Keith’s former opponent, Noah Johnson of the Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party, dropped out of the race and endorsed Keith a few weeks ago. He released a video today asking folks to vote for Keith Ellison.
Even though Noah dropped out and endorsed Keith, he’s still going to be on the ballot, so we need to spread the word ourselves:
Republicans are scrambling to minimize their losses in Tuesday’s midterm elections in an effort to deny Democrats the 23 seats they need to recapture a majority in the House.
In recent weeks, Republican groups have redirected millions of dollars to competitive districts where their prospects appear brighter. Meanwhile, President Trump has gone to bat for several vulnerable GOP incumbents.
A handful of GOP lawmakers are fighting uphill battles for survival and appear likely to lose their seats, according to party strategists, with just days left before the vote.
Here are the 10 Republican incumbents seen as most likely to lose their seats:
View the complete November 2 article by Max Greenwood on the Hill website here.
Not since Paul Wellstone have we seen an ad that does so much to humanize a candidate as the one Minnesota DFL U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar issued Thursday with DFL congressional candidate Dean Phillips.
It’s not entirely clear whether the video is intended to support Phillips or Klobuchar, one in a tough race, the other in about as safe a race as Minnesota currently features. More than likely, the intent is to use Klobuchar’s coat tails.
But it’s a unique style we don’t see much of anymore.
Have a look.
View the original November 1 post by bob Collins on the MPR News website here.
Phillips’s campaign for Congress is based on the idea that representation begins with listening, and that change begins with conversation. Phillips has been traveling the district in his Government Repair Truck for a year and a half, meeting with and hearing from voters of all backgrounds at over 120 public events, making this a fitting close to his campaign.
Eden Prairie: 9:00 AM, knock kickoff, DFL Office (10165 Hennepin Town Rd, Eden Prairie)
Minnetonka: 9:40 AM, The Marsh
Wayzata: 10:45 AM, Bellecour
Bloomington: 11:45 AM, knock kickoff, DFL Office (2950 Metro Dr, #117, Bloomington)
Bloomington: 12:30 PM, Northstar Tavern Continue reading “Day 2: Phillips Continues 40-City “Coffee and Conversation” Tour”
Karin Housley has repeatedly stood with Big Pharma over Minnesotans, whether it’s supporting tax cuts for big drug companies or voting to line the pockets of opioid manufacturers. Housley supported the Republican tax law that gave a trillion-dollar tax cut to big corporations, including prescription drug companies. And she was one of only six people to vote against overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation (60-6) to hold opioid manufacturers accountable and require them to help pay for treatment programs. During debate on the floor, GOP lawmakers urged their colleagues to “have a spine” and vote for the bill, and said the pharmaceutical companies had “lied to the public.” Housley remained unmoved.
In contrast, the first thing Sen. Smith did when she got to the Senate was take on Big Pharma. Her first bill helps to lower the cost of prescription medicines by closing a corporate loophole that giant drug companies use to game the system and keep affordable generic drugs off the market. She also introduced the Affordable Medications Act, which would make prescription drugs more affordable, penalize drug companies for hiking up drug prices, invest in research for better medications, and prevent companies from gaming the system to block competition and keep drug prices high.
And just last week, major bipartisan opioids legislation that Sen. Smith helped write—which will provide $1.5 billion in funding for states, tribes and communities to bolster their prevention, treatment and recovery efforts—was signed into law by the President.
