FINAL PUSH
Twins lost. Lynx win and Kayla McBride shot the lights out breaking the WNBA 3-point record in a game.
The scooters took over downtown this weekend. WCCO: https://fluence-media.co/4wPkdvx
Todd Blanche was confirmed as the nation’s new attorney general, 50-49. NBC: https://fluence-media.co/4xoLWmK
Sunday Take featured a deep dive into the August primaries, the highs and lows of each candidate and more. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4gm1n9B
Tomorrow night Fox 9 will stream and broadcast full coverage of results.
They say today is National Lazy Day, really on a Monday? Poor planning.
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A great weekend for weather and Savanah Banana’s have a ton of new fans, the front walkway was power washed and candidates worked the final push at Game Fair and the final summer festivals of summer.
While there’s been so much attention on the statewide primaries, there are legislative primaries that could add to the new blood for the next legislative session especially in the Senate. Here is a list of Senate primaries worth watching considering the angst mood of anti-incumbents:
SD 5 Sen. Paul Utke vs. Rep. Mike Wiener
SD 10 Sen. Nathan Wesenberg vs. Deb Holthaus
SD 38 Sen. Susan Pha vs. Nehemiah Garley
SD 46 Sen. Ron Latz vs. Lynette Dumalag
SD 60 Sen. Doron Clark vs. Mohamed Jama
SD 62 Sen. Omar Fateh vs. Brenda Short and Jeanelle Austin
A notable endorsement from Sen. Paul Gazelka for Speaker Lisa Demuth while Mike Lindell endorsed Royce White. Matt Little loaned his campaign another $30K, he also took a donation from a Nvidia employee which is interesting since he’s called for a data center moratorium.
Buzz about prediction markets as Lisa Demuth has still closed the gap against Mike Lindell. Will the markets match the results? Via Kalshi here’s where the money is on tomorrow’s primary.
Saturday’s MNSider Brief covered which candidates are most likely to win their primaries based on fundraising, polling and more. ICYMI: https://fluence-media.co/4hpe1pj
THE TRAIL
TURNOUT: The latest state data shows that early voting turnout for Minnesota’s 2026 primary is higher than usual, hitting nearly 174,000 accepted ballots this weekend (91,000 by mail, 83,000 in-person). Final absentee ballot counts from previous state primaries include nearly 128,000 in 2024; 155,000 in 2022; and 144,000 in 2018. The all-time record for early voting in a primary is over 543,000 in 2020 due to the pandemic. MPR notes that Minnesota may see over 1 million primary voters for the very first time once Tuesday voting is finished — the state came close in 2018, with over 925,000 total primary votes. DETAILS: DATA | MPR
QUESTIONS: Via Forum News Service, a look at several key questions that Tuesday’s primary will answer, including the influence of money, the effectiveness of endorsements, the willingness to moderate and more. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3U6GwhQ
DFL SEN: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Millions in spending by outside groups to influence the hotly contested U.S. Senate primary race between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig is filling the airwaves with attack ads and demonstrating the power of money in politics. … Craig told MinnPost she ‘deplores the onslaught of money’ in political races. But she also said she is not about to disarm unilaterally and ban corporate donors or discourage the help of outside groups. … She also said she’d welcome tighter restrictions on campaign funding, just as long as they applied to all candidates for political office.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4z8lU8Y
MORE: via AP News, VERBATIM: “The immigration debate is an added schism in a race that otherwise echoes many of the other left versus center divides that have played out across the United States this year. … [Angie] Craig is no stranger to tough races, but until now the heat was from the right.” CRAIG: “I consider myself a progressive. Every race that I run, Republicans run ads against me saying I vote with Democrats 96, 97% of the time. Of course, in the primary, people want to point out the few votes I’ve taken against Democrats.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4glRHMf
MORE: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was asked about the Minnesota DFL Senate primary on CBS Face the Nation yesterday, and he said he is not confident Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan will win despite his endorsement. SANDERS: “I hope very much that Peggy wins…[but] no, I’m not confident. I think it’s going to be a very, very close race. I think she is being outspent seven to one, and under those circumstances, it’s tough for anybody to win. But she has a good ground game.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4x0IsHa
GOP SEN: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “A rift over the best candidate to run for [Senate] involving the national Republican Party and far-right political activist Laura Loomer was on display [last] week. … Adam Schwarze, the Republican Party’s endorsed candidate, has always been a thorn in the national GOP’s side. The Republican National Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has been heavily promoting Michele Tafoya and helping her campaign. … The NRSC issued a release [calling] Schwarze [a] ‘transgender porn enthusiast,’ [with] a link to a May post by Loomer that said Schwarze’s account on X followed a transgender porn account. Schwarze denied the allegation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4coRky3
CD2: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Outside groups are spending millions to support state Sen. Matt Klein, the moderate candidate in the [CD2] race. A group called 314 Action dropped $1.2 million on Klein on Monday to boost him over his two primary opponents, progressives Matt Little, a former Lakeville mayor who won the DFL endorsement, and state Rep. Kaela Berg. The political action committee supports Democratic doctors and scientists — including [Michigan’s] Abdul El-Sayed — [but] the influx of last-minute money indicates donors may be worried a progressive Democrat could hurt their chances.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wnWMZn
