FIRES AND SMOKE
Twins win. Aurora lost Saturday and are done for the season.
Gov. Tim Walz has declared a peacetime emergency and mobilized the Minnesota National Guard to help fight ongoing wildfires in northern Minnesota. STRIB: https://fluence-media.co/4fdblZd
Residents are seeking a delay in Lydale Avenue project, and after the Hennepin Ave project we should scrap it all together. MPR: https://fluence-media.co/4peIkko
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell confirmed he has pneumonia after weeks of absence. CNN: https://fluence-media.co/4eYSeDq
Hipcamp ranked a spot in Princeton, MN on its list of the top 50 best places to camp. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4yeBHCV
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
Today is National Rock Day.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
GRAHAM: via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) died from a ‘brief and sudden illness’ on Saturday evening at the age of 71. … The Republican senator, who was well-known as a defense hawk, was in the middle of seeking his fifth term. … South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) can immediately appoint a temporary replacement to fill Graham’s seat until Jan. 3 of next year. … The senator’s death came after returning from a trip to Ukraine on the heels of a recess in the upper chamber. Lawmakers are expected to return for legislative business on Monday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SW37xa
RESPONSE: via Sen. Amy Klobuchar statement, KLOBUCHAR: “It was a shock this morning to find out that my friend Lindsey Graham has died. He was a man who loved his work, his country, and his family. … Lindsey Graham was the one who was willing to work with me (when so few would) on helping the Afghan refugees. … But mostly my fond memories of spending time with Lindsey [were] not about the ups and downs of his policy positions. It was about his love for the world, his loyalty to hard causes and his friends, and the pure joy he brought to life. I will miss him.”
MORE: Former state Rep. John Kriesel said on social media that South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham once encouraged him to run for U.S. Senate. Kriesel told Graham he did not want to run, but Graham reportedly responded: “That’s perfect. … We need people like you.” KRIESEL: “He took the time to listen to me and never seemed in a hurry to end the meeting. Regardless of whether someone agreed with his views, my impression was that he was a genuinely gracious man who made time for people.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4fxqB4o
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CD2: State Sen. Matt Klein is launching a TV ad for his U.S. House campaign in CD2 today, saying in a press release that he is the first candidate in the race to do so. The ad, titled “Unlike,” contrasts Klein with Pres. Donald Trump and Health Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Via the ad, KLEIN: “Unlike Donald Trump or RFK Jr., I am a doctor. … I’ve actually cared for patients. And in the state Senate, I fought to protect them from cruel Medicaid cuts, greedy drug companies and corrupt politicians in Washington.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3RwTzIw
THIS WEEK: The next batch of quarterly campaign finance reports are due to the FEC on Wednesday. Fluence tip sheets will share insights on these reports as they become public this week.
FUNDRAISING: The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board has released its report on changes to state election fundraising guidelines following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on coordinated party expenditures, as previewed in Friday’s morning take. EXCERPT: “The Board directed staff to count monetary contributions from political parties, and both monetary and in-kind contributions from terminating candidate committees, when applying the aggregate political party contribution limit. The value of in-kind contributions, including approved expenditures, from political party units will not be included when calculating the aggregate political party contribution limit.” REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/4faLoJB
FOLK: The Anders Folk for Hennepin County Attorney campaign launched a new ad. Via news release, VERBATIM: Today, Anders Folk’s campaign for Hennepin County Attorney released its first ad, “My Job,” ahead of the August 11 primary. Folk, a lifelong Democrat, Marine, career prosecutor, and former Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, highlights the results he’s delivered as a federal prosecutor, his dedication to the rule of law, and commitment to safety and justice for Hennepin County residents.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4ykgUh5
