IT’S THE WEEKEND
Twins win.
Medtronic calls workers back to the office. STRIB: https://fluence-media.co/4wfze9H
Minnesota’s average gas prices are back above $4/gallon — up 18 cents in one week. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4ftUOjI
Target commemorated the opening of its largest location in Kentucky with a social media spot featuring Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/44Q7VH4
Sen. Tina Smith endorsed Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, the fourth sitting senator to do so. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4wYiUdq
The White House announced new tariffs on over 80 nations that go into effect today. CNBC: https://fluence-media.co/4fuTsW1
Canada canceled an joint event with the US to celebrate a bridge opening. A metaphor? NBC: https://fluence-media.co/4fvjUyN
Pew Research finds that voters prefer Democrats (37%) over Republicans (36%) on economic issues for the first time since 2017, and Donald Trump’s net approval is -30 points (34% approve, 64% disapprove). POLL: https://fluence-media.co/4wTDKur
Sunday Take will feature Rep. Angie Craig at 9AM on WCCO Radio.
It’s National Tequila Day and National Drive-Thru Day, which you can’t celebrate in Minneapolis.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take featured DFLers Matt Little, Sen. Matt Klein and Rep. Kaela Berg for the CD2 DFL primary debate. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4yssTcu
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SMARTER WITH ☕️
DFLHOUSE: First in morning take the next fundraising filing from the House DFL on Monday will report raising $2.8 million in 2026, and $5.4 million the report will show least $2.4 million cash on hand.
DATA CENTERS: Via KSTP, a statewide survey shows Minnesotans have negative feelings toward data centers as local moratoriums on their construction become increasingly common across the state. Results are summarized below. POLL: https://fluence-media.co/4fhwMtr
CONSTRUCTION: 60% oppose the construction of new data centers in their area, while 27% support it and 13% are unsure. By ideology, 37% of conservatives, 26% of moderates and 17% of liberals support local data center construction. By geography, 34% in urban areas, 26% in suburban areas and 23% in rural areas support it.
SUBSIDIES: 69% oppose government subsidies for local data centers, while 20% support them and 12% are unsure. By ideology, 27% of conservatives, 19% of moderates and 13% of liberals support these subsidies.
REASONS: The most common reason to oppose data centers is concern for straining local resources at 30%, followed by general A.I. issues at 18%. Other concerns include costs at 13%, pollution at 12% and quality of life at 7%.
TAKE: The data center pushback is one of the most significant U-Turns in public opinion I’ve seen in my career. It matches the mob mentality of our politics today. For instance, in Minnesota energy rates are regulated and there haven’t been subsidies offered. One of the greatest ironies is that the most social media obsessed politicians are the ones who are loudest about data centers - which are required for them to use their technology. Fear lens politics is not a way to move forward for an economy that will leave Minnesota behind if we don’t find growth.
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THE TRAIL
LINDELL: Republican Mike Lindell’s social media post announcing his proposed immigration policies, seen in yesterday’s morning take, has been deleted following conservative backlash to his ideas. His gubernatorial campaign website has also been updated. EXCERPT: “As governor, Mike will oppose sanctuary policies, back strong border security, and support enforcement that removes criminals and fraud from the system while respecting those who follow the rules and work hard. … Mike also supports legal green card and visa holders and hope[s] they apply for citizenship to join our community fully.” WEBPAGE: https://fluence-media.co/3R7Qbnt
MORE: On social media, Mike Lindell and running mate Phillip Parrish both posted statements clarifying their campaign’s position on immigration.
