Democrats On Defensive In Battle For House Control
Control of the Minnesota House hinged Tuesday on fewer than two dozen races where loads of money fed fierce contests between the Democrats in charge and the Republicans looking to take over.
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Control of the Minnesota House hinged Tuesday on fewer than two dozen races where loads of money fed fierce contests between the Democrats in charge and the Republicans looking to take over.
Democratic Sen. Al Franken hoped to win a second term in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday more comfortably than he won his first. Franken's victory by a mere 312 votes in a 2008 recount made him an alluring target for Republicans, who hoped to seize control of the Senate.
The leading candidates for Minnesota's top offices are spending the final campaign weekend giving pep talks to the party faithful knocking on doors and calling persuadable voters. Democratic Sen. Al Franken told canvassers in a St. Paul suburb that races are "won at the door" and says his 312-vote win six years ago proves nothing can be taken for granted.
In a cramped office tucked behind an old 10-cent general store, the voice of 10-year-old Parker Hall cuts through the hum of non-stop conversation. Fueled by bottles of Dr Pepper and a big bag of candy, he asks if he can count on a vote for GOP candidates. Then another call. And another. He's at it for hours.
Minnesota is one week out from Election Day, and many political campaigns are going "old school." Thousands of Minnesota mailboxes are filling up with campaign literature.
Democrats seeking to maintain control of Minnesota's House of Representatives have a hefty cash advantage heading into Election Day. Fundraising reports Tuesday show House Democrats' campaign arm has more than $1 million on hand.
President Barack Obama is making a rare appearance on the campaign trail to help the Democratic challenger to Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin's hotly contested race. Obama was scheduled to campaign Tuesday evening with Democrat Mary Burke, a former Trek Bicycles executive and state commerce secretary who is running close against Walker.
Upbeat music played while Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered an upbeat message to a crowd of 2,000 at St. Paul's Macalester College Thursday. "I'm still feeling that grandmother glow," Clinton said. The new grandma touted Minnesota's economic recovery as a model for all states.
The Associated Press invited Gov. Mark Dayton and his GOP challenger, Republican Jeff Johnson, to respond to several questions ahead of next month's election. Here are their verbatim answers.
Two Democratic state senators face ethics hearings in the coming weeks over Republican allegations that they misused their political positions for personal gain.
Democrats Sen. Al Franken and Gov. Mark Dayton are hoping for a boost from former President Bill Clinton. Clinton headlined a get-out-the-vote rally at the University of Minnesota on Friday, calling on young voters to break the pattern of low turnout for Democrats in midterm elections. Speaking to an auditorium packed with college students, Dayton and Franken emphasized policies they've pushed to help students.
Republican Senate challenger Mike McFadden is turning a Minnesota Senate debate against Democratic incumbent Al Franken into an infomercial. McFadden's campaign announced Friday it would pay to re-air their only one-on-one debate so far.
Democrats are continuing their TV ad war against Republican 8th district Congressional candidate Stewart Mills, calling him an "out of touch millionaire." But if he's elected, Mills would join hundreds of other millionaires in Congress, including many from Minnesota.
Minnesota Republicans are again accusing Gov. Mark Dayton's administration of using shoddy math to show a lower increase in policy costs through the state's health care exchange. State officials this week said plans on MNsure would rise by 4.5 percent on average for 2015. They got the figure by averaging each provider's average increase or decrease.
A mining project under regulatory review has fueled a sharp exchange among Minnesota's candidates for governor. At a debate Wednesday night, Republican challenger Jeff Johnson accused Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton's administration of "slow-walking" a regulatory review of the PolyMet copper-nickel mine project in northeastern Minnesota.
WCCO is hosting a debate between U.S. Senate candidates Mike McFadden and the incumbent Sen. Al Franken on Sunday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. We're looking for your questions!
In the chilly curling hall-turned-community center, hundreds of iron miners gathered on a September afternoon to celebrate five decades of feeding America's thirst for steel. Some on walkers, some still wearing hardhats, they listened and cheered as a procession of speakers recounted stories of mining's trials and victories through the years until one — state Rep. Jason Metsa — cleared his throat and stepped back to the microphone.
