Wild win. Vikings win.
RIP Quincy Jones.
A WalletHub analysis ranked Minnesota’s job market the 3rd best in the nation. North Dakota is 5th and South Dakota is 9th on the same ranking. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/40xhee3
Real Clear Polling has moved Minnesota and New Hampshire from "leans D" to "toss-up" on its election map. RCP shows Minnesota polling at D+4.8 on average. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3YLQ95v
Donald Trump’s official X/Twitter account shared incorrect info about Minnesota’s ballot return deadline. The official DFL account corrected him and called him an “idiot.” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/3NUcFmy
An Iowa poll by the Des Moines Register finds Kamala Harris leading Donald Trump by 3 points, 47% to 44%. POLL: https://fluence-media.co/3YB2bxe
Secretary of State Steve Simon was on Sunday Take talking about Minnesota voting laws and election security. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Yy5hCb
Great to meet Jake, a morning take reader yesterday at pickleball.
Happy National Candy Day!
Blois
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TOMORROW: Election Day 2024 finally arrives on Tuesday. Make sure you have a plan to vote if you haven’t already done so. Learn more at www.mnvots.gov
MISINFORMATION: via Fox 9, VERBATIM: “In the final days of this election cycle, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is sounding the alarm about fake election videos, calling out a couple of recent ones as acts of Russian interference… The Intelligence Community said these manufactured videos are part of an effort to cast doubt on the U.S. election system… According to the FBI, a video widely circulated on social media shows people "claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia." Federal authorities said it is a fake video that is Russian made…The release also calls out another video as being false, which the FBI said accuses an "individual associated with the Democratic presidential ticket of taking a bribe." Again, attributing this manufactured video to "Russian influence actors." READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3UA3Qlw
BALLOTS: via Office of the Sec. of State, VERBATIM: “As of Friday, November 1, 2024, local election officials have accepted 989,807 ballots for the November 5 Election. Local election officials have distributed 1,205,363 absentee and mail ballots in Minnesota since voting began on September 20. The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State will update absentee voting statistics again on November 4 and 5.” As of Monday morning, the number of accepted early ballots is almost certainly above 1 million. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NPqGSz
COUNTING: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “At 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, when the voting stops — except for the people still standing in line — [results will] come from more than 3,000 polling places to election offices in each of Minnesota’s 87 counties. … The process of counting Minnesotans’ votes is a little different — within the parameters of state law — in various counties, Secretary of State Steve Simon said. … For the first time this year, absentee ballots must be counted if they arrive at the elections office before 8 p.m. That could cause the reporting of results to take a bit longer than in past years, particularly in larger counties, Simon said.” SIMON: “This is a decentralized, spread-out process, by design. Our office never touches a ballot. We don’t count the ballots. We just report what other people count. So this all happens at the local level.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eejPwz
TURNOUT: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “Minnesota cities extended early voting hours so more people could cast their ballot early. Anoka County Elections Director Tom Hunt said there’s a lot of excitement around this election.” HUNT: “In-person absentee voting is just off the charts. This year, both parties have really been making a push to get people in to vote early. … We’ve seen lines like crazy at all of our city and town halls. We just passed 71,000 absentee voters, so I think for us that’s a little over 30% [turnout].” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Cbaus5
SECURITY: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Justice Department is announcing plans to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states on Election Day. The Department regularly deploys its staff to monitor polls, and make sure all eligible citizens' right to vote and access to their ballot is protected. … Throughout Election Day, division personnel will maintain contact with state and local election officials as well. … Both Hennepin and Ramsey counties in Minnesota, along with the city of Minneapolis, are on the list of places the Justice Department will be monitoring.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4fxaMbi
VOLUNTEERS: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “With only a few days left until Election Day, volunteers from both campaigns are doing what they can during the final push. On Saturday, Kamala Harris supporters canvassed in north Minneapolis. They knocked on doors encouraging those who hadn't voted yet to do so. In Lakeville, Donald Trump supporters gathered with Congressional District 2 candidates, as they geared up to reach those final voters. … With the election seemingly razor thin, this type of leg work from both campaigns will continue until the final ballot is cast Tuesday night.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fwAU6c