LINDELL: “Some of my comments have been taken out of context about guest worker visas, in which people take seasonal jobs for a few months. I absolutely do not support amnesty, that is FAKE NEWS.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3TlQJXq
PARRISH: “They’re calling it ‘amnesty.’ They’re calling it ‘open borders.’ They’re calling it everything except what it actually is. … Share the actual policy. Read it yourself. Don’t let the gotcha activists control the frame.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3RUoM8G
NOTE: The state government is not directly responsible for handling immigration, but Mike Lindell told the Washington Examiner that he would work with the federal government to implement his ideas. Yesterday’s morning take featured more details on Lindell’s initial plans for immigration. ICYMI: https://fluence-media.co/4wkbcKZ
RALLY: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Mike Lindell rallied with about 100 people on Wednesday night at his first campaign event in Minnesota since President Donald Trump issued his endorsement. … Lindell spoke at length about his past dealing with addiction, his relationship to Trump and some policies he’s running on, such as cutting taxes. … [Running mate] Phillip Parrish also said that should they be elected, Minnesota would pull out of an alliance of governors that remain committed to goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, which holds members accountable to reduce their emissions by 2035. The pair also shared their opposition to Sharia, the religious law of Islam.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fV1xUf
NEW AD: Republican Kendall Qualls released a new ad for his gubernatorial campaign, titled “Minnesota is Broken.” The ad begins with footage of riots and buildings on fire before cutting to Qualls saying the state needs “immediate restoration.” He then details his credentials and says he is “the only candidate that can beat the socialists and Amy Klobuchar” in November. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4ftRvcf
DEMS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “In Angie Craig’s Senate campaign, one word keeps surfacing: fighter. It’s the centerpiece of nearly every speech [and] ad. … Craig’s U.S. Senate campaign is testing a broader Democratic theory that is gaining traction among some strategists: combative centrism. The premise is that moderates don’t have to surrender the politics of confrontation to the party’s left flank at a moment when Democratic voters are demanding candidates take the fight to Donald Trump — and, in many cases, their own party’s establishment. … Craig’s campaign won’t settle the debate over the Democratic Party’s future, but it could offer an early indication of whether primary voters are looking for someone who campaigns with a fighter message and also governs from the center.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hzjOZk
ENDORSEMENTS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Republican Party’s endorsement is typically the ticket to the November ballot. But the endorsed candidates for governor and U.S. Senate in particular face stiff challenges this year that could derail that straight shot. … If either [Kendall] Qualls, [Adam] Schwarze or both lose, it would reverse a three-decade trend for Minnesota Republicans. … The stakes go beyond this election. If future candidates decide the endorsement isn’t worth it, they might head straight to a primary and focus their messages beyond [primary] voters. … For Qualls, the endorsement [has] brought little momentum.” QUALLS: “It’s been a jump. It hasn’t been a high dive springboard, if you will.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pDQT8z
STATE GOV
BWCAW: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Select areas of the Boundary Waters are reopening Monday for visitors as firefighters continue to battle wildfires. Superior National Forest officials announced on Thursday that day-use access entry points in Cook County will reopen on July 27. However, forest officials said overnight permits for all of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) are not allowed through Wednesday, July 29.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4gVhfRd
WILDFIRES: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Wildfires continue to burn in northeastern Minnesota, but Drew Stroberg, acting supervisor for the Superior National Forest, said there’s been ‘pretty benign fire activity’ over the past week, thanks in part to rainfall. … Still, rain can also bring more lightning, which is a problem when there’s so much dry organic material around to serve as fuel.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yIMCFg
DNR: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday that it is pursuing recovery costs tied to the [2025] Camp House Fire. … The DNR said it is seeking an estimated $4.3 million from Parker John Wilson. Last year, Wilson pleaded guilty to starting the Camp House Fire in St. Louis County. … The Camp House Fire burned more than 12,070 acres near Brimson and destroyed more than 180 structures, including homes.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/455nIC9
MOVE: Minnesota Solicitor General Liz Kramer is leaving the Attorney General’s Office at the end of the week, and she will join the law firm Dorsey & Whitney in September. Deputy Solicitor General Peter Farell is now the acting solicitor general.
