HUMP DAY
Headed to the MN Chamber Economic Summit today, and a lunch in Minnesota’s Friendly Days city…Wild and Wolves play tonight. Chicken Pot Pie rating coming soon.
The next Authoritative List – Breakfast Sandwiches.
St. Paul Mayor-Elect Rep. Kaohly Her has a fundraising event on December 12th. Expect a transition team to be announced in the coming week.
Minnesota will get two pro volleyball teams in 2027 — “not ideal,” says one investor. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4r95qt8
9.7% of Minnesota’s babies were born pre-term last year — worse than 2023, but better than the U.S. average of 10.4%. AXIOS: https://fluence-media.co/3X4BK2H
Gov. Tim Walz at 2 percent in the latest Democratic poll. ESCHELON: https://fluence-media.co/4oRyTXc
Owamni Chef Sean Sherman will be on The Daily Show tonight. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/3JIbQPr
Happy National Play Monopoly Day – more reality every day.
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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/
FIRST…
From the Minnesota Chamber the release this morning of the annual Business Benchmark’s report VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s economy is losing ground compared to the rest of the nation. In response, the Chamber has launched the “Economic Imperative for Growth,” a multi-year initiative bringing together the business community, policymakers and all Minnesotans – underscoring an urgent need to accelerate growth, expand investments, grow the workforce, and deliver affordability that promotes population growth – not higher costs – to secure long-term prosperity.”
EXCERPT: “For decades, Minnesota outperformed much of the nation when it came to economic strength. Back in 2004, the state’s economy produced about 9% more value per person than the national average – ranking among the top 10 states in output…But over the past decade, that edge has steadily slipped. From 2014 to 2024, Minnesota’s economy grew by about 1% per person per year, while the national average grew nearly twice as fast, at 1.8%. That may not sound like a dramatic difference, but over time it adds up, enough for the rest of the country to nearly catch up. By 2024, Minnesota’s per-person economic output was just barely above the U.S. average.”
EXCERPT: “While Minnesota attracted new residents throughout the 1990s, the trend has reversed in recent decades. The state has experienced negative net domestic migration in 20 of the past 24 years, with losses deepening in the early 2020s. Since 2001, nearly 123,000 more people have left Minnesota than moved in. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, the state saw a net loss of 47,930 residents to other parts of the country, ranking 41st among states. Encouragingly, those losses have begun to stabilize, with migration outflows moderating in 2023 and 2024.”
Here’s a link to the full report: https://fluence-media.co/43zZEqz
This morning’s report from Target, via CNBC, VERBATIM: “Target posted a drop in quarterly sales and lowered its full-year profit guidance on Wednesday as the big-box retailer saw choppy spending and shoppers hunting for value…Despite its ongoing struggles, Target stuck by its sales guidance for the all-important holiday season, saying it expects sales to decline by a low single-digit percentage in the fourth quarter. It said it expects adjusted earnings per share for the year to come in between $7 and $8, lowering the high end of its previous range of $7 to $9. Much of its new range would come in lower than last year, when adjusted earnings per share were $8.86…On a call with reporters, incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke declined to say when he thinks the company’s sales would turn positive again, but said Target is making progress.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/49WYhWQ
HENN ATTY: U of M Law School Professor Francis Shen will announce a campaign for Hennepin County attorney today. Shen’s platform will focus on “public safety, utilizing technology, and using proven methods in criminal justice,” per a release. Current Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is not seeking reelection in 2026.