PUERTO RICO: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Puerto Rico suddenly became an issue for Donald Trump after a comedian at his rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday insulted the second-largest group of Latinos in the United States — and in Minnesota. The comedian, Tony Hinchcliffe, described Puerto Rico as ‘a floating island of garbage.’ … That touched off a flurry of protests from Puerto Ricans and other Latinos, whom the Trump campaign had been trying to woo. … The U.S. Census says about 20,000 islanders live [in Minnesota]. Miguel Fiol, a professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota, is on the board of the Puerto Ricans in Minnesota Committee. … He said Puerto Ricans are ‘very upset’ about Hinchcliffe’s jokes. ‘I suspect it will adversely affect the Trump candidacy,’ he said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YOkjVD
From Friday’s Walz Watch:
TRUMP: via The Independent, VERBATIM: “Tim Walz took a shot at Donald Trump’s age after his garbage truck campaign stunt. Walz, speaking in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on Thursday, slammed the septuagenarian after he flew to Wisconsin, donned a bright orange safety vest, and got into a garbage truck in an attempt to troll [Democrats].” WALZ: “Look, this dude’s nearly 80 years old. He damn near killed himself getting into a garbage truck. … You would think over 80 years you would understand how a tariff works. Smarter people than Donald Trump, which is a good chunk of folks, [have] gone on the record to say, if Donald Trump goes forward with this plan, they will simply have to raise prices and pass it on to you.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hxSE2E
MORE WALZ: Sign up for Walz Watch, our new tip sheet, and get all the latest national news about the governor’s VP campaign HERE: https://fluence-media.co/walzwatch
UNIONS: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Door by door, Minnesota unions have been hustling for months to turn out their own members to keep Democrats in control of state government and the White House. They want to protect the gains they’ve made over the past two years like higher wages, better benefits and a government more attuned to labor than big business. Unions remain among the most powerful political forces in Minnesota politics — supplying campaigns with volunteers, cash and cachet — though their rates of membership are at historic lows, and they’ve struggled to dissuade a significant faction of mostly male, mostly white workers from defecting to [support] Donald Trump.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48AY9K7
SOMALI: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “In St. Paul, members of the Somali and Muslim community gathered at the state capitol to throw their support behind former President Donald Trump. Many who took to the podium today say they feel left behind. While expressing their frustration with the Democratic party, speakers say they see the GOP as a way forward for their communities [because] ‘we want drugs off our streets, we want our children and our women and our girls to be protected…and what I have seen is the Democrats have abandoned us.’” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/48xEb2M
MNLEG: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “Republicans only have to flip four seats to take control of the state House. … ‘The most optimistic estimates are there are up to 15 races that are possibly flippable,’ said David Schultz, professor of political science at Hamline University. [However], Schultz thinks it will come down to seven to 10 races. … Schultz says the Dems won [2022] by a razor-thin margin. ‘There was about four races in the House of Representatives that collectively were decided by less than 2,000 votes,’ said Schultz. … Knowing who controls the house could be up in the air for an uncertain amount of time. ‘I think it's unlikely that the House of Representatives in Minnesota will be called on election night. If some of those races are as close as I think they're going to be, they may not be called for several days,’ said Schultz. He adds that even if the state House is called after several days, there could be recounts in some of those races, which could potentially drag them out for several weeks.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fngaOg
MORE: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “DFL Rep. Lucy Rehm and GOP challenger Caleb Steffenhagen are in the final sprint to the finish, trying to shore up as much support as possible in this sliver of the state. Rehm is seeking her second term, and Steffenhagen — a political newcomer — is looking to unseat her and help Republicans win back a majority in the state House. All 134 seats in the chamber are on the ballot this fall. But only about a dozen — like District 48B, covering all of Chanhassen and parts of Chaska — are competitive. Roughly half of those are in the Twin Cities metro.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hv396V
