FRIDAY HEAT
Twins lose, host the Angels this weekend. Lynx play New York tomorrow at noon.
Aurora playoff game tomorrow.
Wall Street Journal finds that less than half of Americans say capitalism is working well, down from 60% a decade ago. POLL: https://fluence-media.co/4gr3Q39Happy National Sugar Cookie Day.
Happy National Pina Colada Day!
Sunday Take at 9AM on WCCO…and next week the CD2 DFL Primary Debate.
Happy National Pina Colada Day!
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
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Sunday Take featured Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan discussing her Senate campaign, her time in state government and more. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3SBPx1V
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QUALLS: via the Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Republican candidate for governor Kendall Qualls is running for Minnesota’s highest office while continuing to lead a nonprofit he founded to promote many of the same political and cultural causes that define his campaign…The overlap has prompted questions from a former adviser and finance experts on whether Qualls has adequately separated his campaign from TakeCharge, the tax-exempt organization he launched in 2020 in opposition to the notion that racism is deeply embedded in American society… Federal tax filings show that TakeCharge paid Qualls and his wife, Sheila Qualls, just over $1 million between 2021 and 2024. That total accounted for nearly 32% of Take Charge’s spending during that period…The nonprofit’s largest apparent donor has also contributed to Qualls’ political campaigns. OSMEK: “He is using (his office) as a staging platform,” said David Osmek, a former state senator and advisor to Qualls who left the campaign last December. RESPONSE: “TakeCharge is not affiliated in any manner with Kendall Qualls’ campaign for governor,” a campaign spokesman said. “Everything he is doing is perfectly legal.”…Qualls is far from the first politician to work at a nonprofit and face the challenge of walling off his political activities. And the federal ban on election activities by tax-exempt nonprofits is rarely enforced.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4faxebJ
Here is a copy of the complaint against Qualls by Osmek. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wvzgdf
CAMPAIGN$: The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board held a special meeting yesterday to deal with the recent Supreme Court meeting that changed the ability of candidates and political party units to coordinate. The board decided that it would not enforce state laws, and allow some limited cash coordination and allow unlimited in-kind support. Candidates who sign the public subsidy would still have limits based on the agreement. Candidates who don’t sign the subsidy agreement would not be limited. We’re waiting for the document from CFB and will post when we have it.
DFLSEN: The Democratic Lt. Governors Association has launched a new TV ad supporting Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan’s Senate campaign. Titled “Bankrolled,” the ad focuses on Rep. Angie Craig’s donors and voting record, calling her a “DC insider” who is “bankrolled by Trump donors, crypto, and AI tech billionaires.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4viQNV1
SENATE RACE: After Maine Democrat Graham Platner dropped out of the U.S. Senate race due to sexual assault allegations, Rep. Angie Craig’s campaign began linking Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan to Platner on social media. Craig’s campaign account shared an ActBlue fundraising page organized by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders that says, as of Thursday evening, it will split a supporter’s donation between Platner, Flanagan and Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. However, another part of the page says it will split funds between two recipients: Flanagan and El-Sayed, with Platner removed. Sanders, Flanagan and El-Sayed all called on Platner to drop out this week. TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4yfSLs5
MN GOP: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Republican strategists say President Donald Trump’s influence over the state party remains strong heading into this year’s primary and general elections, even though he has never won Minnesota. … Amy Frederiksen, a Minnesota GOP strategist and former Minnesota Senate majority leader, [said] the intensity of Trump’s support at campaign events is unlike anything she has seen in state politics. … [But] she was more measured on how much that enthusiasm will translate into Republican wins in November, citing economic headwinds, the conflict with Iran and the toll of high-profile immigration enforcement actions in the state.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4voWd0Z
HOSPITALS: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “During 2025, adverse health events in Minnesota’s hospitals declined for the first time since 2019, according to the Minnesota Department of Health’s latest report — but more of those events resulted in serious injuries or deaths. … From early October 2024 to early October 2025, Minnesota’s hospitals and surgical centers reported 589 adverse health events, down from 624. … Events resulting in serious injury (244) and death (20) increased over the previous report year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vQjeLa
Over 25,000 visits so far, and now a refresh of the Fluence Election Tracker.
