Mar 23, 2018
On Monday, the Senate will be taking up the State Employee Contract and Pensions. We understand there is a deal on this issue including with House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-31A, Crown), but as we stated in the previous article on MNLARS we expect there will be drama in...
Mar 23, 2018
Former Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) sent out the following email to past supporters and he highlights a number of ideas and asks for people to declare their support by Sunday. We expect this means there is some type of announcement set for next week. He calls into...
Mar 21, 2018
We will argue, next to a specific campaign, Checks & Balances is the best place to find out where things stand in an endorsement contest. The reason is clear, campaigns like to spin, i.e. Jim Niland. We then talk to the campaigns, take their information into...
Mar 21, 2018
US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) along with US Senator John Kennedy (R-LA), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are putting pressure on Chairman US Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to take action and call Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg before the committee. Zuckerberg...
Mar 21, 2018
There is a reoccurring theme being discussed in DFL quarters and it is whether or not the US Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) campaign is being run out of Washington DC by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). This is akin to Central Casting writing formulaic...
Mar 21, 2018
As the first deadline of March 22nd rapidly approaches we are still awaiting any action on the two anti-Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) bills HF3690 and SF3325 neither has had a hearing scheduled, but there is still time. Also, if they fail to make deadline there are other...
Mar 21, 2018
This weekend DFL Senate District 64 holds it convention. An item not on the agenda is an endorsement in the 64A House seat currently held by Rep Erin Murphy (DFL-64A, St Paul). We asked Senate District Chair Elizabeth Werfel if they were holding the seat open for...
Mar 21, 2018
Listen to the Sue Jeffers show on 1130 AM Saturday at 4:00 pm and hear Checks & Balances Publisher Shawn Towle discuss a wide range of political topics with the host. One of the issues we expect will be covered is Ranked Choice Voting…. This content is for...
Mar 14, 2018
Madam President, the Majority and Minority Leaders, and Members of the Minnesota Senate. Mr. Speaker, the Majority and Minority Leaders, and Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Madam Chief Justice and the Distinguished Members of the Minnesota Supreme...
Mar 14, 2018
This week has become an interesting one in the history of Ranked Choice Voting in Minnesota. For those of you unfamiliar or who have not experienced an election under this process, it is one where each voter is able to cast a series of votes for more than one...