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A Beef…
WALZ/STAUBER: DFL Gov. Tim Walz and GOP Rep. Pete Stauber are escalating their criticisms of each other on social media. Stauber shared the news, seen in yesterday’s morning take, that Duluth will receive a new air traffic control tower. Walz responded harshly. WALZ: “This funding is from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which you voted against. Luckily for Minnesotans, your colleagues got it done without you.” … Later that day, Stauber responded to a Walz post about education funding concerns. STAUBER: “Under Tim Walz, less than half of Minnesota students can read or do math at grade level. We fire him next November.” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/4pcW9yA https://fluence-media.co/4pgGKgF
EPSTEIN
FILES: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s Republican House members joined their colleagues in overwhelmingly approving a petition to release government files on deceased sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein. … The state’s four Democrats in the House also voted in favor of releasing the files after signing the petition early on. … Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith [voted] to support the measure in the upper chamber. … Most House Republicans initially opposed the petition, arguing it was a political stunt led by Democrats, [but] President Donald Trump shifted his stance this week and gave Republicans permission to vote for the petition.” The final vote counts were 427-1 in the House and 100-0 in the Senate. READ: https://fluence-media.co/43Gi2hA
MORE: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Despite [yesterday’s vote], the ‘Epstein files’ may never see the light of day [due to] investigations into the relationship former President Bill Clinton and other Democrats had with Jeffrey Epstein. … Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., [said] the Trump Administration would raise legal issues that would block the release of information. … ‘I’d put money down that Trump’s going to use his ‘investigation’ into Epstein to justify not releasing everything,’ Smith posted. … Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District, who largely dismissed the Epstein issue as a ‘non-issue’ [and] ‘a Democratic hoax,’ said after the vote that ‘House Republicans have been consistent with our calls for transparency.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nZwhFh
FISCHBACH: Rep. Michelle Fischbach previously voted against Epstein-related bills on the House Rules Committee, leading to backlash from conservative groups like Action 4 Liberty. MinnPost and the Star Tribune reported Fischbach was “defensive” when asked why she voted yes Tuesday, but she later released a statement explaining her vote. QUOTE: “My vote in favor of releasing the Epstein files is consistent with my previous support for transparency on this issue. Earlier this year, I cosponsored legislation to obtain and publicly release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, while protecting innocent victims from having their information released to the public. While this bill does not contain the same protections for survivors as the one I cosponsored, the public deserves to know the truth.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rptvwj
MORRISON: Rep. Kelly Morrison, who has previously met with Epstein survivors, spoke at a press conference ahead of the vote to release the files yesterday. QUOTE: “Today is our opportunity to say no matter who you are, no matter how rich you are, no matter how powerful you are, you are not above the law. No amount of money, power, connections, or corruption can buy you a free pass to abuse children or sell human beings. For decades, the government and people in power have been complicit in covering up the horrific abuses of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Today, we will say: no more.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/489vjRa
TRUMP: via NPR News, VERBATIM: “The legislation’s success illustrated a rare win for Republicans willing to defy President Donald Trump. … Trump does not need legislation in order to approve the files for release, but he told reporters that Congress ‘can do whatever they want’ on the vote. ‘I’m all for it,’ Trump said from the Oval Office, but maintained it was a ‘hoax’ that he didn’t want to ‘detract’ from his party’s success.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o1F6hO
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)
CONGRESS
EARMARKS: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Whether they supported the legislation or not, Minnesota’s lawmakers won approval of a modest amount of money for local projects in the bill that reopened the federal government last week. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, Democrats who voted against the bill, secured $1.7 million for an Alexandria area YMCA, $1 million for a veterinarian diagnostics laboratory in Willmar for the University of Minnesota, another $1 million for an Apple Tree early learning center in Virginia and a few other earmarks. … Rep. Angie Craig, D-2nd District, secured $1 million for a public safety project in Le Sueur and $1 million for a project in New Prague. And Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-7th District, won approval of $4,167,900 for a water treatment project in Kandiyohi County and $1 million for another water program in Plummer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JL5oHo
GOP: Rep. Tom Emmer accused Democrats of throwing “anti-Trump temper tantrums” at a press event with GOP House leadership outlining their upcoming legislative agenda. EMMER: “Instead of helping us secure our border, cut taxes, and make life more affordable for the American people, Democrats have shown time and time again that they’re more interested in opposing President [Donald] Trump and his successful agenda. … Where Democrats chase headlines and mislead the public, Republicans are actually pursuing transparency and justice. … We’re moving full-steam ahead to make up for the days that they have taken away with their delusional shutdown.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3K8Imu4