MORE LEADERS. MORE IDEAS. COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION: You are invited to attend Compeer Financial’s complimentary Rooted & Rising: Rural Forum this September 14-16 as leaders from across rural communities come together to strengthen the towns we call home. The event brings together community champions, local officials, nonprofit partners and business leaders to explore strategies that strengthen rural economies and expand opportunities. You’ll join more than 30 speakers and fellow leaders for practical ideas, inspiring stories and meaningful connections focused on economic development, workforce, housing, entrepreneurship and community leadership. We encourage you to invite a colleague, community partner or fellow rural changemaker to join you. Registration will remain open as space allows. Secure your seat at no cost today. REGISTER: https://fluence-media.co/4q3pJZ2 (SPONSORED: Compeer Financial)
STATE GOVT
BALLOTS: via MPR, VERBATIM: “There is a new court challenge over absentee ballot board makeup. A conservative group is suing three local governments on grounds they have not properly established election ballot boards. The Minnesota Voters Alliance claims the city of Plymouth and counties of Hennepin and Anoka failed to follow proper procedure in appointing the ballot boards to accept or reject absentee ballots and administer early voting. … In the filing with the Minnesota Supreme Court, the group asks for an order that declares the board makeups as unlawful for the jurisdictions involved.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gniBDu
POLICE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Since [2020], more than 1,000 Minnesota police and firefighters have retired early due to a disability like PTSD — about as many as in the prior four decades. To try to stem the tide, state lawmakers invested $100 million in 2023 to pay for mental health treatment for emergency responders. … [But] since the program began three years ago, 337 emergency responders have gone through with mental health treatment. Out of those, just 17, or 5%, have returned to work.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q2iZuk
REFUGEES: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “On average, about 2,000 to 3,000 refugees arrived in the state each year over the previous 45 years, [but] new data from the Minnesota Department of Human Services shows just 111 refugees have arrived in Minnesota so far this fiscal year — and all of them are white Afrikaners from South Africa. … The change has forced refugee resettlement organizations across Minnesota to reconsider what their work looks like — and what the future of the system will be.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q8RsaM
INTL CASH: via Patch News, VERBATIM: “Banks and money transmitters in Hennepin and Ramsey counties are on the hook for another six months of extra paperwork. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network renewed an order Aug. 7 requiring those institutions to report international money transfers of $3,000 or more, a tool investigators say has helped them track down stolen government benefits money leaving the country.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fJaSzu
MOVE: Via Office of the Governor, Grace Arnold is leaving her role as commissioner of the MN Dept. of Commerce. Julia Dreier, deputy commissioner of insurance, will serve as temporary commerce commissioner, effective immediately.
The latest MNSider Brief covered which candidates are most likely to win their primaries based on fundraising, polling and more. ICYMI: https://fluence-media.co/4hpe1pj
HEMP: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “In the early morning hours of Saturday, the U.S. Senate passed a budget with a provision, led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, to temporarily delay a nationwide hemp ban that has alarmed Minnesota’s booming industry of home-grown hemp products and THC seltzers. The bill still needs House approval in the fall to become law and thwart a government shutdown at the end of September. … [But] the bill has grown more popular with Republicans, given supportive signals from the White House.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45cNZ1l
RESPONSE: via Sen. Amy Klobuchar statement, KLOBUCHAR: “This is good news for Minnesota’s farmers, brewers, small businesses, and customers. The Senate has passed a bipartisan bill with a key provision based on my legislation to delay the ill-conceived federal hemp ban, which I opposed last year. This delay provides more time to find a long-term solution.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xtGtLo
(DISCLOSURE: Plift is a Fluence client)
ELECTIONS: via Rep. Brad Finstad advisory, VERBATIM: “Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) sent a letter to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon regarding the integrity of Minnesota’s election system and concerns about the potential for individuals who are not legally eligible to vote, including those unlawfully present in the United States, to register to vote or cast ballots in Minnesota elections. The letter highlights vulnerabilities within Minnesota’s ‘Driver’s License for All’ law and Secretary Simon’s refusal to turn over voter rolls to the Department of Justice.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4g2XgxO
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)
OUTSIDE
MINING: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota mining industry is set to get a big boost. The Trump Administration announced last week over $2 billion in funding toward new mining projects, battery materials and rare earth alternatives, including over $180 million for mining education and training. The grants are aimed at expanding the mining and critical-mineral workforce. … Schools like the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Duluth could benefit from these new grants.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4xs9xTz