HENN CTY: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “This past week, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Hennepin County didn't use the official Republican Party list to create the absentee ballot board. That board oversees questions about ballots. Hennepin County auditor Dan Rogen says they thought they were in compliance, but have since emailed members of that official list to ask if they wanted to be part of the board and are working diligently to comply with the ruling. … State law requires a balance of Republican and Democratic election judges to oversee voting on both Election Day and during the processing of absentee ballots. Rogen says he wants to reassure the public that the absentee ballot board is balanced and made up of six Republicans and six Democrats.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/48wt4al
ST PAUL: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “St. Paul elected officials, including City Council President Mitra Jalali and state Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega, assembled a coalition of community advocates on Friday to urge Saint Paul residents to vote ‘No’ on city questions one and two on the 2024 election ballot. According to these officials, if passed, the proposed measures would ‘set back’ Saint Paul’s schools, families, and democracy. … City question 1 would use city taxpayer dollars to build an early childcare and education voucher program, which leaders claim would divert local resources from urgent government needs. … City question 2 would end Saint Paul’s odd-year election cycle and put local races into even-numbered national election cycle years. Supporters say that making the move would help boost turnout for city elections, but opponents including Jalali believe moving the election would dilute focus on regional issues.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CckKjY
MPLS: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis NAACP says there was a dereliction of duties by the City of Minneapolis in the way they handled the shooting of Davis Moturi this past week. Moturi is a Black man, and the man who shot him, John Sawchak, is white. They're demanding more accountability from the city. President of the Minneapolis NAACP Cynthia Wilson says it starts with Mayor Jacob Frey. ‘The mayor has to come forward with a press conference of his own, with some of his city officials, and apologize to the Moturi family,’ says Wilson. … Wilson says Police Chief Brian O'Hara has apologized to her and admitted to dropping the ball on this case, but they're not looking to terminate anyone's job. ‘We fire somebody today, we get somebody tomorrow who's going to be the same or similar,’ says Wilson. ‘So we're going to just keep terminating people? We’ve got to work with what we have and try to build on it.’” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4hwGyqu
MEDICAID: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “In late October, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS first reported there was a backlog of processing Medicaid applications and renewals… At that time, a Ramsey County spokesperson said there were approximately 500 people waiting more than 60 days to have their Medicaid applications and renewals processed… A Ramsey County spokesperson said there has been a post-pandemic surge in applications, and staffing has been low. The county spokesperson said they were hiring part-time employees from other counties and other workers are putting in overtime to try and get caught up and ease the backlog.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ee1D6b
‘MY WHOLE LIFE CHANGED’ — EMPOWERMENT TRAINING OPENS PATHWAY INTO THE TRADES: Since 2019, a partnership between Five Skies Empowerment Training and Enbridge has broadened as unions, contractors and other groups look to connect Native American job seekers to meaningful careers. “They’re gonna open the door for you,” says Joel, a program graduate. “Before the 5 Skies program, I wasn’t aware there were so many opportunities,” explains Ashley. “My whole life changed,” says Melissa. Click here to submit an application, and find out more on upcoming training. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3XoPg0D (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
PHARMACIES: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “North Minneapolis joins a growing number of ‘pharmacy deserts’ rapidly dotting the state and nation as small and large pharmacies close up shop, leaving people with few options to quickly access prescription medicines. The problem is expected to get worse as the nation’s two pharmacy giants, [CVS and Walgreens], continue to downsize. … A half-million Minnesotans live in pharmacy deserts, according to a report issued earlier this year by the state Department of Health. ‘Many more live in areas that are at risk of becoming pharmacy deserts with the closure of a single pharmacy,’ the report said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fOOHFp
HEATING: via a Sen. Amy Klobuchar press release, VERBATIM: “Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN), announced over $112 million in federal funding to help families and seniors pay for energy costs this winter. … The funding is issued through the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides families with payment assistance to support their home energy needs. LIHEAP can also be used to weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient and mitigate energy emergencies during disasters and extreme weather.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Cnb0mP