BOAT STRIKES: via Rep. Ilhan Omar advisory, VERBATIM: “Representatives Ilhan Omar [and others]…introduced a War Powers Resolution to block the Trump Administration from continuing to use U.S. Armed Forces to conduct strikes in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, operations the administration has carried out for more than 60 days without congressional authorization.” EXCERPT: “The Trump Administration has not provided a credible rationale for its 21 unauthorized military strikes on vessels in the Western Hemisphere, which have resulted in the extrajudicial killings of dozens of individuals.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4idxl7w
CD6: via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “Doug Chapin is not convinced that Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District [is] a deeply red area. The candidate for U.S. House of Representatives is vying to earn the DFL endorsement and flip the district. … U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minnesota, has represented the district since 2015. … Chapin told a crowded room during a forum Monday [that] a serious Democratic candidate has yet to run against Emmer, especially in terms of fundraising. Additionally, he said, there are more pockets of blue voters than one might expect. … His town hall in St. Cloud [is] the fourth he’s held since kicking off his campaign in March.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47Z9N1m
BROADBAND: Comcast is rewriting the broadband playbook in the Twin Cities. From neighborhood networks to next-gen tech, we’re delivering community-first internet connectivity with no contracts, no surprises. The new Xfinity package means unlimited data, blazing-fast, reliable speeds and a 5-year price guarantee, plus free mobile for a year. It’s not the old Comcast — it’s a bold new era of connection. Let’s power the future, together. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/Comcast2025-1 (SPONSORED: Comcast)
LAW + ORDER ?!?
STILLWATER: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Organizers of the Border Battle Tug-of-War last year raised $4,000 for first responders by staging a massive tug-of-war on the Stillwater Lift Bridge prior to a Vikings-Packers game. But when organizers approached the Minnesota Department of Transportation for permission to hold the event again this winter, MnDOT officials denied their request, stating they could ‘no longer support annual or recurring events on the structure.’ … Matthew Schleusner, the agency’s east area principal engineer, [said] ‘Due to the bridge’s historic status, we need to maintain consistency in how the space is managed.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LFkO0t
TAKE: Dear MNDOT, figure it out.
FED AGENTS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A federal law enforcement operation at a St. Paul manufacturer prompted a large response by observers and protesters on Tuesday morning. Federal agents wearing clothing marked ‘FBI,’ ‘DEA’ and ‘HSI’ [were] were seen at Bro-Tex Inc. … An ICE spokesperson confirmed the agency was part of the operation, [saying] ‘ICE HSI and law enforcement partners conducted court authorized law enforcement activity and served a search warrant.’ … St. Paul police told MPR News that they were not involved in the operation. … Mayor Melvin Carter spoke to protesters at the scene. He said he was not notified before the operation. … Agents used chemical irritants to disperse the crowd [of protestors].” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o2Jc9s
MORE: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Federal law enforcement had not confirmed as of Tuesday afternoon how many people they’d detained. City council member Molly Coleman, who represents the area, said she believes three people were detained in the initial action and knows that at least one person who came to the site was arrested outside.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3X3MsXi
STING: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Over a dozen suspects, including an employee with U.S. Customs and Immigration, a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency worker, and a Metro Transit bus driver, were arrested this month for allegedly attempting to solicit a minor for sex. … At a press conference Tuesday, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said ‘Operation Creep’ [had] involved the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and several Twin Cities police departments. According to Hodges, the sting caught 16 men who were attempting to purchase sex from a decoy posing as a 17-year-old girl.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48m1yOb
MN SENATE: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Senate chamber returned to full strength on Tuesday after two new members took the oath of office, restoring the Democrats’ slim one-seat majority for the first time in months. DFL Sen. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger and GOP Sen. Michael Holmstrom Jr. were sworn in during a brief ceremony in the chamber surrounded by family, friends and some Senate colleagues. Both of them won special elections two weeks ago.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/489u98g
VOTER DATA: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “A group of Democratic secretaries of state — including Steve Simon of Minnesota — sent a letter to top Trump Administration officials saying they’re concerned the administration misled them about how it would use voter data collected from their states. … The Department of Justice, overseen by [Pam] Bondi, in recent months has demanded voter information from numerous states. The information would allow the DOJ to evaluate state compliance with federal voting laws, department officials had said. But federal officials later acknowledged that the DOJ shared voter roll information with Homeland Security to search it for noncitizens as a way to ‘scrub aliens from voter rolls.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43DFGLx LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/48hZJSp
