News Releases
Trump May Be Unaware of the Political Idiom, Beware the Unintended Consequences
International, National & Minnesota Politics
The Snatch and Grab, early morning abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores may have come off seamlessly. It was a well-orchestrated military incursion. The communications systems were rendered ineffective and brought down, suppression bomb techniques were deployed, and the gates were stormed and the package secured.
The defense systems Maduro had obtained from the Russians and the Chinese failed and the relative comparative value shows American military superiority in this instance. As in the case of potential energy versus kinetic energy, once used it is exhausted and the deployment means its value is fully known. On our side, we know our capabilities and so do our opponents. We expect both sides will gain significant knowledge about each other’s actual capacity.
Sure Maduro is a bad actor, but here are many of those in the world, and likely was facilitating drug activities with limited impact on the United States, more likely on Europe, and clearly was adversely effecting the economy of his nation, through graft and corruption. But the question still looming out there if this were the correct approach, and does this lend credence to the idea of making this type of extraordinary action available to other or the world’s actor, specifically China, and Russia.
Is Xi Jinpin now given the green light, to invade Taiwan, is Vladimir Putin now provided justification to snatch Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We are awaiting the international response, specifically from the United Nations.
By re-invoking the Monroe Doctrine (1822), and focusing so strongly on the Western Hemisphere, Donald J Trump (R) has stepped down into limited consideration of American interests from a Super Power to a Regional Power. The NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) approach is a very little man concept, but not a surprise from this person. He is a Chicken Hawk, a draft dodger, who was too cowardly to be subjected to the draft when he was youthful, and impose his will on other nations when he is aged and decrepit. Old men always send young men to fight their wars for them and take credit for the success, but never the failures.
The fact, only the head of the hydra has been removed but not the body, the criminal effort is still empowered. The inability for Trump to take the higher ground and state his clear justification for the raid on Venezuela as means to restore their democracy, as an attack on Communism in the Western Hemisphere or any other higher moral purpose was rendered moot, when he emphasized the true purpose, OIL.
Trump belittled something which might have been a positive result in this part of the globe and diminished it into an imperial conquest for resources, often seen as colonialism. Sure, when Hugo Chavez rose to power in 1999 as a Communist—and was not hemmed in by then President Bill Clinton (D)—later nationalized the oil industry, actions should have been taken then.
In the aftermath, the Vice President Delcy Rodriguez seemed to be defiant and then cooperative, especially when Trump in an interview with The Atlantic that if she ‘doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.” His words are a threat and clearly intended to coerce the Venezuelan political class to step inline.
The existence of Cuban, Iranian, Chinese and Russian operatives in Venezuela is of great concern and may have been temporarily curtailed. Now, feeling his oats, Trump is training he is setting his sights on Greenland, Colombia, Mexico and Cuba. This could make for an interesting remaining three-years.
As these matters, manifest Canada will become a significant factor. If America obtains Greenland, Canada would be a close neighbor, and thereby impacted. If the US want to secure its safety from Russia and prevent use of the North Pole for infiltration then Canada is a strategic partner. Now, because of the US/Canada tariff disputes, caused by Trump, Canada is no longer our closest ally.
Everything Trump does is transactional and petty and in some regard beneficial to him, his family, people he associates with or people he wants to like him. One of the first things any change in government needs to repair is the Emoluments Clause in the US Constitution (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 & Article II, Section 1, Clause 7).
Walz Announcement of Not Seeking Reelection
National & Minnesota Report
Today, shortly after 11:00 am Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN), past Vice-Presidential candidate in 2024, announced to the world he will not seek reelection in 2026. He said, he was confident the governorship would remain in DFL hands.
The length of his remarks were short, and he did not remain to field questions from the assembled members of the press. The entirety of the speech was less than 8 minutes in length, and runs from minute 33:37 to 41:09.
Here is the entirety of the remarks he read from at the podium. Here is a YouTube link.
“Good morning, and Happy New Year.
“Like many Minnesotans, I was glad to turn the page on 2025. It was an extraordinarily difficult year for our state. And it ended on a particularly sour note.
