THANK YOU VETERANS
A warm-up is on the way. Happy Veterans Day! Thank you to all who served and sacrificed.
As we have a different engagement with the military, a note that over 37% of Minnesota’s 265,000 veterans served in Vietnam. Less than 1% served in World War II. AXIOS: https://fluence-media.co/4oGYRNa
Last night, a new Fluence Brief on “The Reality for MN Republicans” in the Governor’s race for our paid subscribers. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/488hGCM
Timberwolves win. Wild host San Jose tonight.
Vote tomorrow in the House to end the shutdown. Divide in the Democratic party showing up more over the Senate vote.
Dozens of MSP flights are already canceled today, pack your patience. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/3XkRFKe
It’s also National Sundae Day…always worth celebrating.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take had St. Paul Mayor-elect Rep. Kaohly Her sharing how her rise has been “accidental”, what her father’s words have meant, and how she and the late Speaker Melissa Hortman didn’t start on the right foot. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4hMn3uA
The latest insight from Fluence Advisory on the loss of institutional knowledge from the Minnesota Legislature. READ:https://fluence-advisory.com/insights/
ELECTION ‘26
TODAY: Speaker Lisa Demuth and her running mate Ryan Wilson will hold a “Statewide Media Tour” to discuss their gubernatorial platform today, per a release. They will visit Duluth at 9:00 a.m., Moorhead at 12:00 noon, Mankato at 2:30 p.m. and Paynesville at 4:00 p.m.
GOV RACE: Via MPR, background on why Speaker Lisa Demuth chose Ryan Wilson as a running mate. VERBATIM: “Wilson narrowly lost a 2022 race for state auditor. He also represented the GOP caucus in the state Supreme Court this year when the House was unable to muster enough members to meet. At a news conference Monday, Demuth pointed to the close 2022 race, along with Wilson’s focus on rooting out fraud in state programs, as what led her to pick him as a running mate. … Demuth said it was important to select a running mate early to show that her campaign was serious and hitting the ground running.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4p1wuc7
WALZ: One name being floated to be Gov. Tim Walz running mate is PUC Chair Katie Sieben. Suburban, fmr. Senator, well-connected family.
CD5: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis resident Latonya Reeves launched her campaign for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. … She is facing off against incumbent Ilhan Omar. Reeves, a Democrat, says her top priorities are housing, healthcare and public safety. She is a member of the Democratic National Committee and has held a number of local DFL leadership roles. Reeves has also served as vice chair of the Minneapolis Community Commission on Police Oversight.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4qY5cW2
39A: DFL Rep. Erin Koegel spoke to MinnPost about why she’s not seeking reelection in 2026. VERBATIM: “Koegel said she is quitting less because of public safety fears and more because she is not sure what she can accomplish in a divided legislature. … Koegel [said] the partisanship of the Legislature – ‘how people are not open to ideas because of the letter behind your name versus the content of the idea’ — is what made her want to quit.” KOEGEL: “The adversarial nature of the Legislature makes it just a very difficult place to be in. I feel like the environment is getting worse for my own mental health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WKPX4O
GUNS
SPECIAL SESSION: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “For the third time in two weeks, the DFL Party organized a town hall meeting on gun violence to keep up pressure for a special session of the Minnesota Legislature. So far, there is no agreement between Democratic and Republican lawmakers and Governor Tim Walz. … Walz said in his opening remarks at the town hall meeting in Stillwater [that] ‘I’ve asked us simply to put on the floor of the House and Senate a vote on whether we should have limitations on these weapons.’ … Walz said stories [from survivors] keep him pushing for a special session despite Republican opposition. … He says another meeting will be held in the coming weeks. If a special session doesn’t happen, he says, addressing gun violence will be a major focus of the regular session that convenes Feb. 17.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4p2HPIQ
GUN CTRL: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “State Sen. Judy Seeberger says she will back more restrictions on assault-style weapons, a significant shift from the previously undecided swing-district Democrat who could help decide the fate of gun control measures next session. The DFLer from Afton was one of several moderate legislators who did not publicly say how they would vote on gun control proposals pushed by Gov. Tim Walz. … Seeberger [appeared] with Walz at a gun violence prevention town hall Monday afternoon in Stillwater.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JMwKNc
SECURITY: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Last week’s election saw voters approve millions of dollars in property tax increases requested by school districts all over the state. … [Much] of the funding would pay for safety and security upgrades. But in addition to the physical changes and hardware upgrades, schools are also implementing more specific protocols for what to do in an emergency. … [KSTP] reviewed security plans from the top 25 school districts in the Twin Cities and found an overwhelming majority – 20 – are all using the same protocol to respond to critical incidents.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hTmwXL
PROBE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Nearly five months after a string of politically motivated shootings shocked the state of Minnesota, a plan to have an outside agency review the law enforcement response to the attacks [was] considered Monday evening by city councils in Brooklyn Park and Champlin. An ‘After-Action Review Joint Powers Agreement’ contract has been drafted between the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota State Patrol, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the police departments of Brooklyn Park, Champlin and New Hope. … Those agencies are expected to sign a $429,500 contract soon that will conduct an independent review. … The cost of the review would largely fall to Hennepin County and the state, which would pay more than $375,000 of the total.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4p1KQsS