National Democrats are spending more than a $1 million on television campaign ads taunting Republican congressional candidate Stewart Mills. It's a signal that Democrats take first-time candidate Mills seriously in northern Minnesota's Eighth District race against incumbent Congressman Rick Nolan.
State Senate Republicans are questioning a powerful Democrat's involvement with a Minneapolis nonprofit that spent more than $800,000 in taxpayer dollars on trips and personal expenses. Minneapolis Sen. Jeff Hayden sat on the board of Community Action Minneapolis, which was found in an audit to have misused state grants to help low income people.
There's a change at the top of Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson's campaign with six weeks to go in the race. Johnson announced Friday that he was switching campaign managers.
Republican Jeff Johnson moved Thursday to make health insurance problems a bigger part of his campaign against Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, saying Minnesota's plan for complying with the Affordable Care Act is causing sticker shock as well as logistical headaches.
Several upcoming events on the calendar could help energize campaigns for Minnesota governor and legislative offices. They'll drive the messages voters will hear from candidates and their allies over the next two months.
The seat in Minnesota's 6th congressional district is completely up for grabs, with Rep. Michele Bachmann opting not to run for re-election. While the District is heavily Republican, two years ago businessman and Democrat Jim Graves came within one percentage point of beating Bachmann.
Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican challenger Jeff Johnson are getting big infusions of public money for their campaigns. Dayton received $534,000 in public subsidies in his bid for a second term, while Johnson took in about $389,000.
A new television ad from Minnesota Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike McFadden accuses Democratic Sen. Al Franken of voting almost 100 percent of the time with President Obama. The ad, with a humorous tone, ties Franken to Obama with a very Minnesotan insult: a Franken look-alike struggling to back his boat into the water.
If the case is moved to federal jurisdiction, it will still be prosecuted by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
Minnesota coach Dawn Plitzuweit has welcomed an infusion of new talent and agreed to a new contract.
It may have been a bumpy start when Jayden Kurtz first stepped on the ice. Fast forward 15 years and Kurtz is coming off a week spent at the NHL draft combine.
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, there have been 30 motorcycle fatalities so far this year. There were only 13 at this same time last year.
Federal officers arrested two more anti-ICE protesters Wednesday in the Twin Cities, with both going before a judge in St. Paul federal court hours later.
If the case is moved to federal jurisdiction, it will still be prosecuted by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
Federal officers arrested two more anti-ICE protesters Wednesday in the Twin Cities, with both going before a judge in St. Paul federal court hours later.
Twin Cities native Michael Larsen, better known as Eyedea, made a name for himself with his freestyle battle rap skills and as one-half of the duo Eyedea & Abilities.
We love the water here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and researchers are hoping to better understand what we think about their water quality.
This time in track and field, Lucy Haugland is competing in the 400, 800 and 1,500 meters in front of a hometown crowd.
Aaron Banks, 52, entered a guilty plea to one count of theft as part of a plea deal, according to court records.
A crash between an SUV and a motorcycle in eastern Minnesota earlier this month left three people dead, officials said.
Authorities say a semi truck driver in southern Minnesota sideswiped another vehicle Tuesday morning, causing a collision with a third car and killing one of the drivers.
A man charged with threatening a police officer with a knife inside a northern Minnesota dollar store before the officer shot him has been found not guilty due to mental illness, according to court records.
A proposed data center in Elk River, Minnesota, is drawing major backlash from residents.
Jim Troupis, Mike Roman, and Ken Chesebro entered not guilty pleas in Dane County Circuit Court on Tuesday to 11 felony forgery charges tied to a scheme to submit false electoral certificates to Congress after Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020.
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Hannah Dugan's obstruction of justice conviction will stand, rejecting her legal team's argument that a recent appeals court ruling should have invalidated the case.
A big birthday party is coming up this summer, one that every American can celebrate. And it could help the fireworks industry explode with record sales. WCCO explores how much Americans spend each year on fireworks.
