HUMID MONDAY
Yesterday was the hottest day of the year, so far. Twins win.
Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open, which is becoming a guaranteed fun finish tournament.
The Minnesota Vixen won their first national championship in women’s football. MPR: https://fluence-media.co/4fmc9wd
Officials will announce today whether parts of the Boundary Waters will reopen for overnight camping on Thursday. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/45tK7ZG
Two MNDOT messes - the 394 pinch point that will never be fixed: STRIB: https://fluence-media.co/4fmKdIy
An opening date for SWLRT will be announced this fall – four years late. Hold you’re breath. FOX9: https://fluence-media.co/4wt1Lc6
The White House admitted in court that it has canceled grants “based solely” on a state’s political leaning. NYT: https://fluence-media.co/4hzeUvv
Sunday Take featured Rep. Angie Craig discussing her Senate campaign, the Iran war, the state of agriculture and more. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4wZg8od
Happy National Crème Brûlée Day.
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BRING THE 🔥
First in morning take, via news release later this AM, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Senate DFL is proud to announce it has raised more than $2.9 million in 2026, bringing our two-year cycle raise over $5 million dollars. The Senate DFL has more than $3.6 million cash-on-hand.”
State level finance reports out today, which will give a strong glimpse into the strength of gubernatorial campaigns.
TODAY: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig will debate on MPR today at 11:00 a.m. They should debate more.
SENATE RACE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “As the primary election nears on Aug. 11, some of the progressive movement’s biggest national figures are descending on Minnesota, underscoring the primary’s importance as a test of whether the left’s political energy can translate into victory in a high-profile statewide race. Minnesota’s contest is one of several closely watched Democratic primaries across the Midwest. … [Angie] Craig questions whether the out-of-state push for [Peggy] Flanagan will work and wonders if their progressive momentum will have the same effect in Minnesota. … Flanagan [has] argued voters are looking for ‘big, bold change.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yNwx14
MORE: via MPR, VERBATIM: “Watching the barrage of attack ads appearing on Minnesota TV screens, it’s clear that U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan have a lot of negative things to say about one another…They and groups supporting their campaigns have fired back and forth on where campaign money is coming from, and blamed each other on issues including fraud and President Donald Trump’s immigration policies…But with about two weeks to go before the Aug. 11 primary election which will decide which DFL candidate is on the November ballot, the ads haven’t said much about healthcare or other issues where the candidates differ. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4gTttd8
MN GOP: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Michele Tafoya has promised Republicans something that is all too rare for GOP candidates in Minnesota: cash. … Democrats have long outspent Republicans in statewide races, making candidates with proven fundraising ability especially attractive to a GOP hoping to end its 20-year losing streak. But Tafoya first has to convince Republican primary voters [to] value financial firepower as much as party leaders do. … A similar dynamic is playing out in the governor’s race. … Compared with her GOP rivals, [Lisa Demuth] is far better positioned.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pHlv9m
HEALTHCARE: Strong communities depend on sustainable nonprofit healthcare. By planning to join leading, nonprofit healthcare system Sutter Health, Allina Health will be better positioned to expand access to high-quality, innovative care in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin - supporting patients, caregivers, and communities for generations to come. Learn more about the Allina-Sutter partnership.. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/AllinaHealth (SPONSORED: Allina Health)
GOV RACE: via Klobuchar for Governor, VERBATIM: “Senator Amy Klobuchar today announced her plan to make health care more affordable and accessible for Minnesotans. Her plan includes proposals to reduce premiums and prescription drug costs, protect access to health care by strengthening rural health care and safety-net hospitals and clinics, and support medical innovation and Minnesota’s health care workforce. … Highlights [include] strengthening Minnesota’s bipartisan reinsurance program [and] expanding bulk purchasing, making lower-cost generics and biosimilars more available, and ending predatory practices by pharmacy benefit managers.” POLICIES: https://fluence-media.co/3ToaBcv
RESPONSE: via GOP Chair Alex Plechash statement, PLECHASH: “[Amy] Klobuchar was one of the 60 deciding votes for Obamacare and has spent nearly 20 years in the United States Senate. After all that time in Washington, her big answer is to convene employers, partner with institutions, launch an innovation network, build another cost-comparison tool and advocate for the federal government to act. That is not a plan to lower health-care costs. It is a plan to hold meetings about lowering health-care costs.”
