Your Daily Guide

Minnesota's Most Expensive Midterm

It feels like every election cycle brings headlines of unprecedented spending numbers on campaigns, and this year is no different. According to campaign finance documents released on Tuesday, next week's election is likely to be the most expensive midterm in Minnesota history. [Minnesota Reformer]

• Bucking the trend: Minnesota Republicans are currently outspending Democrats statewide for the first time in recent memory. Much of the GOP's fundraising success comes from a PAC called "Restore Sanity" that is largely backed by money from Wisconsin-based billionaire Richard Uihlein. Uihlein and his wife Elizabeth have given $150 million to Republican candidates nationwide, making them one of the largest donors in the country during this election. [Star Tribune / MPR News]
• Controlling the Capitol: GOP operative Preya Samsundar said that state Senate races may be the party's best chance to prevent a DFL trifecta in St. Paul next year. Republicans have spent $12.2 million on state Senate races compared to Democrats' $7.4 million, and they're focusing their efforts on the Hermantown, St. Cloud, and Moorhead areas. [Star Tribune / MPR News]
• PACs vs. Candidates: Despite bigger outside spending from PACs on Republican candidates, DFL candidates have vastly outpaced their opponents in direct fundraising in the governor's race, state House races, and state Senate races. [Minnesota Reformer]

Last laughs? Sisyphus Brewing, a staple in the Twin Cities comedy scene, will have to find a new location or close by January of 2027. Despite running a profitable business, owner Samuel Harriman posted on Facebook that Dunwoody College will not be renewing or extending the brewery's lease next year. [FOX 9]

Safety shake-up: The Minneapolis City Council could vote today to dissolve the city's Office of Community Safety. The OCS was originally created in the wake of George Floyd's murder in an effort to remove some public safety responsibilities from the Minneapolis Police Department. Council President Elliott Payne said the office has served to impede the chain of command and has not had any real authority to push back against MPD's repeated budget overruns. Mayor Jacob Frey is expected to veto the dissolution if it passes, though the City Council could have a nine-vote supermajority necessary to override a veto. [Axios Twin Cities]

"Islands of calm": As voters express anxieties around the possibility of ICE agents and federal election monitors at polling places on Election Day, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon reminds voters that federal agents will be bound by Minnesota election laws that bar them from going within 100 feet of a polling location. Hear from journalist Brian Martucci about the intricacies of election laws and who is allowed in polling locations on today's episode of the podcast. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities / MinnPost]

The "Department of Obstruction": In their first public press conference since Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents Raymundo Gutierrez and Jesus Ochoa, Pretti's parents blasted the Justice Department for how they have handled the investigation, saying federal officials have "ignored us, misled us and shielded Alex's killers." The DOJ issued a statement saying their lack of communication with the family throughout the investigation is normal. The department's continued refusal to share evidence from the shooting with local investigators, however, is not normal. [MPR News]

Unanswered: Republican gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth has drawn scrutiny for her repeated refusals to state whether she would pardon Derek Chauvin for the muder of George Floyd. Demuth dodged the question multiple times at a press conference on Monday, and also wouldn't give an answer after the Minnesota Republican Party's statewide convention held a moment of silence for Chauvin back in May. [Minnesota Reformer]

Coming up short: In an email sent to all Minneapolis Public Schools parents on Tuesday, the district announced that its current enrollment has fallen about 1,000 students short of projections, leading to an expected loss of approximately $12.9 million in funding. Similar to St. Paul Public Schools, MPS largely attributed the decline to Operation Metro Surge. The email to parents also included a form for community members to fill out if they are interested in volunteering to help increase enrollment. [Star Tribune]

You can't do that: Conservative influencers James O'Keefe and Cam Higby were charged with felonies for unlawful voting and identity theft for filming themselves misrepresenting their identities to election judges during the Minnesota Aug. 11 primary. In a video that O'Keefe posted on purpose, he appears to put on a fake accent and enters a Minnesota polling place to attempt to use the name of another registered voter to vouch for Higby, who was dressed in a burka. While O'Keefe didn't proceed with voting, it is illegal to intentionally misrepresent your identity while applying for a ballot. [MPR News / 🎥 CBS News]

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