“For the last several years, an organized group of criminals have sought to take advantage of our state’s generosity. And even as we make progress in the fight against the fraudsters, we now see an organized group of political actors seeking to take advantage of the crisis.
“I won’t mince words here. Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place. They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors. And, ultimately, they want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to raise a family. They’ve already begun by taking our tax dollars that were meant to help families afford child care. And they have no intention of stopping there.
“Make no mistake: We should be concerned about fraud in our state government. We cannot effectively deliver programs and services if we can’t earn the public’s trust. That’s why, over the past few years, we’ve made systemic changes to the way we do business.
“We’ve gone to the legislature time and again to get more tools to combat fraud. We’ve fired people who weren’t doing their jobs. We’ve seen people go to jail for stealing from our state. We’ve cut off whole streams of funding, in partnership with the federal government, where we saw widespread criminal activity. We’ve put new locks on the doors of our remaining programs, and we’ve hired a new head of program integrity to make sure those locks can’t be broken.
“All across the state, Minnesotans are hard at work on this problem. Advocates, administrators, investigators are on the front lines defending the integrity of our state’s programs, and I want to thank them for their efforts.
“There’s more to do. A single taxpayer dollar wasted on fraud is a dollar too much to tolerate. And while there’s a role to play for everyone – from the legislature to prosecutors to insurance companies to local and county government – the buck stops with me. My administration is taking fast, decisive action to solve this crisis. And we will win the fight against the fraudsters.
“But the political gamesmanship we’re seeing from Republicans is only making that fight harder to win.
“We’ve got Republicans here in the legislature playing hide-and-seek with whistleblowers.
“We’ve got conspiracy theorist right-wing YouTubers breaking into daycare centers and demanding access to our children.
“We’ve got the President of the United States demonizing our Somali neighbors and wrongly confiscating childcare funding that Minnesotans rely on.
“It is disgusting. And it is dangerous.
“Republicans are playing politics with the future of our state. And it’s shameful. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: We welcome ideas from anyone, in any party, who wants to help us continue to stay ahead of the criminals.
“And we welcome the involvement of the federal government. I’m grateful to the career professionals at the U.S. Attorney’s office and the FBI who are helping us win this fight.
“But I cannot abide the actions of the political leadership in Washington – these opportunists who are willing to hurt our people to score a few cheap points. They and their allies have no intention of helping us solve the problem – and every intention of profiting off of it.
“Which brings me to this: 2026 is an election year. And election years have a way of ramping up the politics at a time when we simply can’t afford more politics.
“In September, I announced that I would run for a historic third term as Minnesota’s Governor. And I have every confidence that, if I gave it my all, I would succeed in that effort.
“But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all. Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences.
“So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.
“I know this news may come as a surprise. But I’m passing on the race with zero sadness and zero regret. After all, I didn’t run for this job so I could have this job. I ran for this job so I could do this job. Minnesota faces an enormous challenge this year. And I refuse to spend even one minute of 2026 doing anything other than rising to meet the moment. Minnesota has to come first – always.
“That’s what I believe servant leadership demands of me. And as an optimist, I will hold out some hope that my friends on the other side of the aisle will consider what servant leadership demands of them in this moment. We can work together to combat the criminals, rebuild the public’s trust, and make our state stronger. But make no mistake: If Republicans continue down this path of abusing power, smearing entire communities, and running their own fraudulent game at the expense of Minnesotans – we will fight back every step of the way.
“I’m confident that a DFLer will hold this seat come November. I’m confident that I will find ways to contribute to the state I love even after I’ve left office next January. But there will be time to worry about all that later.
“Today, I’m proud of the work we’ve done to make Minnesota America’s best place to live and raise kids – from our new paid leave policy to our child tax credit to our free lunch program.
“And I’m doubly proud of the incredible team we’ve put together to make that vision a reality. Thank you to every member of my staff, and every state employee, who’s part of this fight. We need you on the job to tackle the important work ahead.
“Most of all, I want Minnesotans to know that I’m on the job, 24/7, focused on making sure we stay America’s best place to live and raise kids. No one will take that away from us. Not the fraudsters. And not the President. Not on my watch.”