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THE FEED
LT GOVS: Forum News Service has a profile on the four major lieutenant governor candidates in Minnesota ahead of the August primaries. READ: https://fluence-media.co/45qwFpw
CD5: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “In previous years, candidates running against [Rep. Ilhan] Omar in the DFL primary raised millions of dollars, but that is not the case this year. Omar is facing several DFL challengers, none of whom has more than $100,000 in the bank. … [It’s] the first time she is not facing a major primary opponent. Omar says a top priority for her remains the president’s immigration crackdown. This weekend, she visited the Whipple Federal Building, where immigration detainees are held.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/44M35dY
DATA CENTERS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Across Greater Minnesota, the debate over data centers has energized citizens on the left and right both, many with little to no political experience. The fight to stop these often massive digital warehouses companies want for booming cloud computing and artificial intelligence demand has begun to reshape local politics. … Nearly a dozen city councils and county boards in Greater Minnesota have voted on data center moratoriums. … It may surprise some how much the political energy generated by data centers will sway elections this fall, said Sarah Mooradian, government relations and policy director at Cure.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vX71Uh
MORE: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “For the last several months, Harmony city officials have worked on a draft ordinance that would define the kind of data center to be built in Harmony. A proposed ordinance is set to be rolled out at a public meeting on Aug. 5. … Harmony Mayor Steve Donney [said] it would be a ‘small’ data center [and] its growth and operations would be restricted by the proposed ordinance. … [But] opponents aren’t placated at the moment.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fGjgyp
TRANSIT: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Metro Transit has spent the past five years planning and implementing sturdier safety and security objectives. … Metro Transit leaders have been acknowledged for their ongoing efforts [with] the Gold Award in the Safe, Effective and Clean category. … Yet, this national recognition does not translate to overt enthusiasm in the average Twin Cities rider. Based on feedback to the Pioneer Press, the perception of riding Metro Transit still feels largely negative to many frequent riders. Riders especially described hesitance to ride the trains, with several telling a reporter it was a ‘last resort.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x5lzCd
PET MEDS: Via MPR News, Minnesota is the fourth state in the U.S. to legalize the donation of unused, unexpired veterinary drugs to animals in need. The other states that have adopted this law are Rhode Island, Nevada and Colorado. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fV03u1
NATIONAL
MARTIN: via the NYT, VERBATIM: “The Democratic Party is so short on cash that leaders at its headquarters have undertaken a new gambit to mask the severity of the problems: asking vendors not to send bills until after the midterm elections…At the center is Ken Martin, the 53-year-old party chairman, who has found himself increasingly isolated, gripped by the fear that he will lose his job and relying on a vanishingly small circle of people he trusts, according to interviews with more than two dozen Democrats, including current and former D.N.C. officials and members. Most of them spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the party’s troubled state of affairs…Mr. Martin’s fraying nerves are showing. In a pique of frustration in early July, he threw his phone at the desk of a junior aide while upbraiding the person. The phone-tossing incident resulted in a formal complaint to the D.N.C.’s human resources department.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4woVj5M
MORE: via NOTUS, VERBATIM: “The Democratic National Committee put its physical headquarters up for collateral last year in order to obtain a $15 million line of credit to help invest in off-year elections, according to D.C. deed records not previously reported. … A Democrat close to the DNC said Ken Martin, the beleaguered Democratic Party chair, has struggled to convince donors to maximize their contributions, which has contributed to the small cash-on-hand total. Martin is under particularly close scrutiny [as] the subject of an internal human resources inquiry after throwing a phone in the direction of a young aide.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yGOWw7
CHURCH: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A federal judge in a rare move on Friday ordered the federal government to turn over testimony and evidence presented to a grand jury in the conspiracy case of 38 people arrested at a protest at a St. Paul church in January. … Judge Douglas Micko will examine the documents to see whether the government misled jurors as they decided whether to indict. The grand jury indictment process is typically secret, but the Justice Department’s actions during grand jury proceedings against protesters gained additional scrutiny after a federal judge in Chicago uncovered prosecutorial misconduct in a [separate] case. … Micko [said] the federal government must get him the information by Wednesday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gTj5SF
SNAP: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “A little over a year ago, Congress approved a ‘big, beautiful bill’ that established President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities. The legislation’s cuts to the food stamp program resulted in a loss of food aid for 1.5 million children from July of last year until March. … SNAP participation nationwide fell by more than 4.5 million, or nearly 11%. It dropped less in Minnesota, where participation in the program dropped by 3.52%, or about 16,000.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yIUNRN
CANADA: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Wildfire smoke is once again straining relationships between Minnesota and its neighbor to the north. … U.S. Reps. Brad Finstad and Pete Stauber signed a letter [last] week accusing Canada of violating an international air pollution treaty. But experts say many factors lead to smoky skies. … A significant portion of the air pollution last week came from wildfires ignited by lightning on Minnesota’s side of the border.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fo1cu8