VISIT: https://fluence-media.co/electiontracker
THE FEED
FRAUD: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Two of the 15 defendants accused of stealing federal [childcare] program money back in May have pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges. Fahima Egeh Mahamud, 50, of Minneapolis, and Jillaine Mertens, 42, of Hamel, each entered guilty pleas. … Mahumud is accused of taking $5.5 million in taxpayer money through her daycare, Future Leaders. … Prosecutors say Mertens collected more than $400,000 in fraudulent claims across three childcare centers in Ramsey, Rochester and Kasson.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4vXRkNv
MORE: Via KARE 11, one of the women who pleaded guilty to fraud, Fahima Egeh Mahamud, had “received more taxpayer money than any other childcare provider in 2025,” including legitimate providers. READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/44qyhPI
DHS: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “A new lawsuit accuses Minnesota human services leaders of dismantling an in-home disability care program that families and providers say more than 3,000 people rely on. Providers and clients in the Family Residential Services (FRS) program met [for] a town hall with state lawmakers about ongoing provider closures. They said the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) did not listen to their concerns and is now being sued. … Sen. Bill Lieske, R-Lonsdale, [is] starting work on a new bill for the next legislative session.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/44Sq9HR
SETTLEMENT: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Along with 35 other states and the District of Columbia, Minnesota has reached a $36.5 million settlement with CVS Pharmacy over allegations that the Rhode Island-based company deliberately overbilled government health care programs when filling and refiling prescriptions for insulin pens. Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Thursday that Minnesota’s share of the multi-state settlement is more than $850,000, with around $400,000 going back to Minnesota’s Medicaid program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f6uGLr
A deep dive into the CD1 race between Rep. Brad Finstad and Jake Johnson for MNSider subscribers. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/49OqNJu
MPLS
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “A line of campers stood to either side of St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and City Council Member Molly Coleman at the newly-refurbished South St. Anthony Park play area and courts. … Community members gathered to celebrate the opening of the remodeled playground, singles tennis court and futsal court, as well as picnic tables and sidewalks. … Parks and Recreation fully replaced a former tennis court with a combination basketball and futsal court, a first for the city. The site hadn’t had a major makeover since the 1990s.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44lnA0Q
UPTOWN: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Business owners in Uptown are begging Minneapolis officials to help postpone a major county road project along Lyndale Avenue, noting they are still recovering from two years of road construction along Hennepin Avenue that shut 67 shops and cost the area an estimated $50 million in lost revenue. … Four of the five city council members who serve on the committee voted in favor of the reconstruction project despite businesses’ outcry against it. The full City Council will vote on the measure on July 16.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pljT52
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
COTTAGE GROVE: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Cottage Grove Mayor Myron Bailey has temporarily relinquished his duties as mayor as he recovers from spinal decompression surgery. Bailey, who was injured in a car accident in November, underwent surgery on July 6. … Council member Justin Olsen is serving as mayor pro tem until he returns. Bailey said Wednesday that he could be off anywhere from two to six weeks, depending on his recovery.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f5s1lh
EDINA/SLP: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Loud train noise overnight prompted a study to explore making several crossings in Edina and St. Louis Park ‘quiet zones,’ but it will cost millions. A new study found it would cost about $10 million to upgrade 16 crossings in St. Louis Park and about $7 million to upgrade seven crossings in Edina. … Chad Millner, engineer and Public Works director for the City of Edina, [said] city leaders are still discussing possible next steps. … Millner said taxpayer funding is possible, but any decision would depend on city leaders and who is affected.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4yfrzcQ
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
FARIBAULT: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Faribault city leaders have agreed to give a data center developer more time to complete the added environmental review for its massive project. The city council voted [this week] to extend the supplemental environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) for Archer Datacenters to March 31, 2027. … The city said the extension will allow Archer Datacenters to gather project-specific information rather than relying on early conceptual plans.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fsPhuU
PINE ISLAND: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Thursday’s info session sponsored by the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce was billed as an opportunity to set the record straight on the highly contentious issue of data centers. … Representatives from Google, Xcel Energy, the Pine Island government and Ryan Companies all [participated]. All are major players are in the data center project in Pine Island, [which] is currently on hold. … During the hour-long discussion, panelists highlighted how the ‘spread of misinformation’ has made it difficult to keep the community informed about the project.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vl9F5O
(DISCLOSURE: Xcel Energy is a Fluence sponsor)
DULUTH: via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “Interim City Administrator Karla Culhane is likely to drop ‘interim’ from her title. The Duluth City Council is expected to approve a contract on Monday that elevates her from the temporary position. Culhane took the city’s top job [in] February. Culhane said it was important she started in an interim role ‘to make sure it worked for the city and it worked for me.’ Now, she said, she’s confident continuing in the role.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SVlTVl
DAYBOOK
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz has no public events.
TODAY: U.S. Rep. Angie Craig will visit St. Cloud for a small business roundtable with state Sen. Aric Putnam at 9:30 a.m. Later, Craig will visit Little Falls for a “canvass launch” with state Senate candidate Tara Killen at 5:30 p.m.
TODAY: via Families Over Billionaires, VERBATIM: “At 12:00 pm, Families Over Billionaires and state partners will bring the Who Pays? Bus Tour to Mankato. The event will lift up local stories on the impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) one year after its passage.”
MONDAY: 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.
MONDAY: DFL Sen. Aric Putnam will hold a town hall in St. Cloud at 6:00 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: Emmer staffer Tayor Reaves, KARE 11’s Matt Kummer. SUN: MNGOP comms leader Rachel Aplikowski, House candidate and MCEA comms guy Aaron Klemz, retiring Rep. Paul Torkelson
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.