The Cacophony of the Drum Beats Have Reached a Crescendo; Walz Expected to Announce He Will Not Seek Reelection
National & Minnesota Report
We first wrote this article on Feb 19, 2025, Why Walz and DFLers Need to Realistically Assess Their Political Opportunities. We followed it up with this piece on June 27, 2025, Walz and Reelection. Social Media has produced a steady churn of anti-Walz material, and with so much blood in the water, the sharks have continued to circle. The resulting reality appears to be, Walz will be the fall boy for the fraud scandal.
We have heard the Walz Camp, were polling on the question, and have expected the news would be bleak. The conversations we have had with people close to the source, made mention of the fact, it was likely only his wife Gwen and daughter Hope and other people too close to be objective, who were providing support for a reelection bid.
On December 30th, the Star Tribune published a number of Letters to the Editor, which included the following from a worthy, retired, and well-respected former media source David Nimmer, the entirety of the letter is published below. Readers Write: Fraud, Christmas Ornaments.
With all indicators leading to this conclusion, the question which arises is who on the DFL side will seek the office. The list is not long, but some automatic names which would likely appear include, Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL-MN), but she has already announced her campaign for Sen Tina Smith’s (DFL-MN) the vacant US Senate Seat, besides we doubt she would be able to being soiled by this fraud issue because of her close proximity and aggressive claims of a partnership with Walz throughout their two-terms in office. Another is, Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL-MN), but he may carry some of the residual carry over, and he like Walz has not had a dominant statewide performance number securing a mere 50.37% in 2022. This also bring to mind the acronym ABG, All But Governor, and the number of people who have tried to ascend from the state’s top lawyer to the state’s top office, which has not been very fruitful across the nation.
We have heard the other US Senator’s name, Sen Amy Klobuchar (DFL-MN) bandied about previously and her time in Washington DC and distance from this issue could be an asset. Her polling numbers which used to be metoric, have taken a hit with the existence of Donald J Trump (R) on the ballot and being factor in all elections since 2016. In 2024, she carried the state with 56.20%, versus 60.31% in 2018, and 65.23% in 2012.
We have thought the best name to consider being Sen John Hoffman (DFL-34, Champlin). He has shown a fiery spirit prior to the tragedy of the shooting he and his wife Yvette suffered along with the assassination of Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman (DFL-MN), her husband Mark and their dog Gilbert.
In spite of the announcement of his intention to seek reelection to the state Senate last weekend, we have advanced his name. As a survivor of gun violence, and someone who has clearly shown his willingness to the hard work in the legislature, regularly carry a huge weight of legislative bills, he is well-versed in the issues of concern for Minnesotans statewide.
It appears an old sentence might again have new life. “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party,” which was a touch typing drill created by Charles E. Weller.
Text of the Nimmer Letter.
Gov. Walz, thanks for your service to the state of Minnesota. I voted for you twice, believing you show compassion, concern and courage in trying to improve the human condition. I also admire your honesty: Your personal net worth reflects the world I live in, not that of multimillionaires, technology manipulators or “media influencers” who garner attention.
But, governor, it’s over — time for you to step aside. The bureaucracy in your administration has failed in a significant way. Whether the welfare fraud is millions or billions of dollars, it is egregious. And the buck stops at your desk. No matter how skilled the media influencer is, he or she cannot tie up a pretty, or believable, package. It’s happened on your watch and you spent part of your watch on the last year away from Minnesota, crisscrossing the country running for vice president.
So you know what happens, governor, when you wait too long to do the right thing. You damage your party, you ignore the bigger picture, and you leave constituents like me no reasonable choice in the voting booth. Young successors are present in the DFL hierarchy. Let ‘em fight it out. Let ‘em make a case. Give ‘em a chance.
You might be able to excuse Feeding Our Future and the millions squandered by the dozens already convicted or pleading guilty. That should have alerted your administrators to the new welfare programs, which are always subject to trials and troubles before the rules and regulations become bureaucratic rituals.
But it did not. The policy and programs may have their heart in the right place, helping those in poverty or who struggle with disabilities and addictions. The eyes of your administration were not. They missed the red flags federal investigators did not: Feeding Our Future, Housing Stabilization Services (HSS), autism assistance (Medicaid) and child care assistance.