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BUCKET TRUCK: via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “On a crisp autumn morning in Waconia, Minnesota, Laketown Elementary buzzed with excitement as fifth grader Grant Scotting kept his eyes trained on the parking lot. A birthday surprise for Scotting was in the works — and soon it rolled up: a shiny Xcel Energy bucket truck. Scotting, who has special needs and is nonverbal, is known for his love of Xcel Energy. His enthusiasm for the local energy company ranges from reporting outages on his family’s iPad to eagerly opening each monthly bill.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4oq7uei (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
SHUTDOWN
CONGRESS: via AP News, VERBATIM: “The longest shutdown in U.S. history is closer to an end after a small group of Senate Democrats struck a deal with Republicans, [but] the shutdown could last a few more days as members of the House, which has been on recess since mid-September, return to Washington to vote on the legislation. … [Pres. Donald] Trump has signaled support for the bill, saying Monday that ‘we’re going to be opening up our country very quickly.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oz1eBi
DEMOCRATS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The deal to end the [federal] shutdown united Minnesota moderates and progressives in frustration. DFL Sen. Erin Maye Quade, one of the more progressive members of the Minnesota Senate, said the decision by the group of U.S. Senate Democrats to side with Republicans was ‘malpractice.’ … State Sen. Nick Frentz, DFL-North Mankato, who’s part of the DFL’s moderate Blue Dog Coalition, said he wouldn’t have accepted the shutdown deal, either. … The party’s progressive and moderate wings are both trying to chart what they think is the best path forward…but [Rep. Angie] Craig said she doesn’t see an ideological debate in her party as much as one of stamina.” CRAIG: “I’ve been saying for a long time these old labels don’t work: left vs. center. It’s about who you’re fighting for and whom you’re fighting against.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/444Nw0O
HEMP: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Minnesota hemp business leaders say their industry will shutter if Congress passes a proposed deal to reopen the government. That’s because a federal ban on hemp-derived cannabinoid products has made its way into negotiations to end the federal government shutdown. … The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management says it is monitoring the developments with Congress and reviewing proposed language. … Bob Galligan of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Association, which represents around 200 craft brewers in the state, estimates about 70 percent of those brewers are in the hemp market.” GALLIGAN: “We’ve been trying to advocate getting federal language that actually regulates it, not bans it. … This [ban] came out of nowhere, and I think that is kind of the main concern.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nK5H2T
MORE: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “Low-dose THC seltzers have been a lifeline for struggling craft breweries, and a 2021 Minnesota law created a boom of companies that grow, manufacture and sell edibles. … Carol Moss, a cannabis attorney for Hellmuth & Johnson, told Axios [that] the shutdown deal would ban those THC products and also non-intoxicating CBD products. … Businesses could go for one of the state’s limited number of new adult-use licenses, but that would mean much higher taxes and additional banking hurdles, and for breweries it would mean no longer being able to sell beer, Moss said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LUQmPG
DC + MN
FED FUNDS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A $1 billion grant to improve rural health care won’t offset the much bigger losses from looming cuts to the federal Medicaid health program, but Minnesota wasn’t going to miss out on its chance for the money. The state completed its application on time last week for the rural health transformation funding, which President Donald Trump’s administration and congressional Republicans offered to soften the blow of Medicaid cuts. … Minnesota should find out in the next month if it will receive its share. Each state applied for $200 million per year for five years, but the actual amount could vary.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4p8BoUR
BEEF: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Wayzata-based Cargill is one of four meatpacking giants accused by President Donald Trump of collusion, price fixing and manipulation. … Attorney General Pam Bondi said an investigation was underway. … Cargill did not immediately respond to a request for comment, [but] the Meat Institute, a trade group representing meat and poultry processors, said beef packers have been losing money [and] the industry is already heavily regulated. … The supply of cattle is at its lowest level in decades, while demand for beef is rising.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qOH205
IMMIGRANTS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Federal judges in Minnesota and across the U.S. are rejecting the Trump Administration’s claims that immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally are ineligible for bond hearings. … More than 1,000 immigrants in Minnesota have been detained since January, and a growing number are being held without an opportunity to post bond. … Nationwide, federal judges have decided 177 cases in favor of immigrants who were denied a bond hearing or release on bail, according to David Wilson, a Minneapolis attorney. … [But] immigration lawyers say there are not enough of them to help everyone being held without a bond hearing.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WKQtQi
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)
POLICY