SENATE RACE: Rep. Angie Craig spoke to WCCO-TV about her Senate campaign yesterday morning. Notably, Craig said she expects the race to be close because she and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are both “very popular” with DFLers. CRAIG: “I think it is going to be a very close race. And I think that what you have is you have two elected leaders who are very popular with Democratic voters — that is true — and they’re having a tough choice.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4pi8z9x
NEWAD: The Craig campaign released a new digital ad today “Republicans Want Flanagan”. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/44YKgUL
ENDORSEMENTS: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Endorsements may not make much of a difference when primary voters go to the polls Aug. 11 because informed voters have made up their minds, [but] there is one group of voters who could be influenced by an endorsement. … Studies show that if uninformed citizens can identify endorsers who share their interests, they can simply follow their recommendations. … There is one endorsement that still matters, though. The backing of President Donald Trump is still highly valued by GOP candidates.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fsThLX
AI: via Forum News Service, VERBATIM: “It’s not clear how much campaigns are using AI, [but] Dr. Manjeet Rege, an AI expert, [said] AI is being used in elections more than people realize. … Sen. Zach Duckworth, R-Lakeville, an author of Minnesota’s AI nudification technology ban, said he would bet that taking a closer look at AI use in campaigns would be a bipartisan issue if lawmakers chose to revisit it. … Several high-profile campaigns — Angie Craig, Michele Tafoya, and gubernatorial candidates Kendall Qualls and Lisa Demuth — did not provide details to Forum News Service about whether they use AI. … Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, who has championed many of Minnesota’s AI laws, [said] it’s ‘unsettling’ to spot it.” MAYE QUADE: “You don’t want someone to look at something of yours and be unsettled by it, if you want them to vote for you.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vrnYpE
PARDON: Speaker Lisa Demuth responded to the news, seen in Friday’s lunch take, that Minnesota sex offender Tou Lue Vang was deported by the federal government despite his recent state pardon. DEMUTH: “Tim Walz tried to help this child predator evade the consequences of his horrific actions, and Amy Klobuchar refused to call out this outrageous maneuver. … We should not be pardoning child predators. I’m not sure why this is a hard concept for Tim Walz and Amy Klobuchar to understand.”
MORE: Sen. Amy Klobuchar rejected Speaker Lisa Demuth’s assertion that she supported pardoning Tou Lue Vang in a statement to WCCO Radio. KLOBUCHAR: “As a former prosecutor, I have not supported pardons for sex offenders and would not have voted for this pardon.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4f6LX7q
ICYMI: The latest saturday send covered political fallout from Tou Lue Vang’s deportation, federal election monitors in Minnesota, and more. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4aKLUwS
VISIT: https://fluence-media.co/electiontracker
HOUSING
HOUSING: via CBS News, VERBATIM: “A landmark housing bill automatically became law at 12 a.m. on Saturday after President Donald Trump declined to sign it in protest of the Senate’s inaction on an elections bill. … The bipartisan bill, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is the most comprehensive housing legislation in decades. The measure aims to increase housing supply and bring down costs. … The president’s decision put his Republican allies in Congress in a difficult position, depriving them of an opportunity to tout their efforts to address concerns about affordability.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4w27qpn
RESPONSE: via Sen. Tina Smith statement, SMITH: “The lack of affordable, decent housing in this country has been a major problem for working families for years, but with the 21st Century Road to Housing Act becoming law, we’re choosing a different path: Build more housing and protect the homes we already have from falling into disrepair. I am so proud that my provision to reform the Rural Housing Service and save thousands of affordable homes in rural communities is now law.”