And this list doesn’t include the flawed rollout for the new Real ID driver’s license that cost millions of dollars and resulted in backlogs, delays and replacement issues. The cost for all of this may eventually pale in comparison to the financial largesse heaped on the Trump family from corporations and captains around the world. But this comes in my backyard and is a real departure from the checks and balances I thought we had in Minnesota.
It’s the reality, governor. And as a former news reporter and now senior citizen, I’ve learned something about real life: It’s not always fair. And it’s impossible to ignore if you want to lead a useful and honest life. I know you must have considered bowing out. You have had a great run. But you’ve reached the finish line.
David Nimmer, Oakdale
The writer is a former managing editor of the Minneapolis Star.
The Special Election Results Are In
Minnesota Report
The only clear result from both Special Election primaries last night is the winner was pathos, or in layman’s terms Pathetic. In St Paul’s House District 64A, with a crowed field of five DFL candidates only 28,085 registered voters, a mere 2,850 bothered to exercise their franchise for a big whopping 16.23%. This means as anticipated with a bare majority of 1,364 votes or 29.91% Meg Luger-Nikolai (DFL) will be the newly elected State Representative come January 27, 2026.
In Woodbury’s House District 47A where the DFL Primary is the election, the results are not any better. With 28,270 registered voters with a three way primary, 931 people cast their vote for a pittance of 3.3% of those registered, Shelley Buck (DFL) receive 815 votes for an 87.54% of the vote, will also be a newly minted State Representative after the January General Election.
We wonder if a candidate were to file as Apathetic, if they would be able to garner the bulk of the votes.
Maybe both Luger-Nikolai and Buck should request positions on the House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee and work on tools to foster electoral turnout.
Primaries in House Seats Special Elections
Minnesota Report
The primaries in today’s Special Elections in St Paul (64A) and Woodbury (47A) will have no impact on the House legislative majority, the body will remain tied. The main reason being the fact no Republican filed for the House Seat in Woodbury. In St Paul, in spite of their being one token Republican filer, Dan Walsh, who lacking a Republican challenger is already on the Special Election ballot, the seat will remain in DFL hands because St Paul still is clearly DFL town.
The race to watch tonight will be in House District 64A, where there is a DFL endorsement, and the results of this Primary will effectively be the new house member. We are most interested in whether or not the DFL Party endorsement will prevail. The turnout is expected to be fairly light, because effectively, the contest is not changing anything dramatically other than the person who wins the race.
We are not sure what the electorate in this race will entail. The district spans from Summit Avenue, where many of the districts’ most affluent people live, but will they show up? Will the youth of today show up for a mid-December party primary, where St Thomas and St Catherine’s are in the district, we doubt it. The question is how to motivate an electorate for a party primary is hard, but if as they claim on the party website, if the Might 64 can produce more than a 25% turnout in District 64A, it will be impressive.
We expect the DFL endorsement still has value as an advisory to the electorate but, this election will determine this to some degree. Meg Luger-Nikolai (DFL-64A, St Paul) secured the DFL endorsement from a tepid group of delegates. The 70 people who rendered the endorsement, were all who showed up from the 120 available from the 2024 election cycle. With the threshold being a 60% majority she secured the requisite number, which was at least 42 and as is normal a call for a unanimous ballot occurred and then a majority of the vote rendered this decision.
Luger-Nikolai list of endorsements in this race including her potential predecessor St Paul Mayor-elect Kaohly Her (DFL), Senator Erin Murphy (DFL-64, St Paul) and seat mate Rep Dave Pinto (DFL-64B, St Paul). Her experience as a labor lawyer has rendered her a spate of endorsements from labor groups: The Education Minnesota Professional Organization (TEMPO), Inter Faculty Organization (IFO), Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), AFL-CIO, Education Minnesota, Saint Paul Fedewration of Educators Local 28, Teamsters Joint Council 32 and SEIU Minnesota State Council.
She has the position of front runner.