SETTLEMENT: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Today, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his Office has reached a settlement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota regarding the accessibility of mental health services. The settlement aims to make Blue Cross’ mental health care services more accessible and transparent to many Minnesotans. … In addition to these terms, Blue Cross will voluntarily contribute $600,000 to Minnesota State University-Mankato for use by the Center for Rural Behavioral Health, whose mission is to increase access to behavioral health services in greater Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48AULyK
JOBS: via Office of the Governor, VERBATIM: “Governor Tim Walz today announced that WalletHub has ranked Minnesota a top-three state for finding a job. … WalletHub’s scorecard used 34 indicators of job market strength and economic health. Minnesota received top rankings for median household income, access to benefits, job opportunities per capita, support for working parents, and low unemployment.” WALZ: “With a strong job market, families earn more, save more, and are able to dedicate more time to their families. We don’t just create jobs in Minnesota – we create good jobs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NPK9Cu
PERMITTING REFORM FOR RESPONSIBLE INDUSTRIES: Jobs for Minnesotans is committed to advancing responsible industrial projects through a predictable, timely and transparent permitting process. Broad permitting reform for all responsible industries is essential to strengthening Minnesota’s communities and advancing our state’s clean energy future. (SPONSORED: Jobs for Minnesotans)
WISCONSIN: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “A swing state in the upcoming election received visits from both Democrats and Republicans as we close in on Election Day. Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz embarked on a get-out-the-vote tour in Wisconsin Saturday, traveling from Eau Claire and Wausau before arriving in Hudson. Walz appeared before a packed crowd in a local brewery. She called Wisconsin voters ‘good neighbors’ and said that the ‘weight of the world is on their shoulders.’ … Walz spent a good part of her speech talking about reproductive freedom.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fa3Px3
MICHIGAN: MinnPost’s Winter Keefer wrote an analysis about the election in Michigan, its similarities and differences to Minnesota, and how the war in Gaza could affect the outcome due to Michigan’s large Muslim population. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fuY6Sd
BIDEN: via a Rep. Ilhan Omar press release, VERBATIM: “Rep. Ilhan Omar joined a letter to President Joe Biden, led by Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) and Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), questioning the involvement of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Israeli government’s expanding regional war across the Middle East, including in the ground invasions of Lebanon and Gaza, and the recent exchanges of hostilities between Israel and Iran. … The lawmakers asked President Biden for a detailed account of the United States military’s involvement to ‘command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or accompany’ Israeli forces.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40thESz
ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT: From Grand Rapids, a conversation about opportunities and challenges to economic growth in Greater Minnesota with Tuleah Palmer, CEO of the Blandin Foundation, Roy Smith of the IRRRB and Steve Loney from Kiesler Wellness Center. From workforce to energy costs, a thoughtful conversation on how leaders are working together to push the region’s economy forward. Mainstreet Minnesota is presented by Compeer Financial. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/MainstreetMN2
ROCHESTER: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Refining options for a future transit contract will be considered by the Rochester City Council on Monday. The council will be asked to approve steps toward two future contract options after the current transit service provider’s contract ends in 2026. Transdev, which purchased First Transit last year, has two years left on its contract related to city transit services. … City staff is recommending keeping two options open — maintaining the status quo with a new contract or seeking a contract for operations but moving the maintenance work to city staff.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fuF8v4
SARTELL: via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “The city of Sartell is at an advantage when looking ahead to its future economic goals, as it seeks to cement itself as a place where people can work, live and play. That’s according to Kari Haakonson, the city’s planning and development project supervisor, who said the city has identified large plats of land to address some of its top economic growth factors, including housing of all types and further development. … It comes at a critical time for the city, which is looking to position itself as a major economic player with the introduction of the Central Minnesota Health Care Hub and the redevelopment of the historic paper mill site.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40xOoKG
TRF: via MPR, VERBATIM: “In northwestern Minnesota, about 70 miles south of the Canadian border sits the Pennington County seat of Thief River Falls. With a population of just under 9,000, it’s home to industry behemoths Arctic Cat and Digi-Key — two of the area’s largest employers…For Election 2024 in this heavily conservative part of the state, national politics are taking a back seat to a local hot-button issue that crosses political divides: the Thief River Falls Public Schools 2024 Operating Levy Referendum.
