18 days until the Aug. 14 primary
57 days until early voting opens
103 days until Election Day
2018 Election
Scott Walker, other GOP candidates in key Midwest states, trail Democratic rivals, NBC
‘Blue wave’ logic: Why national Democrats are paying attention to local races, even city councils, Pioneer Press
2018 Election — Primary
Voting is now open! Go to dfl.org/voteearly to request an absentee ballot to vote by mail or vote in person. Click here for early voting locations.
Early voting up in Minnesota’s August primary election, MPR
DFL Vice Chair Marge Hoffa voted early. For information on how to vote early, go to dfl.org/vote.
2018 Election — U.S. Senate
Amy Klobuchar: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
Tina Smith: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
Former Republican, DFL incumbent square off for U.S. Senate nomination, MPR
Endorsement: It’s Smith in the crowded Senate primary, Duluth News Tribune
2018 Election — U.S. House
Dan Feehan: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
Angie Craig: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
Dean Phillips: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
Ilhan Omar: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
Ian Todd: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
We told you earlier this week about Democratic strength in midterm House races. Now in a special for Axios readers, here’s a new analysis by David Wasserman of Cook Political Report, unpacking the GOP’s daunting math:
- “With 102 days to go, Democrats remain substantial favorites for House control. A big reason: Republicans are defending 42 open or vacant seats, a record since at least 1930.” (After the March victory by Democrat Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania, Democrats need to flip 23 seats to take the House.)
- “Of Republicans’ 42 incumbent-less seats, eight are in districts that voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, and an additional 13 are in districts where President Trump received less than 55 percent.”
- Killer stat: “[S]ince 1992, in situations when a president’s party was stuck defending an open seat two years after the president failed to carry it, that party has batted zero for 23keeping it in their column.” Axios
2018 Election — Governor
Erin Murphy: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
Candidates in governor’s race discuss Greater Minnesota, Star Tribune
Erin Murphy out with first ad in governor’s race, MPR
Erin Murphy, the DFL-endorsed candidate for governor, released a TV ad today.
Jeff Johnson, the GOP-endorsed candidate for governor, is running radio ads.
2018 Election — Attorney General
Matt Pelikan: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
2018 Election — Secretary of State
Steve Simon: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
2018 Election — State Auditor
Julie Blaha: 2018 Election Guide, WCCO
Broadband
Minnesota governor candidate calls for online taxes to be used for high-speed internet, Bemidji Pioneer
Economy
Progressive policies in Minnesota are working for workers, Star Tribune
Higher Education
Immigration Crisis
Lewis, Jason
There are new recordings from Jason Lewis’ lightening-rod past as a talk show host. Will it matter this time? MinnPost
Public Safety
Minnesota police licensing board to address failings in rape investigations, Star Tribune
Trump
Have U.S. taxpayers spent $72 million on Trump’s golf outings? Washington Post
Unions
72nd Annual Minnesota State Building Trades Convention highlights the ‘Helmets to Hardhats’ program, Workday Minnesota
New report: Minnesota’s construction industry pulls ahead of Wisconsin’s, Workday Minnesota
Upcoming DFL Events
- Today through August 13 — Primary early voting. More information here.
- July 27, 12:00 PM — Stand Against Trump, SD40 DFL Treasurer John Schafer is holding a weekly hour of protest and resistance on Fridays from 12pm to 1pm at the corner of Brookdale & Xerxes in Brooklyn Park.
- July 28 and 29 — DFL 100 Days Out Days of Action, our goal is to knock 20,000 doors this weekend. Be part of this #trueblue weekend to elect #mndfl candidates dedicated to moving Minnesota forward. Volunteer here.
- July 31, 6:30 PM — State DFL OIC Meeting, DFL Headquarters, 255 Plato Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55107.
- July 31, 7:00 PM — SD37 DFL Central Committee Meeting, check their Facebook page for location
- August 1, 6:00 PM — Ethiopian Coffee Hour Hosted at the DFL Field Office, 4407 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
- August 1, 7:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, location TBD
- August 3, 12:00 PM — Stand Against Trump, SD40 DFL Treasurer John Schafer is holding a weekly hour of protest and resistance on Fridays from 12pm to 1pm at the corner of Brookdale & Xerxes in Brooklyn Park.
- August 4 — SD34 DFL at Lions’ Park, Maple Grove, MN, more information as it becomes available.
- August 7 — National Night Out, check your local municipality’s website for locations
- August 8, 6:00 PM — Ethiopian Coffee Hour Hosted at the DFL Field Office, 4407 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
- August 9, 7:00 PM — SD34 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Maple Grove Library, 8001 Main St N, Osseo, MN 55369
- August 9, 7:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Activity Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
- August 10, 12:00 PM — Stand Against Trump, SD40 DFL Treasurer John Schafer is holding a weekly hour of protest and resistance on Fridays from 12pm to 1pm at the corner of Brookdale & Xerxes in Brooklyn Park.