A deep dive into the CD1 race between Rep. Brad Finstad and Jake Johnson for MNSider subscribers. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/49OqNJu
DC + MN
USPS: via Sen. Amy Klobuchar advisory, VERBATIM: “Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) are urging the United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General to provide Minnesota with the necessary resources and support for postal operations impacted by wildfires.” EXCERPT: “We have heard from constituents who are concerned about mail delays resulting from the wildfires. … We urge you to ensure that Minnesota post offices receive the resources and support needed to maintain reliable service.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4bg1YXA
JET FUEL: via Rep. Brad Finstad advisory, VERBATIM: “Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) attended and delivered remarks at the Flint Hill Resources ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blending facility hosted by the Minnesota SAF Hub. SAF is an innovative, certified alternative jet fuel produced using renewable feedstocks.” FINSTAD: “This blending facility helps turn SAF from an idea into a real opportunity for both our agriculture and aviation economies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yGRR8h
(DISCLOSURE: Delta and Flint Hills Resources are Fluence client partners)
INSECTICIDE: via Rep. Michelle Fischbach advisory, VERBATIM: “Representative Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) led a coalition of colleagues in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, urging the agency [to] restore access to Chlorpyrifos, a vital insecticide relied upon by American farmers. … Fischbach was joined in the letter by US Representatives [including] Brad Finstad [and] Pete Stauber.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4fmbNFT
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)
METRO
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “A hallmark of [former] St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s time in office was the creation of an Office of Financial Empowerment dedicated to opening new doors for low-income residents. … It’s one of several social programs the new mayor has inherited from her predecessor. … But not all have survived the transition from one administration to another, and more cuts are possible. [Kaohly] Her, in a series of public discussions over budget priorities, has already put voters and property taxpayers on notice that the 2027 budget will be an especially difficult one, as inflation and other pressures have created a $26 million gulf that will need to be balanced by the time she delivers her budget address in August.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fmgvn0
MPLS: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “After years of planning, the Minneapolis VA Medical Center officially opened its new Women’s Health Center on Friday, creating a dedicated space designed to better serve women veterans. The ribbon-cutting marks a significant milestone for the VA, as women are one of the fastest-growing veteran populations in the country.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wYNH9Z
OAKDALE: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Oakdale officials have given the developers planning to build a 126-unit apartment building and 12 townhomes on the west side of Tanners Lake until Tuesday, July 28, to show that they have proof of financing. If McGlynn Partners LLC and Tanners Lake LLC don’t show proof of financing and make ‘some financial commitments to the city’ by that date, the development agreement will be revoked and the purchase agreement won’t be signed.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45olH3N
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)
ACROSS MN
SARTELL: via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “The Sartell City Council will consider approving the city’s 10-year future financial management plan and design for the Southwest water transmission line project during its meeting [today]. … The 10-year financial management plan, while not binding, is designed to guide future [financial] strategies. … The plan recommends incremental municipal utility rate growth and property tax levy increases within the next decade to meet future infrastructure demands and finance capital improvements, all while ‘working toward a flat tax rate over time.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RDGVrl
ROCHESTER: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Progress on a state-mandated study of potential new Rochester Public Utilities water sources is being made. The Rochester City Council is slated to receive an update during its 3:30 p.m. study session Monday, with the city’s Public Utility Board receiving a similar presentation during its 4 p.m. meeting Tuesday. … Initial steps have revolved around gathering information and projecting future needs through 2065.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x5WFCx
BEMIDJI: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “All Pints North is trading Duluth for Bemidji for its 15th annual event next summer. The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild revealed Friday that its summertime craft beer festival will continue in Bemidji’s Paul Bunyan Park following its final stint in Duluth’s Bayfront Festival Park this August.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RuxuKQ
DAYBOOK
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz will visit Ely for a wildfire briefing with officials at 10:15 a.m.
TODAY: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost will host a “youth voices meet and greet” in Minneapolis at 6:30 p.m.
TOMORROW: The MN Dept. of Health will host a public hearing on Aspirus Health’s closure of the Lake View Silver Bay Clinic on Tuesday, July 28 in Two Harbors at 6:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Attorney General Keith Ellison will host a community forum on the proposed acquisition of Allina Health by Sutter Health on Wednesday, July 29 in Faribault at 6:00 p.m.
THURSDAY: Senate District 35 DFL candidate Angela Nelson will host an affordability roundtable in Coon Rapids with “local residents and stakeholders,” per a release. The event is at 11:30 a.m.
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BDAYS: MBP’s Sarah Barten, Rep. Keith Allen, Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart, lobbyist Joel Uland, lobbyist Steve Rubis
SPEAKER: If you’re looking for a speaker about the “Signal vs. Noise” dynamic of today’s politics and the 2026 election. EMAIL: BloisOlson@gmail.com.
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.