A man serving a life sentence in a Wisconsin prison for killing six hunters during a confrontation over trespassing in 2004 has died, officials said.
Two women were involved in a deadly head-on crash Tuesday night in Chisago City, Minnesota.
On the Lake Harriet shoreline in Minneapolis Saturday evening, dozens of children picked up a fishing rod for the first time.
Hours after the announcement, community members were eager to learn more about the one challenged with leading the most scrutinized police department in the country.
Created by Freedom Reads, a nonprofit organization in Connecticut, the Inside Literary Prize is the first major U.S. book award decided exclusively by incarcerated readers.
A 23-year-old man from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, faces a criminal vehicular homicide charge after prosecutors say he hit and killed a person on a highway, then fled.
Quincy Street isn't just at the center of Art-A-Whirl, it's at the heart of the Arts District in northeast Minneapolis. The road itself, however, is falling apart. And the only thing bumpier than the exposed brick is the reaction to the city's plans to fix it.
Federal officers arrested two more anti-ICE protesters Wednesday in the Twin Cities, with both going before a judge in St. Paul federal court hours later.
The feds arrested two more anti-ICE protesters today. Both were in front of a judge in St. Paul Federal court this afternoon. Esme Murphy has the latest developments.
Minnesota lawmakers are now calling for Metro Transit to scrap its plans to expand the light rail, more than half a decade into the project.
The agreement, as read by senior U.S. officials, allows Iran to immediately begin exporting oil and petroleum products.
Jim Troupis, Mike Roman, and Ken Chesebro entered not guilty pleas in Dane County Circuit Court on Tuesday to 11 felony forgery charges tied to a scheme to submit false electoral certificates to Congress after Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020.
Target is tapping designer and TV personality Isaac Mizrahi for a newly created role as creative director at large as the discounter aims to reclaim its reputation for stylish clothing on a budget.
Target is voluntarily recalling two types of baby wipes due to concerns that the products may be contaminated with bacteria that may cause "serious and life-threatening infections," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday.
The dream of a woman in Minnesota started with excitement, but quickly unraveled into loss after she said she fell victim to a scheme that targeted more than 30 Spanish speakers.
For years, it was all hands on deck; a business model buoyed by a bevy of free time that sent sales surging in a way never before seen. But as Minnesota enters lake season, outdoor sales for boats, jet skis and more have almost dropped anchor.
Jester Concepts' Monday announcement noted that Borough will mark its remaining five weeks of service through June 27 with events celebrating the restaurant's history, and it encouraged customers to reserve tables during the final weeks.
If the case is moved to federal jurisdiction, it will still be prosecuted by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
Federal officers arrested two more anti-ICE protesters Wednesday in the Twin Cities, with both going before a judge in St. Paul federal court hours later.
A St. Paul man is accused of threatening Kaohly Her when she served in the Minnesota House of Representatives on the day her colleague Melissa Hortman was assassinated inside her home.
Aaron Banks, 52, entered a guilty plea to one count of theft as part of a plea deal, according to court records.
Aimee Bock filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on June 16, contesting both her guilty verdict and the sentencing guidelines applied in her case.
Emily Pearson has a rare genetic disorder that causes severe, painful reactions to sunlight.
Jenn Glass has been taking a GLP-1 since last November. The 53-year-old mother of three has already lost more than 30 pounds, but she's focused on something beyond the number on the scale.
It's a gruesome problem impacting livestock in southern states and veterinarians worry it could come to Minnesota.
Minnesotans weathered the third air quality alert triggered by ozone of the year Monday. If two more happen, it will tie the yearly record.
HCMC in Minneapolis got what they wanted, a large financial boost from lawmakers, and now the leaders of Minnesota's busiest trauma hospital say they'll put their money where their mouths are and get to work restructuring finances.
Twin Cities native Michael Larsen, better known as Eyedea, made a name for himself with his freestyle battle rap skills and as one-half of the duo Eyedea & Abilities.
Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from the "Star Wars" sequel "The Empire Strikes Back" is expected to sell for at least $1 million at an upcoming auction.
Rio de Janeiro's Military Fire Department said one of the helicopters crashed in the parking lot of a car dealership, where several electric vehicles were parked, igniting a fire.
There's plenty to do in Minnesota this weekend, including some major anniversary parties, Maple Grove's ever-popular Chalkfest and much more!
Anthony Head played librarian and mentor Rupert Giles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and recently appeared in "Ted Lasso."
Minnesota coach Dawn Plitzuweit has welcomed an infusion of new talent and agreed to a new contract.
It may have been a bumpy start when Jayden Kurtz first stepped on the ice. Fast forward 15 years and Kurtz is coming off a week spent at the NHL draft combine.
This time in track and field, Lucy Haugland is competing in the 400, 800 and 1,500 meters in front of a hometown crowd.
Trevor Larnach led off the game with a home run, Kody Clemens added a three-run shot and the Minnesota Twins clinched another series in Texas with an 12-2 victory over the Rangers.
Minnesota Twins catcher Victor Caratini is a master of the strike zone. He's one of the best in baseball at using replay to turn balls into strikes.
After disputes about ballots and concerns about voting totals, businessman Kendall Qualls won the endorsement.
Minnesota's endorsing conventions are over, and the story of the weekend is the upset of House Speaker Lisa Demuth in the GOP governor's race.
Minnesota's election season officially kicks off this week as both major parties hold conventions to endorse candidates for governor and U.S. Senate, with competitive battles on the Republican side and clearer paths for Democrats.
Both parties begin the endorsement process today in Rochester and Duluth, with the August primary just two months away.
Friday, the Democratic and Republican parties begin the process of endorsing nominees for statewide offices.
School's out, summer's here, and if you're heading to the lake on Highway 10, you may just stumble upon hidden treasure.
Nearly 40 years ago, a building was sent over piece by piece from Norway to a farm in Chippewa County, Minnesota. It's one of the only stabburs in the United States.
Minneiska, Minnesota, is a small river town on Highway 61 near the Mississippi River, but at one point it was home to a castle.
The sign is 51 feet tall and 63 feet wide. And when it was built 85 years ago it was one of the largest neon signs in the entire country.
There's a place in Wabasha County, Minnesota, where people go wild for wildflowers.
Fifteen Minnesotans charged for conspiracy to impede or injure federal agents are part of what President Trump considers a terrorist group, prosecutors said.
A big birthday party is coming up this summer, one that every American can celebrate. And it could help the fireworks industry explode with record sales. WCCO explores how much Americans spend each year on fireworks.
Minnesotans weathered the third air quality alert triggered by ozone of the year Monday. If two more happen, it will tie the yearly record.
Milder winters mean more ticks survive to the following spring, and a southern species that can trigger a red meat allergy is now gaining ground in Minnesota as a result.
She didn't win her party's endorsement, but Republican Lisa Demuth plans to keep running for governor anyway. History shows that might actually work in her favor.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says rain will move out tonight and tomorrow will be breezy and cool with highs in the lower 70s.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Severe thunderstorm watches are in effect through Wednesday night in parts of the metro, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
Multiple days in the next week look to bring clouds and rain, but Saturday should stay dry, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
Scattered storms will continue into the evening.
The NHL draft is next week and as always, some Minnesotan skaters will be selected. Ren Clayton caught up with the highest projected Twin Cities area player.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says rain will move out tonight and tomorrow will be breezy and cool with highs in the lower 70s.
A new album was released this year by a Twin Cities hip hop icon. The thing is, the artist has been dead for more than 15 years. Jason Rantala shows us how AI is being used to bring his music back to life.
It's just the start of motorcycle season and there's already an alarming statistic. There have already been 30 motorcycle fatalities in Minnesota this year. Photojournalist Tony Peterson and Derek James talked to a rider and safety official about some of the reasons.
The feds arrested two more anti-ICE protesters today. Both were in front of a judge in St. Paul Federal court this afternoon. Esme Murphy has the latest developments.