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
AFFADAVITS: via Fox 9, VERBATIM: “A federal judge raised concerns about sworn statements made by a federal immigration agent who is connected to dozens of criminal cases during Operation Metro Surge… Prosecutors dropped criminal assault charges against Christina Rank earlier this week. The Department of Homeland Security initially accused Rank, who is an Inver Grove Heights paraprofessional, of causing a collision with the agent’s car in January…In a sworn affidavit signed by HSI agent Richard Berger, the government accused Rank of assaulting the federal officer… The FOX 9 Investigators found Berger signed sworn affidavits connected to at least 25 cases where the government accused people of assaulting federal officers in Minnesota… In one case, Magistrate Judge David Schultz raised concerns about an apparent “false affidavit.” SCHULTZ: “It is without a doubt in the court’s mind that Mr. Berger does not, did not have any personal knowledge of the events described in the affidavits that he submitted to this court,” Schultz said during a court proceeding in April.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45iwoF5
US ATTY: via Rep. Tom Emmer advisory, VERBATIM: “Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) led the Minnesota Republican delegation in sending a letter to U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen regarding the alarming rise of Somali gang violence in Minnesota. … The delegation is urging U.S. Attorney Rosen to continue his great work keeping Minnesota safe by holding these Somali gang members accountable for their crimes.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4gOfzce
DISASTER AID: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Keith Ellison joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general and two governors today in suing to stop [the] decisions by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to impose unlawful conditions on billions of dollars in federal funds that Congress appropriated for states to use in preparing for and responding to emergencies and natural disasters, including acts of terrorism.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gUvyFK
HIV: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A long-standing federal funding program that supports HIV prevention efforts nationwide may soon come to an end [after] the Trump Administration’s Office of Management and Budget informed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it will not reauthorize $46 million in [grants]. … The shift in funding has raised concern among grantees about the continuity of financial support for their work, as the funds will no longer be allocated directly to the organizations. The Aliveness Project, located in south Minneapolis, is one of the organizations affected by the decision. The Minneapolis-based Indigenous Peoples Task Force, which also receives direct CDC funding, is the other.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fr7Zlq
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)
ACROSS MN
CRIME: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “The Council on Criminal Justice released its mid-year crime trends report on Thursday, showing that crime rates are declining in the Twin Cities. … In Minneapolis, homicide rates are 30% lower so far in 2026. Motor vehicle theft has increased 24% in the same time. Overall, crime rates are still up in Minneapolis when compared to 2019. It is one of four cities in the study that has more crime than in 2019. … In St. Paul, motor vehicle theft declined by 5% in the past year. The city’s homicide rates were not included in the study.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fRPEzm
MORE: Former St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell told WCCO Radio that he thinks Minneapolis and St. Paul would have lower crime rates if they did not have a shortage of police officers. AXTELL: “The more crimes you solve, the less crimes you have in the future because very few people, proportionally in your community, commit most of the crime. … I don’t want more officers. I want enough officers.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4vMvQSU
ST PAUL: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Three long-standing encampments that will soon be broken up, [and] the announcement has sparked sharp opposition, which was visible during a packed public hearing at City Hall Wednesday afternoon. Dozens of community members — including unhoused people and those who provide help at the encampments — testified that the clearings would hurt camp residents. … Although the amount of available long-term housing has not increased — more than 2,600 people and families are on the waitlist for Ramsey County’s coordinated entry list — Mayor Kaohly Her said the goal is to get people connected to resources in time for winter.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fQgbgm
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)
SHAKOPEE: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “City leaders in Shakopee have voted to revoke the license of a hotel they claim has become a hot bed for crime, including prostitution, sex trafficking, drug use, and gang violence. In a 4-1 vote [this week], council members stripped the Baymont by Wyndham Hotel of its license to operate. … Since 2025, police have documented 84 incidents of criminal activity at the hotel, including the deaths of two individuals in 2025 from suspected drug overdoses.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TSyadx
SHERBURNE CTY: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Sherburne County residents could face the county’s biggest property tax levy increase in a decade as commissioners weigh a 9.6% hike for 2027. … Sherburne County Commissioner Andrew Hulse said unfunded state and federal mandates in the county’s Health and Human Services Department are driving the possible tax increase. He said those costs account for roughly 5% of the estimated 9.6% levy increase, and the rest would largely go to inflationary costs. … [The] tax levy is not expected to be voted on until December.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3RRQVNG
DAYBOOK
TODAY: Governor Tim Walz will attend the Folds of Honor Ceremony at the 3M Open and will attend the opening of the Minnesota Sustainable Aviation Fuel Hub.
TODAY: Rep. Pete Stauber will join the Duluth Seaway Port Authority to highlight $5 million in federal funding for refurbishing cranes and rail infrastructure. The event is at 11:30 a.m.
TODAY: Endorsed CD2 DFL candidate Matt Little will host a “Medicare for All Healthcare Forum” with Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal in Eagan at 10:00 a.m. Later, the duo will host a “Medicare for All Canvassing Launch” to support Little’s CD2 campaign in Apple Valley at 3:00 p.m.
TODAY: DFL Sen. Grant Hauschild, GOP Rep. Roger Skraba and the Ely Chamber of Commerce will host a forum covering “the economic impact of Northland wildfires on tourism and other industries,” per a release. The event is at 11:30 a.m.
TODAY: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Sen. Tina Smith and Rep. Ilhan Omar will host a rally for Flanagan’s Senate campaign in St. Paul on Friday, July 24 at 7:00 p.m.
TOMORROW: 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.’”
TUESDAY: 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.
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.