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE: Flint Hills Resources was just awarded the 2025 Large Business of the Year award from the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce at their annual Business Excellence Awards celebration. The award celebrates the outstanding achievements of businesses that exemplify the thriving and growing spirit of Dakota County. The businesses honored make an impact and contribute to the continued success of our community. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/46lTpIs (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
INDICATORS
PAID LEAVE: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Minnesota state officials and the 350 workers who will be rolling out the state’s new paid leave benefit are trying to learn from mistakes in Washington and the nearly dozen other states with paid leave — all while under the microscope of election year politics. … Risks for the Walz Administration include the potential for fraud [and] technology glitches. … To ensure a smooth rollout, [Tim] Walz recruited an out-of-state paid leave director, [Greg Norfleet], who helped launch Massachusetts’ paid leave program. … Norfleet said his team is learning from others. For example, Minnesota employers will be more engaged in the application process. … The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, however, [said] they remain concerned: ‘It’s clear there are still significant awareness gaps and plenty of implementation questions.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oNQYFq
AUDIT: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A Metropolitan Council audit spurred by the resignation of Minneapolis Regional Chamber CEO Jonathan Weinhagen found a ‘high risk’ that a chamber subsidiary misused federal grants. … The audit found a litany of financial problems at Move Minneapolis, a nonprofit subsidiary of the chamber that offers commuter resources. They include ‘a pervasive lack of documentation, complex and opaque financial relationships, fungibility, and evidence of fraudulent practices.’ The audit report, which also found problems with Met Council processes, raises questions about whether federal funds granted to Move Minneapolis were caught up in alleged embezzlement by Weinhagen.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4r3vwhv
BEEF: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The organization representing and promoting cattle producers in Minnesota wants to raise the $1 beef checkoff fee members pay per every head of cattle sold by 50 cents. The beef checkoff fee hasn’t been raised since 1986 when Minnesota’s producers first started paying the $1 fee for every head of cattle they sell, but it may be a tough sell to farmers and ranchers amid a rocky agricultural economy. … Nonprofits use the revenue to help fund advertising, marketing, public relations, education, research and product development. … The Minnesota Beef Council will offer more details at a public hearing on Dec. 5.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3K5cNRL
SCHOOL
UMN: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota [has] removed interim vice president for clinical operations Dr. Greg Beilman from his university role amid ongoing tensions over an agreement to fund the state’s largest medical school. Beilman was appointed to this position at the same time that the University of Minnesota Physicians, a nonprofit clinical practice for the faculty of the University of Minnesota Medical School, named him as interim CEO. … Dr. Beilman will continue to serve as interim CEO for UMP, which is governed by its own Board of Directors, and will maintain his faculty appointments at the University of Minnesota Medical School.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LMDrj1
PENSION: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “[A] pension fund covering scores of Minnesota Catholic schools has [an] $800M shortfall. The Chicago-based Christian Brothers pension plan has informed the schools and dioceses that the fix will be costly. Some are pulling out, worried about the plan’s future. … The Christian Brothers plan, which covers 180 employers and 40,000 people nationwide, is asking for big boosts in employer contributions. … Two Twin Cities Catholic schools — DeLaSalle and Benilde-St. Margaret’s — exited from the Christian Brothers’ management in recent years to create their own retirement plans. Hill-Murray is going down a similar path, and Cretin-Derham now plans to pull out too. … Church plans are not covered by federal pension regulations and are not eligible for federal bailout if they fail.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4phfwGG
HOUSING
MORTGAGES: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Working-class homebuyers have become an endangered species in the Twin Cities. The number of single-family homes sold to buyers with a modest budget fell by more than 60% from 2021 [to] 2024 as sales of more expensive houses rose, according to a new study. … It’s a decline higher mortgage rates primarily drove, the report said. … Patti Jo Fitzpatrick, a Twin Cities sales agent and president of Minnesota Realtors, [said] few are willing to sell because so many current homeowners are feeling ‘locked in’ to their historically low pandemic mortgage rates and can’t afford to make their next move.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4i9Znk3
GRANTS: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “The Metropolitan Council’s housing data shows the region has already built more than enough homes for middle‑income families and nearly enough for moderate‑income households, but the production of deeply affordable housing for families earning less than $39,700 a year lags far behind forecasted growth. To help close that gap, the Met Council is awarding $15.75 million in grants to 15 development and redevelopment projects across several cities in the seven‑county metro area. The projects will create 1,672 new affordable homes and preserve 306 existing affordable units. It’s also expected to create or preserve 969 jobs.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3K6buSJ
AHEAD…
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz is in Switzerland to participate in a medical technology innovation breakfast, visit Takeda, and attend a reception in Düsseldorf with his Minnesota trade delegation and local businesses.