BWCAW: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Superior National Forest officials say over 1,500 campsites within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) will be open across the wilderness later this week after the next phase of reopening takes effect. Entry points around Big Moose Lake and Big Lake will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 13. … Approximately 500 other campsites remain closed within the wilderness due to ongoing wildfire activity.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4zeTOcr
DROUGHT: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Recent weeks of below-normal rainfall and above-average temperatures have caused water levels in many lakes to fall, frustrating property owners and cutting into boating, fishing and swimming [revenues]. … Lake levels around the state are low, but the steepest drops are in northeast and north-central Minnesota. Some lakes in Cass and Hubbard counties are up to 4 feet lower than 2020.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RUHihq
GOLF: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “The St. Paul City Council has opened the door to lighting golf courses for night use. Under an ordinance amendment approved [last week], golf courses such as the Highland National Golf Course could remain lit until 10 p.m. and host mini-golf. … The ordinance amendment was approved 7-0.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4g08enE
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)
METRO
MPLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Metro Transit is getting started on extending the Gold Line to downtown Minneapolis. Last week, the agency broke ground for a new enhanced station at I-94 and Snelling Avenue, the first tangible sign that construction is underway. … When the extension opens in 2027, the Gold Line will provide frequent all-day service seven days a week, [officials] said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wWaXpO
ST PAUL: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “A new homeless encampment has popped up in St. Paul’s West End after the closure of one in Pig’s Eye Park. Roughly three dozen displaced residents have set up a new camp near Randolph Avenue and Shepherd Road, with Ramsey County teams on site to provide resources. Both advocates and people living there expressed deep skepticism for the city’s approach of clearing encampments.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4hkdmpa
WOODBURY: via MPR, VERBATIM: “A conservative news site is going to the state Supreme Court in another effort to unlock body camera footage related to Nicole Mitchell’s 2024 arrest now that she’s a political candidate again. The former DFL state senator is running for Woodbury City Council, which is noted in the Alpha News petition to the high court. … The new petition says continuing to suppress the footage ‘will distort the law and breed public distrust.’ Justices could solicit briefs in the case before deciding whether to take it up.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gniBDu
ISANTI CTY: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Isanti County has opted to discontinue use of Flock license plate readers amid controversy, with the county sheriff citing budgetary reasons. … The cameras [are] priced at $3,000 each. However, [the sheriff] did not rule out the use of Flock cameras in the future.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q6ARUQ
GREATER MN
DODGE CTY: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office says it will move its inmates out of Olmsted County in light of a significant increase in the jail’s daily rates. … Dodge County Sheriff Scott Rose said his office would no longer be housing inmates at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center due to cost increases. The Olmsted County Board of Commissioners recently voted to raise the daily rate at the jail from $75 to $323 per inmate beginning in 2027.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4z95n4D
OLMSTED CTY: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “A new online dashboard is tracking the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Olmsted County. … The new dashboard tracks the monthly number of single adults known to be facing homelessness, as well as information on how people are entering and exiting homelessness. The July update shows 310 people were homeless, which was up from 287 in June.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q7ASYV
TRIBES: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Tribes were the seeds for the state’s budding [marijuana] industry and have become crucial suppliers for dispensaries across Minnesota. But the most consequential benefit for tribes is the ability to operate their own dispensaries beyond reservation boundaries. No other state allows this. Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) said other states and tribal nations are looking to mirror its approach — including Virginia, Wisconsin, New York, Connecticut and California, where tribal cannabis is restricted to reservation lands.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4zcKCoU
LOOKING AHEAD
TODAY: Republican gubernatorial candidate Kendall Qualls will cast his primary vote in Medina today, with press invited. The event is at 10:00 a.m.
TODAY: Sec. Steve Simon and members of his office will brief the press about the upcoming Aug. 11 primary at 11:30 a.m.
TOMORROW: Republican Senate candidate Michele Tafoya will cast her primary vote in Edina tomorrow, with press invited. The event is at 10:00 a.m.
TOMORROW: Minnesota will hold its Aug. 11 primary elections for both major parties. Polls will close at 8:00 p.m.
THIS WEEK: Fluence sponsor Xcel Energy and industry partners are hosting a series of open houses on their planned “PowerOn Midwest” electric transmission projects from Tuesday, Aug. 4 to Thursday, Aug. 13. SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/4yHUlDi
SEPT 9: The IRRR Board is hosting its third annual “State of the Range” event in Chisholm on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 4:00 p.m.
We won’t ask for “membership” to list your BDAY, and we won’t have pledge drive but you can support the Fluence work by paying for premium content.
BDAYS: Flint Hills’ Jake Reint, lobbyist Charlie Carlson, House DFLer Mike Molzahn, Fairview’s Natasha Orrick
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.