FACT: HOUSLEY HAS REPEATEDLY STOOD WITH BIG PHARMA OVER MINNESOTANS
Housley Voted Against Imposing A Fee On Pharmaceutical Companies “To Fund Prevention And Treatment Programs And County Social Services To Address The Opioid Addiction Epidemic.” “The Minnesota Senate passed a bill Thursday that imposes $20 million in annual fees on pharmaceutical companies to fund prevention and treatment programs and county social services to address the opioid addiction epidemic.” The bill passed 60-6. [SF730, SJ8829, 5/10/18; MPR, 5/10/18]
Star Tribune Headline: Tsunami Of Lobbying Greets Bipartisan Effort At Minnesota Capitol To Tax Opioids [Star Tribune,5/05/18]
Housley Said She Was For Repeal And Replace. “Housley: Saying she was for repeal and replace, which didn’t happen due to the slim Republican margin in the Senate — ‘Which is another reason I’m running.’” [Rochester Post Bulletin, 7/10/18]
Bill Cut Taxes Imposed On Drug Makers And Health Insurers. “Repeal the taxes on health insurers, prescription drug makers and medical devices. The bill seeks to lift the annual tax Obamacare imposed on drug makers and health insurers and It would also get rid of the 2.3% excise tax on the sale of certain medical devices that was put in place. The taxes would disappear in either 2017 or 2018, depending on the levy.” [CNN, 7/14/17]
Housley “Cheered The Tax Cut Bill[.]” “When it comes to policy, Housley is running more or less as a standard-issue Republican: She favors repealing the Affordable Care Act, has cheered the tax cut bill that was signed into law last year, and opposes abortion rights.” [Minnpost, 9/06/18]
Bloomberg: “U.S. Drugmakers Will Be One Of The Biggest Beneficiaries Of The Repatriation Portion Of The Bill.” “U.S. drugmakers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the repatriation portion of the bill. They’ve been sitting on billions of dollars in overseas earnings and can now bring home that cash at a reduced rate. While the tax bill has been promoted by Republicans as a job creator, the reality is that drug companies are more likely to return the money to shareholders, or use it to make acquisitions.” [Bloomberg, 12/15/17]
Fortune: Pfizer Is The Latest Drug Maker To Reap Billions From Trump’s Tax Cuts [Fortune, 1/30/18]
FACT: TINA SMITH IS TAKING ON BIG PHARMA AND GETTING THINGS DONE FOR MINNESOTA FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE OPIOID CRISIS
KMSP Headline: Sen. Smith Taking On ‘Big Pharma’ [Fox9, 7/08/18]
“Smith Has Taken Aim At ‘Big Pharma’” With a Bill Which “Aims To Increase Access To More Affordable, Generic Drugs[.]” “Smith has taken aim at ‘Big Pharma’ since being sworn in as a senator. She’s introduced two bills this year: one aims to increase access to more affordable, generic drugs, while the other would require the pharmaceutical companies to explain why drug prices are what they are.” [Fox9, 7/08/18]
WCCO Headline: Sen. Tina Smith Pushing Bill To Lower Prescription Drug Prices [WCCO, 3/25/18]
Smith Introduced The “Affordable Medications Act” Aiming To Lower The Cost Of Prescription Drugs. “Senator Tina Smith has introduced a bill aiming to lower the cost of prescription drugs, while making the marketplace more competitive to the benefit of the consumer. It’s called the ‘Affordable Medications Act,’ and was introduced earlier this week.” [KBJR, 9/07/18]
Smith Wrote Part Of The Opioid Bill. “The U.S. Senate this week passed new opioid legislation written in part by Senator Tina Smith. ‘It will support more medication assisted treatment and it gets targeted resources to states and tribes to expand treatment and recovery,’ said Sen. Smith. ‘All of these things will help stem the tide of this terrible epidemic which is killing thousands of Minnesotans and Americans every year.’” [Fox9, 9/18/18]
President Trump Signed The Opioid Bill, “A Rare Piece Of Legislation That Garnered Bipartisan Support. “President Trump signed a sweeping opioids bill into law Wednesday, a rare piece of legislation that garnered bipartisan support. The bill addresses numerous aspects of the opioid crisis, including prevention, treatment and recovery.” [10/24/18]
All voters in Minnesota can vote early before Election Day without providing a reason.Where to Early Vote In Person
All voters have at least one location where they can vote early in person with an absentee ballot. Depending on where you live, there may be additional locations.
Go to this link and enter your email address http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/
Continue reading “You Can Vote Early Now through November 5”
Jason Lewis and Erik Paulsen like to claim that their votes for the American Health Care Act didn’t gut protections for pre-existing conditions. Unfortunately for the embattled Republicans, the facts tell a different story. As Lewis and Paulsen double down on their disastrous plan, Republicans like Jim Hagedorn and Pete Stauber are joining them in enthusiastically endorsing the bill their party forced through the House last year.
Responding to Republicans’ health care lies, the DFL released the following statement:
“Erik Paulsen, Jason Lewis, and their Congressional Republican allies have completely undermined our health care system by voting to raise costs and strip care from millions of Americans. Instead of owning up to their heartless health care plan, Republicans have resorted to lying to their constituents about the most basic facts.” Continue reading “Republicans Double Down on Lies About Their Disastrous Health Care Plan”
Senator Claire McCaskill isn’t subtle in reminding voters what her campaign is all about. She’s rechristened it the “Your Health Care, Your Vote” tour.
The turnaround could not be more startling. After years of running as far as they could from President Barack Obama’s health care law, Ms. McCaskill and vulnerable Senate Democrats in Florida, West Virginia and other political battlegrounds have increasingly focused their closing argument on a single issue: saving the Affordable Care Act.
Now, with Republicans desperate to reposition themselves and come up with their own health care pitch, and with the elections roiled by gale-force winds on immigration and Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, the question is whether health care will be enough to save her and Democrats in other key Senate races. Most recently, the mail bombs sent from Florida and the fatal synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh on Saturday have added jagged new pieces with the potential to further disrupt both parties’ strategies.
View the complete October 29 article by Trip Gabriel on the New York Times website here.