TODAY: State Auditor Julie Blaha will join state and industry leaders on a press call at 11:00 a.m. to discuss policies from the Trump Administration, including tariffs on construction materials and proposed changes to housing programs, and how they are “undercutting Minnesota’s economy and destabilizing farming communities,” per a release.
TODAY: via MN Senate, VERBATIM: “Senator Erin Maye Quade (DFL-Apple Valley) and Representative Mohamud Noor (DFL-Minneapolis) invite Minnesotans to join them in a discussion of human services needs in their communities at a Human Services Town Hall on Nov. 18.” The event is at 5:30 p.m. in Minneapolis.
TODAY-TMRW: Unionized Starbucks baristas in Minneapolis and Chanhassen will picket as part of a nationwide strike at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday and 12:00 noon Wednesday.
TOMORROW: via MN Chamber, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Chamber will host its 2025 Economic Summit: Minnesota’s Economic Imperative next Wednesday. … This initiative will bring together business leaders, innovators and policymakers. … The event will also feature the release of the 2026 Business Benchmarks report, an annual data-driven analysis of Minnesota’s economic competitiveness.” The event is at 9:30 a.m. in Eagan. DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/49zCIf1
TOMORROW: The Minnesota House fraud oversight committee will hold a hearing on “fraud prevention in the Paid Family and Medical Leave program” with DEED officials at 10:00 a.m.
THURSDAY: via MN House, VERBATIM: “From 6:00 – 7:00 pm, Representative Kristi Pursell (DFL-Northfield) and DFL members of the House Health Committee will host a listening session focused on rural healthcare affordability in Saint Peter. … Health committee members will hold a series of listening sessions in rural Minnesota through the end of the year.”
THIS WEEK: via DEED advisory, VERBATIM: “Governor Tim Walz will lead a trade mission to Switzerland and Germany November 15-21. … The delegation will travel to the major business centers of Zürich, Düsseldorf and Berlin. The mission will focus on growing the state’s exports of goods and services.”
SATURDAY: The Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers will hold its annual gala in Minneapolis on Nov. 22. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will be the keynote speaker.
NOV 30: via MNLEG advisory, VERBATIM: “On Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. (Parks’ Birthday), Rep. Samakab Hussein (DFL-Saint Paul), DFL Vice Chair of the House Legacy Committee, and Minnesota Senate Legacy Committee Chair Sen. Foung Hawj (DFL-Saint Paul), will be joined by Dr. Robin Hickman -Winfield, executive producer and CEO of SoulTouch Productions, Amy Mino, executive director of the Landmark Center, community members and legislative leaders at the Landmark Center to honor the legacy of Gordon Parks.”
BDAYS: MN Gov candidate Scott Jensen, Lakeville Mayor Luke Hellier, CNN’s Randi Kaye, Shoreview Councilor Paul Gardner, fmr. Rep. Alan Juhnke, comms pro Sophie Wallerstedt
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