A deep dive into the CD1 race between Rep. Brad Finstad and Jake Johnson for MNSider subscribers. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/49OqNJu
THE FEED
CHILDCARE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Advocates [launched] a grassroots campaign to make childcare free or low cost for all children from birth to age 5 in Minnesota. The campaign calls on the Legislature to fund the effort, arguing that making childcare a public investment [would] significantly lower costs for families. … In recent years, Minnesota legislators have earmarked some $2 billion to help boost childcare worker wages and ease the financial burden on operators to address the child care crisis. The Childcare for All effort is working now to build grassroots support by hosting community events and planning lawmaker meetings.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4voxDgs
FEED FRAUD: via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “The recent capture in Somalia of the alleged number two player in the Feeding Our Future fraud marks a major step in the case, [but] now comes the hard part: getting Abdikerm Eidleh over to the United States. Doing so is no guarantee, according to legal and political experts. … The United States and Somalia have no extradition treaty with each other, which would govern how the process works.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wFFwzj
WATER: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A new state report found flaws in a program that rewards Minnesota farmers who protect water quality. … The report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor [said] the Minnesota Department of Agriculture certified some farmers into the program who didn’t meet all the standards but had agreed to do so in the future. However, sometimes those farmers approved on ‘contingencies’ still didn’t comply years later. … For example, one farmer received six years of program benefits but never complied before his certification was suspended. The report also says the program’s effect on water quality is not clear.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aRMxEJ
MORE: Via Office of the Legislative Auditor, the report on the water quality program. REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/4w3l2AG
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)
BURBS
ANOKA-HENN: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “The Anoka Hennepin School Board meets Monday night for the first time since the district rejected a petition from a group of parents wanting to get a referendum on the November ballot. More than 3,000 parents in the Anoka-Hennepin School District want voters to consider paying more in property taxes to avoid school staffing cuts. … District spokesperson Jim Skelly [said] the matter could come up at the meeting but it’s not on the agenda, and per state law, the board faces an August 11 deadline to place a question on the ballot.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3QPjc7h
SLP: Via KSTP, business owners in St. Louis Park say a $30 million road construction project is significantly dampening their revenue. VERBATIM: “[Dennis] McKissic has run his barbershop, A Barber’s Touch, for twelve years now. He says business is down 70% because customers are having a tough time getting there. … The city doesn’t have a compensation fund for these businesses. But there are several programs that provide no-cost marketing assistance. … Construction is expected to continue until November.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3QR2VyJ
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
NISSWA: via Echo Journal, VERBATIM: “Andy Schaefer, co-president of Schaefer’s Foods in Nisswa and current Nisswa Citizen of the Year, announced [that] he is running for mayor of Nisswa. … Mayor Jennifer Carnahan [has] previously announced she will seek re-election as mayor.” SCHAEFER: “I’m running for mayor because I believe our community is ready for a fresh start and positive headlines. … With accountable leadership and a shared commitment to progress, we can build a stronger, more united community.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SO8gr8
DULUTH: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A burned out building, vacant lots and empty storefronts scar Duluth’s downtown First Street, with some of the ugliest blocks in the waterfront city. But scattered among them are bright spots, like a popular juice bar and a new coffee shop. The city hopes to seize on fresh energy there to transform about a dozen of its blocks into a ‘slow street,’ fashioned to calm traffic and make it easier for walkers, shoppers and cyclists to share the space. Leaders say it will be a springboard to new housing, businesses and parks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fexKp4
CASS CTY: via Brainerd Dispatch, VERBATIM: “As Minnesota’s population continues to age, Cass County is expected to see an increasing demand for services that help older adults remain independent. In a presentation [to] the Cass County Board, Lori Vrolson, Central Minnesota Council on Aging executive director, said the Council on Aging serves a 14-county region and more than 180,000 residents age 60 and older. … Cass County is already among the oldest counties in the agency’s service region with approximately 35.4% of the county’s residents being age 60 or older, compared with about 22.9% statewide.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Tvfhx4
DAYBOOK
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz has no public events.
TODAY: Attorney General Keith Ellison will host a community listening session on Monday, July 13 to discuss the proposed acquisition of Allina Health by Sutter Health. The event is in St. Paul at 6:00 p.m.
TODAY: DFL Sen. Aric Putnam will hold a town hall in St. Cloud at 6:00 p.m.
JULY 20: 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.
JULY 24: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren 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: WCCO Dave Harrigan, business guy Korey Bannerman, media pro Amanda Oleson, fmr. Ramsey Commissioner Carlos Mariani
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.