In the field, there are others. On the Alt-Left side of the field is Dan McGrath (DFL). He comes from the Progressive Minnesota spate of organizers and helped found and became the first Executive Director for TakeAction Minnesota, which was often referred to as TakeCredit Minnesota. Will his past progressiveness inspire voters and translate into a significant electoral turnout, its not likely, but it would be great to be proven wrong.
Beth Fraser may also be seeking the left side of the electorate as a LGBT member, Stonewall endorsed and past campaign finance advocate. She now serves as a staffer for the Senate Elections Committee, and is a past Deputy Secretary of State. We will be interested to see, what actually performance her campaign receives in votes. Our estimation in not a vast number, and a low percentage.
Lois Quam is a prolific funder to other campaigns, and as one of the advocates for the Clinton Administration on healthcare, while married to former Rep Matt Entenza (DFL-64A, St Paul) she was able to offer up the largess of her experience from United Health Group which scored her a deep finance resources. She help construct the MNCare system and became the CEO of Blue Cross CA. She secured the endorsement of MN Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL-MN) and newly elected city council member Molly Coleman (DFL-St Paul).
With affordability being the current buzzword, we wonder what the future for HMO’s are, or should be. Again, seeing her electoral result will be an interesting view.
Matt Hill (DFL) seems to be running as the moderate in the field. He discusses uncomfortable topics he hears while door knocking like the issues about fraud at the hands of bad actors, and occurring on the watch of a resident of the district Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and the rise in crime in St Paul.
He operates a business, which is estate planning and has served the Ramsey County Board members in a number of capacities. His path is the more arduous one and we’ll see how much of an appetite the votes have for a political pragmatist.
Last but not least John Zwier (DFL). In this case we ask one question, John who?
Candidates filed for House District 64A
Candidate |
Party |
Beth Fraser |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
John Zwier |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
Matt Hill |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
Dan McGrath |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
Lois Quam |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
Meg Luger-Nikolai |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
Dan Walsh |
Republican |
Candidates filed for House District 47A
Candidate |
Party |
Shelley Buck |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
David Azcona |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
Juli Servatius |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
In this case whomever wins the primary wins the seat.
30th Anniversary of Checks & Balances
Minnesota Report
It was 30 years ago December 8, 1995, a journey began on the Internet, for an e-zine entitled Checks & Balances. Minnesota’s first digital political publication. There have been many ups & downs along the way. One marker being the site of the 1st paid political advertisement, thanks to Jim DeMay, manager of the Ted Mondale campaign for Governor. This Mondale Comes in First
Another being, scooping three days before the MSM, the decision by Speaker Steve Sviggum (R) not willing to call a joint convention to select U of MN regents because the numerical advantage was in the DFL’s hands. This resulted in Governor Jesse Ventura making the selections.
It was comical, when calling Congressman Tim Penny (D-01MN) regarding the future of his US Senate campaign, and me, Shawn Towle the publisher, saying “This is Shawn, are you going to pull the plug.” and him responding, “Yes we need to write a press release later today. Towle clarified, “This is Shawn Towle.” The importance being Penny’s campaign manager was also named Sean. We published the information, and the Penny Campaign put out a press release 30 minutes after our story hit the ‘Net.
We secured a commitment from Rep Tim Pawlenty (R-38B, Eagan),US Senate or Governor in 2000. He called us enroute to his press conference making the announcement of his bid for Governor, and we scooped the event.
We published the “Gun Letter,” a fax sent to the Melvin Carter III campaign for mayor in 2017. This resulted in a series of news stories from other media sources highlighting the racist undertones this created, and Carter became the first black Mayor of the Capitol City. This election, he didn’t have our support, and the results are in.
Many people have assisted in the production, mainly a necessary assist, due to poor personal editing skills and grammatical challenges. For this, thanks go out to Dawn Erlandson, M. Kathleen Murphy, Leah Bailey, John Berg, Liz Biel, Andrew Asche and Grammarly, just to name a few.
The experiences have been memorable, covering a number of Democratic and Republican Conventions, State Party Conventions, Elections, State of the State Addresses, Revenue Forecasts, Press Conferences and gathering tidbits while at the State Capitol and writing material which in some cases influenced the final legislative language. This ride is enthralling, and still not over, but everything must change with the times. There is far much more to come and hopefully, much more to say.
