41 days until the Aug. 14 primary
80 days until no excuse absentee balloting opens for the Nov. 6 election
126 days until Election Day
2016 Election
Senate panel upholds finding that Russia backed Trump, contradicting House, The Hill
2018 Election
Primary — Early voting now open. Go to dfl.org/voteearly to fill out an application to vote by mail. You can vote in person at your county courthouse. Click here for a list of cities where you can vote early in person.
General —
Record number of Native Americans running for office this fall, MPR
Affirmative Action
Trump officials reverse Obama’s policy on affirmative action schools, The Atlantic
Agriculture
Gov. Dayton meets with concerns citizens over hog farm, WXOW
SE Minnesota hog farm critics seek full environmental review, KSTP
Attorney General
Pelkian cites record of staunch progressivism in bid for state attorney general, Brainerd Dispatch
Economic News
- “Workers are choosing to leave their jobs at the fastest rate since the internet boom 17 years ago,” the WSJ’s David Harrison and Eric Morath report.
- “3.4 million Americans quit their jobs in April, near a 2001 peak and twice the 1.7 million who were laid off from jobs in April.”
- “Job-hopping is happening across industries including retail, food service and construction, a sign of broad-based labor-market dynamism.”
- Why it matters: “Job-switchers saw roughly 30 percent larger annual pay increases in May than those who stayed put over the past 12 months.”
The big picture: 2018 is the first year on record that the U.S. has more available jobs than people looking for jobs. Axios
Farm Bill
Kittson County residents offer input on the farm bill, Kittson County Enterprise
Farmfest
Candidates set to swarm Farmfest, Mankato Free Press
Federal budget crisis
Trump floats September shut down for ‘border security,’ CNN
Governor
Run for governor brings Murphy back to Borderland, International Falls Journal
Infrastructure
Northfield dumps 1 million gallons of wastewater into Cannon River, Star Tribune
Janus
How labor can thrive after Janus, Workday Minnesota
Taxes
Trump went on a media tour boasting about the effects of his tax cuts. If only the real data backed him up. MinnPost
Trump
Trump faces crucial stretch, The Hill
U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court contender spurs questions from social conservatives, Star Tribune
Who are the four Supreme Court contenders Trump has met with so far? Star Tribune
Facing uphill battle, activists race to oppose Trump’s Supreme Court pick, MPR
Upcoming Events
- Today through August 13 — Primary early voting. More information here.
- July 6, 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 9, 7:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, MN 55345
- July 9, 7:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 7001 Cahill Rd, Suite 21, Edina, MN
- July 10, 7:00 PM — SD34 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Maple Grove Library, 8001 Main St N, Osseo, MN 55369
- July 12, 6:00 PM — SD34 DFL Marching in the Maple Grove Days Parade
- July 12, 7:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Activity Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
- July 13, 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 14, 10:00 AM — SD34 DFL at the Maple Grove Business Expo, Maple Grove Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Rd, Maple Grove, MN 55369.