http://minnesota.publicradio.org/about/people/mpr_people_display.php?aut_id=30960 en-us Copyright 2013 Minnesota Public Radio Mon, 20 May 2013 10:50:05 -0500 http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/images/mpr003/logo_mpr.gif http://minnesota.publicradio.org/?refid=0 On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted for the 37th time to undo the new healthcare law - a bill sponsored by Sixth Congressional District Rep. Michele Bachmann. But the vote was largely symbolic; the Senate has no plans to pass the bill. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2013/05/poligraph_bachm_14.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 17 May 2013 20:01:35 -0500 Despite the DFL's new majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate, and the defeat of the marriage amendment in 2012, few people thought the Legislature would move this quickly to turn around and make same-sex marriage legal. Looking behind the scenes at the process, the effort hinged on careful lobbying, polling, timing, and the votes of a few key lawmakers. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/05/14/politics/samesex-marriage-lobbying-polling-timing-key-lawmakers-led-to-victory?refid=0 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:34:17 -0500 Sen. Al Franken is raising concerns about a provision in the Senate immigration bill that would make E-Verify mandatory for all businesses. He said the requirement could be burdensome for small businesses. Although E-Verify is good at detecting the use of fake identification, research says it's not very good at detecting unauthorized workers who are using stolen or fraudulent documents. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/04/25/politics/franken-e-verify-not-ready-for-prime-time?refid=0 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0500 Many senior citizens in Minnesota and around the nation are the target of fundraising mail. Tax-exempt political groups pledging to protect Medicare and Social Security send out sinister, sometimes false, missives asking for money. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/01/03/news/mediscare-fundraising-mailers?refid=0 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:25:10 -0600 Rep. Keith Ellison says a fiscal cliff proposal that would slow the growth of spending on Social Security would mean big cuts to benefits. If approved, it's difficult to say exactly how much of a cut would happen per beneficiary. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/12/poligraph_ellis_5.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:18:57 -0600 Rep. Tony Cornish says a law allowing teachers to carry guns would put Minnesota in line with other countries and states. There's little evidence to support those claims. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/12/poligraph_littl.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:12:55 -0600 The state's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board says it is considering asking for more power to crack down on campaign spending by outside political organizations. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/12/11/politics/campaign-finance-board-more-power?refid=0 Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:40:05 -0600 Incoming Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said in a recent interview on TPT's Almanac that a close look at the votes shows what a huge responsibility this win is for his party. It's entirely true that Democrats got more votes than Republicans this election, but Bakk's statement goes a bit too far. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/11/poligraph_dfler.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:51:18 -0600 Incoming House Minority Leader Rep. Kurt Daudt says he's surprised there's even talk of a tax increase given the Legislature will have more money to spend next year. But Daudt doesn't factor the state's spending obligations into his claim. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/11/poligraph_daudt.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:46:17 -0600 ABM spent at least $1.1 million targeting 32 races this year, many that the DFL narrowly lost in 2010. It lost only 6, and the DFL re-took control of both the Minnesota House and Senate, further cementing ABM's reputation as a juggernaut in Minnesota politics. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/11/20/politics/alliance-for-a-better-minnesota-dfl-legislature-takeover?refid=0 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:48:47 -0600 Behind headlines about the impending change in leadership at the State Capitol is the looming question of what newly empowered Democrats will do about a lawsuit filed against the Senate by former Republican staffer Michael Brodkorb. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/11/14/politics/brodkorb-capitol-dfl-takeover?refid=0 Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:58:07 -0600 For months, it appeared certain that the proposed voter ID amendment on Tuesday's ballot would be approved by Minnesota voters. Just two weeks ago, two polls found the proposal had a healthy lead among voters. But as Election Day came closer, that support quickly eroded -- and the amendment that appeared poised for success, failed. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/11/07/politics-voterid-amendment-how-was-it-defeated?refid=0 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:51:05 -0600 Over the din of victory bellows and a band playing Michael Jackson covers at their victory parties, DFL lawmakers and leaders said that progress may mean tax increases, property tax changes, increased school spending and even legislation to legalize same-sex marriage. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/11/07/politics/dfl-legislature?refid=0 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:36:22 -0600 Rep. Michele Bachmann eked out a victory over DFL challenger Jim Graves. Meanwhile, six other incumbents won easily. Reps. Keith Ellison, Erik Paulsen, Betty McCollum, Tim Walz, Collin Peterson and John Kline all won re-election. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/11/06/politics/sixth-district-bachmann-graves?refid=0 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 02:35:31 -0600 An MPR News analysis of campaign finance reports shows that at least $10.4 million has been invested by candidates, parties, unions and political groups on both sides of the aisle to defend or challenge the Republican majorities at the state Capitol. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/11/05/politics/legislative-races-money?refid=0 Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:12:39 -0600 As legislative candidates vie for votes in the final days of the campaign, there's a separate, less obvious battle going on between the parties: In the money war between the state's Democrats and Republicans, the Democrats have the clear upper hand a week from Election Day. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/10/30/politics/democrats-vs-republicans-fundraising-advantage?refid=0 Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:14:17 -0500 The final campaign finance reports of the election are in, and they show that President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have raised millions but have spent relatively little in Minnesota. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/10/26/politics/presidential-fundraising-in-minnesota?refid=0 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:02:59 -0500 In his latest television ad, 2nd Congressional District Republican Rep. John Kline uses a familiar Minnesota landmark to emphasize how dire the nation's debt problems are. Kline's numbers are right, but his ad deserves some context. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/10/poligraph_kline_1.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:27:14 -0500 "She helped turn a $6 BILLION deficit into a $1 BILLION surplus" one campaign flier says, alluding to Minnesota's budget battle last session. But she's never served in the Legislature. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/10/in_stout-fische.shtml?refid=0 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:15:00 -0500 Here's something property taxes, school funding and the state's budget have in common: Each is center stage in some of the most contested legislative races in the state, from the suburbs of the Twin Cities to the north woods. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/10/24/politics/legislative-races-and-state-spending?refid=0 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 09:00:00 -0500 Meet Joe Forkeybolo, a popular "friend" to Minnesota Republicans on Facebook. Forkeybolo isn't a real person, though. He's the conservative alter-ego of Democratic operative Nate Dybvig. Dybvig has used the Forkeybolo persona to promote his clients from a Republican perspective, at times to a largely Republican audience. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/10/19/politics/consultant-creates-alternate-identity?refid=0 Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:18:41 -0500 DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and his Republican opponent Chris Fields traded some heated verbal blows during a debate on radio station KFAI today, resulting in Ellison calling Fields a "low-life scumbag." /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/10/ellison_fields.shtml?refid=0 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:55:56 -0500 For the first time since Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann ran for Congress in 2006, there's no third-party candidate on the ballot. And that means a swath of voters is up for grabs, a development that could shift the race in favor of her DFL opponent, hotel magnate Jim Graves. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/10/16/politics/bachmann-graves-no-third-party-candidate?refid=0 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:17:29 -0500 Millions of dollars are being poured into the Twin Cities television market on ads targeting the top of the ticket down to the legislative races. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/10/11/politics/campaign-television-advertisements?refid=0 Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:54:31 -0500 If dollars equaled votes, it would seem that separate campaigns to defeat two proposed constitutional amendments on this fall's ballot would be winning by a landslide. But polls show both amendments are on track to pass. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/09/26/politics/voter-id-marriage-amendment-opponents-outraising-supporters?refid=0 Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:06:06 -0500 Next weekend, residents of southern Minnesota may notice a black bus painted with the words "Obama's Failing Agenda Tour" out on the road. The bus is owned by Americans for Prosperity, a political pressure group founded by wealthy conservative donors Charles and David Koch. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/09/25/politics/wealthy-outside-political-groups-target-minnesota?refid=0 Tue, 25 Sep 2012 04:00:00 -0500 Minnesota voters are split on the marriage amendment, according to a new poll from the Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling (PPP). /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/09/poll_voters_spl.shtml?refid=0 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:06:58 -0500 The pair, both vying to represent Minnesota in the Senate, traded barbs on nearly every major issue facing Minnesota and the nation, from taxes and the economy to the Obama administration's timeline for pulling troops out of Afghanistan. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/08/30/mpr_news_presents?refid=0 Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:17:13 -0500 When it comes to policy issues facing Minneapolis residents and the nation, Minnesota's 5th Congressional District Rep. Keith Ellison and his Republican opponent Chris Fields couldn't be further apart. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/08/29/mpr_news_presents?refid=0 Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:32:19 -0500 This election season, Democrats have tried to frame Republicans as hostile to women. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/08/28/politics/some-democrats-using-akin-abortion-remarks-in-congressional-races?refid=0 Tue, 28 Aug 2012 04:00:00 -0500 The three candidates vying for Minnesota's 4th Congressional District seat say job creation would be their top priority in Congress - but they have dramatically different views on how to grow employment. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/08/28/mpr_news_presents?refid=0 Mon, 27 Aug 2012 14:04:55 -0500 Even though Sen. Al Franken is facing what's expected to be a tough re-election race in 2014, he's spending a lot of time helping other Democrats this election year. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/08/15/politics/al-franken-fundraising?refid=0 Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:45:23 -0500 Gov. Mark Dayton has endorsed Rick Nolan, a former DFL congressman who wants to challenge 8th Congressional District Rep. Chip Cravaack this fall. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/07/dayton_endorses.shtml?refid=0 Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:40:43 -0500 Just because you live in California, doesn't mean you can't help out one of Minnesota's candidates for Congress. According to recent campaign finance reports, contributors living as far away as Alaska are pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into Minnesota's congressional races. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/07/16/politics/out-of-state-campaign-donors?refid=0 Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:05:34 -0500 As it did in Wisconsin, union policy presents a tough situation for Kurt Bills: he's been a union member much of his professional life, but he's also an outspoken critic of the organizations. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/07/05/politics/kurt-bills?refid=0 Thu, 05 Jul 2012 04:00:00 -0500 Minnesota for Marriage, the primary group backing a state constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between a man and a woman, has raised roughly $588,000 so far this year, according to a new finance report. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/06/pro-marriage_am.shtml?refid=0 Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:36:32 -0500 It looks like Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District just got a more competitive. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/06/obermueller_get_1.shtml?refid=0 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:23:19 -0500 Public Policy Polling released another look at its poll from this week, this one showing DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar with a lead over her Republican opponent, Rep. Kurt Bills, of 26 percentage points. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/06/poll_klobuchar_1.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 08 Jun 2012 16:44:54 -0500 A new poll shows President Barack Obama leading Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney by 15 percentage points in Minnesota. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/06/poll_obama_up_i.shtml?refid=0 Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:19:54 -0500 Many people told MPR News the constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall that would define marriage is a bigger factor motivating them to vote than the presidential election. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/06/05/politics/marriage-amendment-motivates-voters-on-both-sides?refid=0 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:14:51 -0500 Roughly 49 percent of registered Minnesota voters oppose the effort compared to the 43 percent that support it, according to Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/06/poll_more_minne.shtml?refid=0 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:50:51 -0500 Associate Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Helen M. Meyer will leave her post, effective Aug. 10. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/05/meyer_to_leave.shtml?refid=0 Thu, 10 May 2012 11:38:25 -0500 By a 73-58 margin Monday night, the Minnesota House of Representatives approved funding for a $975 million Vikings stadium at the site of the Metrodome in Minneapolis. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/05/07/politics/vikings-stadium-house-vote?refid=0 Tue, 08 May 2012 05:00:00 -0500 An internal investigation by the Minnesota Republican Party into its finances found an ongoing deficit of more than $26,000 left from a conference last fall, questionable payments to contractors, and heavy credit card spending by the former party chairman. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/05/07/gop-finance-probe?refid=0 Mon, 07 May 2012 16:33:50 -0500 President Barack Obama will pay a visit to Minnesota on June 1, according to a person close to the president's Minnesota campaign. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/05/obama_to_visit_3.shtml?refid=0 Thu, 03 May 2012 12:57:59 -0500 Shareholders of Minnesota's most well-known companies will vote this spring on board members and various proposals from shareholders — standard annual meeting fare. But for at least five local companies, the hot topic will be political spending and lobbying disclosure. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/04/26/companies-disclose-political-giving?refid=0 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:00:00 -0500 President Barack Obama's senior campaign adviser David Axelrod says he doesn't expect Minnesota to be a battleground state in 2012. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/04/24/axelrod-obama-not-taking-minnesota-for-granted?refid=0 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:21:36 -0500 Rep. Michele Bachmann and former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, says she is "very seriously looking at an endorsement for Mitt Romney." /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/04/on_meet_the_pre.shtml?refid=0 Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:37:39 -0500 After news that he was denied unemployment benefits, Michael Brodkorb plans to expand his wrongful termination lawsuit. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2012/04/brodkorb_planni.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:51:23 -0500 It's nearly certain that Minnesotans will decide this November whether they want to change the state's Constitution to require voters to show photo ID at the polls. What's less certain is how a voter ID law would play out in future elections in Minnesota. The experience of other states paints a picture of what we can expect from a voter ID requirement. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/04/03/voter-id-in-other-states?refid=0 Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:00:00 -0500 The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, which monitors political financing and lobbying, struggles to get all the resources and authority it needs from the Legislature. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/03/27/campaign-finance-board?refid=0 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:00:00 -0500 Former Senate Republican caucus staffer Michael Brodkorb's gender discrimination claim against the Minnesota Senate raises questions about the legal issues involved and how the case might play out. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/03/15/primer-michael-brodkorb?refid=0 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:45:53 -0500 ALEC is best known for bringing together legislators and corporations to write model legislation, drafts that are meant to inspire bills introduced at the state level. The organization has become a key player in a broader effort to advance conservative ideas in state houses across the nation. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/03/14/alec-helps-conservatives-model-legislation?refid=0 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:00:00 -0500 At first blush, the new proposal to build a football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings in downtown Minneapolis would cost just under $1 billion. But a closer look shows the cost might be higher than that, and that some of the money stadium supporters are counting on may not materialize. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/03/01/vikings-stadium-financing-analysis?refid=0 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:49:14 -0600 Along with a new congressional map, a special court panel released the new political boundaries the Minnesota Legislature. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/02/21/minnesota-political-boundaries?refid=0 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:35:48 -0600 A special court panel's new maps of Minnesota congressional districts would throw incumbent Reps. Michele Bachmann and Betty McCollum into the same district. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/02/21/minnesota-redistricting?refid=0 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:57:02 -0600 After its efforts to help elect Mark Dayton as governor paid off in 2010, Alliance for a Better Minnesota is turning its sights on helping the DFL win back control of the Legislature. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/02/20/dfl-alliance-for-a-better-minnesota-legislature?refid=0 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0600 Today is a deadline for campaigns in Minnesota to release detailed reports about who gives them money. One of the names that is sure to surface in those reports is Robert Cummins, a wealthy donor who stays out of the spotlight but wields tremendous power over Republican candidates and campaigns. Cummins and his family have given millions to conservative Minnesota candidates and causes over the past 15 years. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/02/01/robert-cummins-profile?refid=0 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0600 Minnesota Republican Party leaders are trying to restore confidence among donors and rank-and-file party members who are troubled by financial mismanagement over the last two and a half years. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/01/20/minnesota-gop-debt-folo?refid=0 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:00:57 -0600 Tony Sutton, a Republican leader with 25 years of hard-earned respect from the party that prides itself on fiscal discipline, awarded contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to consultants, lawmakers, candidates and party insiders over the course of nearly 30 months as state party chairman, contributing to the financial wreckage the party is trying to fix today. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/01/19/minnesota-republican-party-finances?refid=0 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 -0600 Rep. Michele Bachmann announced Wednesday morning that she is suspending her bid for the White House. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/01/04/bachmann-south-carolina-decision?refid=0 Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:30:00 -0600 After placing first in the Iowa Straw Poll less than five months ago, Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann finished last Tuesday among the candidates actively campaigning in the Iowa caucuses. But Bachmann sounded upbeat at her post-caucus party, and gave no indication she was ready to drop out. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/01/03/bachmann-asks-iowa-voters-to-back-her-bid?refid=0 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:25:48 -0600 Iowa Republicans will decide tomorrow who they want to be their presidential nominee, and all the candidates vying to win the Iowa caucuses criss-crossed the state making one last pitch for support. /collections/special/columns/bigstory/?refid=0 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:02:52 -0600 Only seven percent of likely Republican caucus-goers will vote for Rep. Michele Bachmann in Tuesday's caucuses, according to the Des Moines Register's latest poll. /collections/special/columns/bigstory/archive/2011/12/bachmann-comes-in-last-in-latest-des-moines-register-poll.shtml?refid=0 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:06:18 -0600 Here are some signs of a successful Iowa caucus campaign: rising poll numbers, a super PAC and attention from competitors. Quite suddenly, Rick Santorum can lay claim to all three. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/12/31/santorum-catches-up?refid=0 Sat, 31 Dec 2011 06:00:00 -0600 Mitt Romney showed up to his Ames, Iowa, campaign rally like most contenders for the Republican presidential nomination: in a bus. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/12/in_ames_romney.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600 If there's a new character in the story of the 2012 Iowa caucuses, it's the undecided voter. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/12/29/meet-undecided-iowa-caucus-goers?refid=0 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:17:03 -0600 Cullen Sheehan was the top staffer in the Minnesota Senate. He is also the first person to blow the whistle on an alleged inappropriate relationship between Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and a male staffer. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/12/21/koch-staffer?refid=0 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:22:50 -0600 Less than a week after declaring his candidacy for the Republican Party of Minnesota's top spot, Starkey Laboratories Senior Vice President Brandon Sawalich has dropped his bid. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/12/sawalich_backs.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:26:35 -0600 Some say child care could cost parents and the state more. Others believe that unionization will lead to better child care options, and will give providers a unified voice in St. Paul. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/12/14/daycare-union?refid=0 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:05:44 -0600 Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, fired an early shot in the Red Wing Republican Eagle. Those who argue that banning same-sex marriage will be bad for the economy are wrong, he wrote in a November 21, 2011, opinion piece. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/12/poligraph_drazk.shtml?refid=0 Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600 Why all this talk about pull-tabs and gambling, and what does this have to do with funding a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings? http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/11/02/faq-pull-tabs?refid=0 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:17:47 -0500 Using a secondary pot of money not meant for her presidential race, Rep. Michele Bachmann donated $5,000 to Iowa's Polk County GOP in August - money that the campaign and the group agreed to spend on an event exclusively for Bachmann, according to the Polk County GOP officials. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/27/bachmann-polk-county-republicans-donation?refid=0 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:38:46 -0500 Of the still viable Republican presidential candidates, Rep. Michele Bachmann is leading Minnesota's money race. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/26/minnesota-presidential-campaign-donors?refid=0 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:28:14 -0500 U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann's presidential campaign is pushing back on a swirl of reports that her paid staff in New Hampshire has quit. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/10/bachmann_camp_p.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:14:31 -0500 The Minnesota congresswoman is still doing quite well among grassroots voters compared to other candidates, but she's been slow to expand her army of loyal donors to other states. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/18/bachmann-third-quarter-fundraising?refid=0 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:50:16 -0500 While the plan promises to eliminate "job killing" regulations, repeal "Obamacare," cut taxes and promote free trade, it doesn't offer much in the way of new ideas, is sparse on details, and its effectiveness is debateable. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/14/bachmann-jobs-plan?refid=0 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Rep. Michele Bachmann took a distant second place in the Midwest Leadership Conference straw poll. Herman Cain captured 52.6 percent of the vote followed by Bachmann with 12.2 percent and Mitt Romney at 11.1 percent. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/10/bachmann_takes_1.shtml?refid=0 Mon, 10 Oct 2011 06:15:59 -0500 Frustrated by congressional inaction on a bill that he says has the potential to create upwards of 1.9 million jobs, 26,000 of them in Minnesota, President Barack Obama laid down an ultimatum Thursday for Capitol Hill lawmakers. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/06/obama-jobs-bill-minnesota?refid=0 Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:57:58 -0500 It may be that Michele Bachmann is simply hoarding her dollars at the end of the third quarter fundraising cycle, but political strategists speculate that the campaign is in financial straits. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/01/bachmann-third-quarter-fundraising?refid=0 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:00:00 -0500 Rep. Michele Bachmann isn't doing any better in South Carolina than she was a few months ago, according to a new poll conducted by Winthrop University. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/09/poll_bachmanns.shtml?refid=0 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:45:30 -0500 While Bachmann's rhetoric may seem overtly political during the battle for the Republican nomination - and certainly, her skepticism plays well among some voters - a look back at her record shows she's long doubted mainstream science on an array of issues. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/09/15/bachmann-challenges-mainstream-science?refid=0 Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:36:15 -0500 Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann has become the leading critic of Texas Gov. Rick Perry's efforts, attempting to capitalize on his order requiring young girls to be vaccinated for a sexually transmitted disease. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/09/13/failed-hpv-requirement-haunts-perrys-campaign-?refid=0 Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:49:57 -0500 A new class of political fundraising organizations stand to have a major impact on the 2012 election. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/09/13/bachmann-super-pac-typifies-new-election-ground-rules?refid=0 Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:11:53 -0500 After several weeks of disappointing polling results, the Republican presidential debate was an important moment for Rep. Michele Bachmann. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/09/poligraph_fact-.shtml?refid=0 Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:09:37 -0500 Former Gov. Jeb Bush spent on average $100-$200 million annually on restoring the area during his tenure, calling it "an important Florida treasure" and his "highest environmental priority." http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/08/29/bachmann_everglades_drilling_head_scratching?refid=0 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:51:29 -0500 Recent polls show Texas Gov. Rick Perry leading Rep. Michele Bachmann in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Analysts say the candidates are vying for the same socially conservative voters and self-identified members of the tea party. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/08/26/comparing-michele-bachmann-and-rick-perry?refid=0 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:58:47 -0500 With Rick Perry's entrance into the race, Rep. Michele Bachmann's lead in Iowa appears to be slipping, according a new survey conducted by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic polling company. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/08/public_policy_p_3.shtml?refid=0 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:28:01 -0500 Rep. Michele Bachmann officially declared her run for the White House in June 27, 2011. She was born in Waterloo, Iowa, but moved to Minnesota when she was in sixth grade. She's was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2006, and served in the Minnesota State Senate from 2000-2006. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/08/10/michele-bachmann-bio?refid=0 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:42:05 -0500 On May 23, 2011, the former Minnesota governor declared his run for the White House. He grew up in South St. Paul and has spent 22 years working in politics, with positions ranging from city council to GOP Majority Leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/08/10/tim-pawlenty-bio?refid=0 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:29:29 -0500 U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack, a Republican from Minnesota's 8th District, was one of four Minnesota lawmakers who voted against the bill to raise the nation's $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. Among his reasons for rejecting the measure is a claim that it would cut defense spending by half. But that's false. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/08/the_daily_diges_1113.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:36:58 -0500 U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., voted against the debt ceiling bill earlier this week, in part because he said it's the "first time in history" that a debt ceiling increase has been linked to budget cuts. But Ellison, and the others who have repeated this claim, are all wrong. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/08/poligraph_ellis_1.shtml?refid=0 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:26:02 -0500 The Minnesota congresswoman burnishes her conservative credentials at the National Press Club. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/07/28/bachmann-press-club-titanium-spine?refid=0 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:31:00 -0500 Clue: The answer depends on your math and your politics. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/07/26/analysis-of-size-of-minnesota-budget?refid=0 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:42:13 -0500 Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP legislative leaders have announced a deal on a budget "framework agreement" to end the Minnesota state government shutdown. The agreement was reached after about three hours of talks among the parties this afternoon. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/07/14/dayton-republican-offer?refid=0 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The ex-governor recently touted his fiscal actions during the 2005 state government shutdown and in following years, but the tactics he used are a big reason why the state is in its current budget deficit. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/07/13/pawlenty-2005-shutdown?refid=0 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:03:45 -0500 Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the state government shutdown in Minnesota. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/06/13/minnesota-government-shutdown-faq?refid=0 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:54:22 -0500 As Gov. Dayton and Republican legislative leaders continue to negotiate over the state budget, they are likely discussing various sources of new revenue to close the projected $5 billion budget deficit. Here's a look at some of those potential money makers. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/07/05/shutdown-revenue-sources?refid=0 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:12:49 -0500 More than 14 hours into a government shutdown, details emerged Friday about the budget haggling between Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/07/01/shutdown-negotiation-offers?refid=0 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:34:23 -0500 We're getting a better picture of what will happen if lawmakers don't reach a budget deal and the state government is forced to shut down starting tomorrow. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/06/30/richert-debrief?refid=0 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:01:19 -0500 Here's a quick look at how the court's ruling affects individual government programs and departments, and how many employees will continue working in each area. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/06/29/shutdown-scorecard?refid=0 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:23:04 -0500 A list of the most recent organizations and individuals who've filed paperwork with the Ramsey County District Court weighing in on which government services and jobs should be sustained during a shutdown. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/06/more_groups_wan.shtml?refid=0 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:49:14 -0500 As the state faces a government shutdown, Senate Republican Majority Leader Amy Koch has been pointing out that Dayton said he would never let it come to this. /collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2011/06/poligraph_koch.shtml?refid=0 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:57:53 -0500 Attendees of the 2011 Netroots Nation conference in Minneapolis today packed a session called, "What to Do When the President is Just Not That Into You." For a segment of the progressive bloggers, writers, activists and voters at the meeting, the title of the seminar sums up the mood here perfectly. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/06/16/netroots-obama-disenchantment?refid=0 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:40:39 -0500