Thanks for your support.
Shawn Towle
Publisher & EIC
C&B 1995: The Future of Politics: Editor’s Page (Shawn Towle) *The First Checks & Balances Articles*
Minnesota Report
The highlights of the premier issue of Checks & Balances feature a thoughtful article by former Congressman Tim Penny (D-MN) with a call for leadership that addresses many of our long-term concerns as a nation; we call this Lead By Example. This is followed by an insightful discussion with Carleton College Professor Steven Schier on the state of Minnesota’s political climate in a section titled Thinker’s Corner. Finally, a compelling article from former State Representative Pamela Neary (D-MN) on the elusive swing voter is found under Words Of Wisdom. We also have a place for our readers to convey their thoughts and ideas in External Opinions. We intend to provide a new issue every two months
It is important to explain the context and the purpose of this Web page so that you will understand where we are coming from.
In this ever-changing political world, few sources actually challenge the frontier. In this publication, we intend to disprove the myth that a lack of new ideas and fresh perspectives exists. Each article found here will not be heaped with tired old political tripe but is intended to push the political envelope.
We are seeking to open a conversation that will help define the changing Minnesota electorate. How will the role of past political alignments change as we move toward the 21st century? What are the issues of concern to the elusive swing voter? How will the established political parties respond? We seek to address many of these questions here.
The impetus for this discussion was brought about from a number of conversations based mostly in frustration and dissatisfaction. Claims are frequently made that those who care about people (Democrats) lack any new ideas or only propose tired solutions. We fundamentally refute this. The Democratic Party has a long tradition and a great history. But in order for that history to continue, there must be change.
Former Vice-President and US Senator Hubert H Humphrey, the father of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said: “If I believe in something, I will fight for it with all I have, but I do not demand all or nothing. I would rather get something than nothing. Professional liberals want the fiery debate. They glory in defeat. The hardest job for a politician today is to have the courage to be a moderate. It’s easy to take an extreme position.” This position embodies the focus of the words you will find here.
The battle of extremes disables our political system. Appealing to the radical fringe for party endorsement serves no one’s best interest. People committed to victory at all costs leave only wreckage in their wake. We seek to create a politics of tolerance that is devoid of personal attacks. A person who agrees with you the majority of the time is your ally, not your enemy. We need to build a party as the DFL party was originally formed, through coalitions. We hold a guiding set of principles which differentiates our party from others. We need to emphasize ideas that draw us together rather than those that force us apart.
The goal is to engage in a debate about Minnesota’s future. The purpose is to find out what ideas and policies will stir people to act. Minnesota has a fine tradition of public service, strong support for an innovative public policy, and a record of achievement that is noted nationwide. We need to embark on a journey that will prepare us to enter the next millennium. The traditional appeals of either right or left are exhausted. We need a rational, thoughtful political dialogue that addresses what we can accomplish together in our state.
Editor In Chief,
Shawn Towle
Twin Cities Mayoral Elections
Minnesota Report
In Minneapolis, incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey (DFL) has prevailed in his reelection bid for his third term of office. The attempted collusion by his three highest profile opponents failed to unseat him. This race made a major turn after the DFL Party rescinded the endorsement for Omar Fateh (DFL) after a number of irregularities were advanced by the Frey Campaign. With the results in, the three amigo candidates failed to perform.
The top four candidates listed DFL as their party label.
|
DeWayne Davis (DFL) |
20,414 |
13.85% |
|
Omar Fateh (DFL) |
46,614 |
31.63% |
|
Jacob Frey (DFL) |
61,444 |
41.70% |
|
Jazz Hampton (DFL) |
15,339 |
10.40% |
On the 2nd ballot, thirteen candidates were eliminated, including Davis and Hampton and their ballots were reallocated resulting in simple majority victory for Frey with 73,723 votes or 50.03% over Fateh with 65,377 votes or 44.37%.
Other the other side of the river, the election results in St Paul, were close, but ultimately incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter III (DFL), failed in his attempt to secure a third term of office. Ironically, the Ranked Choice Supporter succumbed to a field of four challengers, in the first electoral contest, which actually used the single transferable voting system for the first time in his elections, to produce the result.
