Excerpts from Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., who both made appearances in Minnesota this week. (Midday, 04/13/2006)

To hear Gov. Tim Pawlenty and U.S. Sen. John McCain tell it, 2008 is the last thing on their minds. But the Minnesota governor and the Arizona senator sounded a lot like two guys who wouldn't mind sharing a national ticket. (04/12/2006)

Gov. Pawlenty has called for cracking down on illegal immigration, and although his proposals are unlikely to get through the Legislature intact this session, he could get some political traction from the issue. (04/11/2006)

Sioux Falls will test new voting machines in its local election Tuesday, and Minnesota election officials will observe how it all works. Federal law requires these machines be in place this year. (04/11/2006)

Just ahead of a due date for property tax payments - and just weeks before the fall election - rebate checks averaging $205 would begin arriving in the mailboxes of homeowners if House Republican lawmakers get their way. (04/10/2006)

There's always some politics in every policy debate at the Legislature. Republican Reps. Phil Krinkie and Jim Knoblach are taking that to a higher level at the Capitol, because they're running against each other for the same Congressional seat. Some say they're trying to "out-conservatize" each other. (04/07/2006)

Even though the Legislature doesn't have a budget to balance this year, there are a number of tax-related proposals on the table, including eliminating the so-called marriage penalty, raising the state sales tax and the increasing the income tax. (Midday, 04/06/2006)

As part of the Minnesota Chamber's Business Day at the Capitol on April 6, 2006, Rep. Jeff Johnson and Rep. Matt Entenza debated issues in their race for attorney general. (04/06/2006)

The Iraq war has lost lots of support among Americans. What do the members of the Minnesota delegation think we should do now? (04/05/2006)

Ending more than a year of gridlock, a Senate committee today finally held a hearing on -- and then voted down -- a controversial bill that would put the definition of marriage on November's ballot as an amendment to the state constitution. (04/04/2006)

If a proposed amendment to the Minnesota constiution passes, it's clear that same-sex marriage would be illegal and that civil unions would be out, too. But some amendment opponents have alleged that inheritance and adoption rights for gay couples and even domestic partner benefits for heterosexual couples could be in jeopardy. (Midday, 03/31/2006)

Transportation advocates are worried they're confusing Minnesota voters with language they may face this November on the state's general election ballot. (03/30/2006)

Democratic state Sen. Sharon Marko withdrew Wednesday from Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District race, making a fall matchup between FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley and Republican Rep. John Kline a near certainty. (03/29/2006)

Gubernatorial candidate Kelly Doran is out. At least a dozen DFLers have piled into the race for retiring U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo's seat in Congress. And Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, has to convince his constituents to accept his apology for "embellishing" conversations with Minnesota Supreme Court justices. (Midday, 03/27/2006)

Shopping center developer Kelly Doran, who put more than $1.6 million into his first shot at political office, quit the race for the DFL gubernatorial nomination Friday. (03/24/2006)