SPORTSBETS: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “Legalized sports betting appears to be on the mind of some state lawmakers as they prep for a new session that begins in mid-February. … Republican state Representative Nolan West says sports franchises were originally concerned about the integrity of the game when sports betting first started to roll out nationwide. ‘Since then, basically all the sports teams have come around on that,’ West said. … West plans to introduce a new sports betting bill in St. Paul, [but] this time, he’s hoping it will receive a hearing and discussion, unlike last session. … West adds that the state is looking for more revenue, and sports betting is an avenue for that.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/47PuH2G
(DISCLOSURE: Sports Betting Alliance is a Fluence client)
SCHOOLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Students living in poverty typically face greater academic challenges, with Minnesota’s achievement gaps by race and income among the widest in the nation. … [But] 50 Minnesota high-poverty schools [were] identified through an analysis as ‘beating the odds,’ meaning its students performed far better than expected on state math or reading tests last year. Many of the schools on the list are charter schools, while most of the traditional public schools, with the exception of Jie Ming Mandarin Immersion Academy in St. Paul, are located in Greater Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hQZyRn
DHS OFFICE: via MPR, VERBATIM: “Cleanup is still underway on some floors of the Minnesota Department of Human Services building after a microwave started a fire on the fifth floor. … While workers have slowly been returning to the building, air quality issues and ongoing repairs on several floors have kept many workers at home. Last week, DHS had staff who work on the second, seventh and eighth floors return to the office. But officials are asking that staff who work on floors three to six remain in remote-work mode until at least Thursday. … The agency has not released information on the estimated cost of fire and water damage.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47XS5vk
MEDIA: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “Lakeland PBS says it will stop production of its long-running Lakeland Currents [program] due to cuts in federal funding. A public affairs program based out of both Bemidji and Brainerd, the show [featured] ‘conversation with local leaders, citizens and experts about the issues and events that affect central and northern Minnesota.’ … Lakeland PBS noted the challenges of running a small rural station, for which 70% of federal funding helped ‘fill the gaps’ left by member donations alone.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3LyKUlw
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)
GREATER MN
ROCHESTER: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “[Business owner] Benjamin Zastrow plans to run for the Rochester mayor’s seat in 2026, stating the decision has been more than two years in the making. … The current Rochester Heritage Preservation chairman and president of the Lowertown Neighborhood Association cited a desire to make sure local residents and businesses feel heard amid a period of rapid city growth. … Rochester Mayor Kim Norton said she has not yet determined whether she will seek a third term in office.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43p2ezx
ST CLOUD: via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “A St. Cloud home and community-based service provider has had its license revoked from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, according to an order from the department. Careconnect Health Services LLC [will] have its license revoked as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. … In 2024, a correction order was issued to Careconnect Health Services LLC for not meeting service planning requirements for basic support services; not maintaining service recipient and personnel records; failing to identify positive support strategies; not providing orientation to individual service recipient needs and not maintaining admission and discharge records.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48dgnSb
DULUTH: via WDIO, VERBATIM: “On Monday, local businesses were given a crash course on how to navigate the upcoming Blatnik Bridge replacement project…Kelly Peterson with the Twin Ports Business Alliance said Superior businesses will be heavily affected…With an average of 33,000 cars traveling between the Twin Ports each day, business owners are concerned customer numbers will plummet once construction begins.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3JRG4PT
WHAT’S NEXT
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz will attend the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs’ official Veterans Day event in Mankato at 9:45 a.m. and visit the Minneapolis Veterans Home at 1:45 p.m. The Minneapolis event is closed to the press, per his public schedule.
TODAY: via MDVA advisory, VERBATIM: “The Official State of Minnesota Veterans Day Program is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the Minnesota National Guard Armory in Mankato, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs invites Veterans, families, elected officials and community members.” DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/3LKwFdm
WED-THURS: via MN Senate, VERBATIM: “On Nov. 12-13, Senate Capital Investment Committee Chair Senator Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) and members of the Capital Investment Committee will travel to 12 communities in Northwest Minnesota to learn about proposed projects requesting state matching funds, meet with local officials, and tour project sites.” Sen. Jordan Rasmusson will attend Thursday. SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/4p1LKG6
FRIDAY: via MIRAC advisory, VERBATIM: “As Minneapolis City Council negotiates a 2026 contract with the Police Federation, local organizers are keeping one urgent issue front and center: how will MPD respond to [ICE]? … [MIRAC] will hold a press conference demanding ‘No Consequences? No Contract!’ at the Public Service Building (505 4th Avenue South) at 12:00 p.m. on Friday.”
BDAYS: ag advocate Ruth Melrick, GOP operative Christine Snell, hockey streamer and broadcaster Pete Waggoner, Farmers Union guy Stuart Lourey, DFL pundit and lawyer Abou Amara, entrepreneur Justin Piehowski, nonprofit leader Jeff Johnson, fmr. Commissioner Linda Higgins
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take from now to the future is in memory of Melissa Hortman her accessibility, leadership and commitment to public service.
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