Last nights returns were slow coming in, but round about midnight with Carter securing the first position with 27,261 votes or 40.83%, followed by Kaohly Her (DFL) with 25, 658 vote or 38.43%, he was overtaken by the combination of the three candidates who departed the race after the first round.
In the last municipal election to be held in an odd year, in a nonpartisan contest, the publicly three of the candidates identified as DFL and Yan Chen (DFL) did secure the Forward/Independence Party endorsement, but did not promote it.
Here are the first ballot results with 66,769 votes cast.
|
Mike Hilborn (I) |
5,701 |
8.54% |
|
Kaohly Her (DFL) |
25,658 |
38.43% |
|
Yan Chen (DFL) |
6,416 |
9.61% |
|
Melvin Carter (DFL) |
27,261 |
40.83% |
|
Adam Dullinger (?) |
1,576 |
2.36% |
|
Write-In |
127 |
.24% |
With Carter leading on the first ballot, and no simple majority achieved, Ranked Choice Voting commenced and a reallocation ensued.
In St Paul, any candidate without a possible route to victory, is then dropped from the ballot and those ballots are effectively batched and the 2nd Choices are then distributed to the remaining candidates. The difference between Carter and Her at the onset was 1,604 votes.
When rendered in reverse order of their finish, the following results occurred.
|
Candidates |
Melvin Carter (DFL) |
Kaohly Her (DFL) |
Difference |
|
Adam Dullinger (?) |
+650=27,836 |
+575=26,308 |
-1528 |
|
Mike Hilborn (I) |
+705=28,510 |
+2,202=28,541 |
-31 |
|
Yan Chen (DFL) |
+1488=30,029 |
+3,511=32,021 |
+1,992 |
This resulted in Kaohly Her (DFL) becoming the Mayor-elect and marking history as the first woman elected to the office in St Paul’s history as well as being the first Asian (Hmong) to do so.
Legislative Special Elections
Minnesota Report
Last night, two Special Elections were held in Senate District 29 and 47. In each instance, the party previously in power held the seats.
In the Special Election in Senate District 29 to fill the vacancy of deceased Senator Bruce Anderson, Michael Holmstrom Jr (R-29, Buffalo) secured 11,003 votes or 62.09% to over Louis McNutt (DFL-29) with 6,697 votes or 37.79%
In race to fill, the vacated seat of Nicole Mitchell in Senate District 47, current Rep Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (DFL-47, Woodbury) received 12,317 votes or 61.25% to retain the seat over Dwight Dorau (R-47, Woodbury) 7,782 votes or 38.70%.
Hemmingsen-Jaeger’s victory along with that of Rep Kaohly Vang Her (DFL-64A, St Paul) will result in Special Elections and because the House is tied at 67-67 the result could impact the balance of power.
Will Soybean Farmer’s Prove to Be Duped By Donald J Trump, Again?
National & Minnesota Report
When Donald J Trump (R) wrote the following on Truth Social, the depth of this statement wasn’t fully realized, “WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!),” adding, “BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID”. America’s Soybean farmers have been experiencing this first hand.
Since the imposition of tariffs on China, the state has not bought a single soybean. The stockpile is large due to a bumper crop and it sits idle in granary’s across the Midwest. Now, once the trade agreement between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is fully announced, we wonder if the agricultural community will be stupid enough to look past the Trump manufactured economic problem of imposing tariffs and misguidedly believe there isn’t something else destined to happen which will adversely impact their future’s?
Hm, lets reflect, the elimination of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), was the first kick in the groin, now along with the intent to end Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding, which provides opportunities for purchase of more healthy nutrition. In fact, in Minnesota, SNAP benefits result in a 2-to-1 benefit for $10.00 of SNAP funds to become $30.00 daily for higher purchasing power.
Since, farmer’s are one of the largest subsidy groups in the nation, with Farm Insurance and price floors for commodities, we always find it ironic they are anti-government and often vote Republican, which is directly against their own interest. This brings to mind the book, What’s the Matter with Kansas.
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