Facing declining enrollment, the referendum could decide the future of Franklin Middle School. Supporters of the increased levy say if it were to fail the middle school may close and the students would be divided between the elementary and high school there.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3AhSJqG
RINKS: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “As part of a proposed 2025-2026 budget released in October, the Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board (MPRB) is recommending the closure of ice rinks at five parks: Lyndale Farmstead, Powderhorn, Webber, Windom, and Matthews. … MPRB [cites] ‘uncertain climate fluctuations, the environments, and warming room rental costs,’ in addition to ‘an increase in materials and supplies due to inflation.’ However, the agency says it will conduct ‘further analysis’ of the financial situation, especially with regard to ice rinks located on lakes. If the closures take effect, it will reduce the number of MPRB's rinks from 22 to 17.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YQees4
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: Flint Hills Resources makes fuels and other products people need and use every day — products that help keep Minnesota moving. The company does this while prioritizing safety and environmental stewardship and contributing meaningfully to the community. That’s Stewardship with a Purpose. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3ALNT4U (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
From Friday’s Fluence newsletters:
CHILDCARE: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “Critics say the child care measure on St. Paul's ballot is missing a key detail: a plan to guarantee that families who receive a child care scholarship would be able to use it. A main reason why child care in the U.S. is a mess is a lack of available space in programs that struggle to remain fully staffed. Many St. Paul neighborhoods are ‘child care deserts,’ where kids outnumber available seats by more than 3-to-1.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NNARH1
CONSERVATION: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Voters will decide whether to continue to set aside a significant chunk of lottery revenue ‘for the public purpose of protection, conservation, preservation and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife and other natural resources’ for another 25 years. To pass, a majority of all voters must approve the amendment. Leaving a ballot blank constitutes a ‘No’ vote. The amendment would also increase the amount of money that can be spent from the fund each year by an additional 1.5 percent. The extra $20 to $25 million annually would be used to fund a new community grant program designed to be accessed by smaller organizations that serve underserved communities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YQqDMI
HOPE: via Washington Post, VERBATIM: “As Tim Walz crisscrosses the country introducing himself to voters, his near-constant companion hasn’t been his running mate, spouse, or even one of the many celebrities to endorse the Harris-Walz ticket. Instead, it has been his daughter. Hope Walz has been central to her father’s stump speech and a regular feature on his social media, traveling with the Minnesota governor as he leans into his Midwestern dad identity. The 23-year-old recent college graduate starred in some of the most viral clips of the candidate that helped boost his profile before Vice President Kamala Harris tapped him as her running mate. Since his selection, she has quickly won over fans and Gen Z supporters, who view her as relatable.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3C9USFm
MORE TAKES: Every day, we’re sharing significant political, business and other news in additional newsletters. If you love morning take, sign up for the other Fluence tip sheets HERE: fluence-newsletters.com
TODAY: Via the Harris-Walz Campaign, Gov. Tim Walz and Mrs. Gwen Walz will host a “meet and greet” to thank Minnesotans in MSP Airport at 9:00 a.m. After leaving Minnesota, the pair will host events in La Crosse, WI; Stevens Point, WI; Milwaukee, WI; and Detroit, MI. Special musical guests include Eric Benét in Milwaukee and Jon Bon Jovi in Detroit.
TODAY: via an MN DFL advisory, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota DFL Coordinated Campaign will hold five GOTV rallies across the Twin Cities to wrap up the five-day DFL GOTV Bus tour to energize supporters to vote early for…DFL candidates up and down the ballot.” The events run from 11:45 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.
TOMORROW: Via the Harris-Walz Campaign, Gov. Tim Walz and Mrs. Gwen Walz will host an event in Harrisburg, PA. This will be their final stop in the 2024 cycle before they head to Washington, DC for Kamala Harris’ official election night event.
THURSDAY: via an AgriGrowth advisory, VERBATIM: “Newly inaugurated University of Minnesota President Dr. Rebecca Cunningham will be a featured speaker at the 2024 Minnesota Ag & Food Summit. … Cunningham will share her perspective on reinforcing Minnesota’s role as a global leader in agriculture and food manufacturing and how the University of Minnesota can be a vital partner. … Cunningham will join Dr. Michael Swanson, the chief agricultural economist of the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute, as the first two featured speakers at this year’s summit.” The event runs from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Minneapolis.
BDAYS: Stinson’s Paul Cassidy, WCCO Radio’s Taylor Rivera, WCCO TV’s Tracy Perlman, retired Lucy Botzek, MN Senate’s Jillian Reynolds
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