s decision to clear the city’s three largest homeless encampments. … In addition to the public hearing, the council will host its own discussion of the mayor’s plan at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday during a meeting of its public safety committee. No public comment will be heard at that time.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pucKzl
ACROSS MN
BEMIDJI: via Bemidji Pioneer, VERBATIM: “At least one person who was working on a construction site at the SouthShore Hotel on Lake Bemidji on Thursday morning has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to the hotel’s owner, David Hanson, officers arrived on site…without the hotel’s knowledge, and the project’s general manager was unaware. … Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin [said] it was a targeted enforcement effort looking for specific individuals.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3R2I1wB
RED LAKE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Red Lake Nation citizens voted this week in elections for leadership positions, including tribal chairman and three district representatives. … Official results of the election were announced Thursday. Incumbent Chairman Darrell G. Seki Sr. held onto his position for a fourth term. … Incumbent Eugene R. StandingCloud will lead the Ponemah district. … Leading the Red Lake district, Clem H. May Sr. won with 61.47 percent of the vote. … Lisa R. Beaulieu received 58.73 percent of the vote for the Little Rock district representative.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44zhKJs
HABITAT RESTORATION: Flint Hills Resources has earned Tandem Global WHC Gold Certification for habitat restoration at its Cottage Grove fuel terminal. The certification comes after two years of work in partnership with Friends of the Mississippi River to implement a restoration and monitoring plan to re-establish the 6.5-acre site’s natural prairie and savannah. Flint Hills has held gold certification for its work done with community partners over the past 25 years to restore more than 200 acres of the Pine Bend Bluffs, a critical natural area along the Mississippi River that is adjacent to Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery. This makes two Flint Hills gold-certified sites in Minnesota and the first two gold-certified sites ever in the Twin Cities. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3VASKg4 (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
FALCON HGTS: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “After University of Minnesota regents greenlit the sale of the Les Bolstad golf course to a developer for more than $30 million, we are getting our first look at what could take shape on its 141 acres. … The developer presented their initial, conceptual plans for the space before the Falcon Heights City Council and Community Advisory Committee. Right now, the plan includes up to 1,800 housing units, which includes apartments, senior, townhomes, duplexes and single-family homes.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gIzVDQ
DAYBOOK
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz has no public events.
TODAY: Congresswoman Angie Craig will host a roundtable with veterans.
TODAY: CD1 DFLer Jake Johnson will hold a news conference with fmr. Gov. Arne Carlson.
MONDAY: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Attorney General Keith Ellison will hold a rally in Minneapolis on Monday, July 20 at 5:00 p.m.
MONDAY: DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek will meet with Duluth business owners to “highlight the challenges and opportunities small businesses are facing,” per a release. The event is at 11:30 a.m.
TUESDAY: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan will host an “anti-corruption town hall” with the organization End Citizens United at 11:00 a.m.
WEDNESDAY: The MN Chamber of Commerce will host its 2026 Women in Business conference at Target Field on Wednesday, July 22.
JULY 24: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal will host a rally in St. Paul on Friday, July 24 at 7:00 p.m.
JULY 25: via MIRAC advisory, VERBATIM: “Starting at 10:00 a.m. at George Floyd Square, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) will lead ‘Roll 4 Justice 2,’ a protest on bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, and more to demand ‘No More ICE + Police Terror.’”
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BDAYS: Rep. Cal Bahr, Thrify Traveler’s Kyle Potter, MPR Exec Duchesne Drew, GOP local leader David Sturrock, arts advocate Bonnie Marshall, St. Thomas’ Phil Esten, media guy Alberto Monseratte. SAT: DFL House Leader Zack Stephenson, Allina’s Kerri Gordon, organizer Javier Morillo-Alicea, Star Tribune’s Laura McCallum Bryan, Fox 9’s Paul Blume, House staffer Margaret Martin. SUN: Sen. Michael Kreun, professor Kathryn Pearson, fmr. First Lady Susan Shepard Carlson
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.