Good morning. One week to session, one month to Super Tuesday
Super Tuesday could end up being Super Snoozeday. As much as the polls show most Americans are flinching at a Biden-Trump rematch, the voters who will decide the nominees are sending the opposite message through the primaries held so far. Democratic President Joe Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump are heavily favored in this week’s Nevada contests. Notice the plural. There is a confusing lineup of voting out west this week. The Associated Press explains . Results start rolling in Tuesday. Minnesota is among 16 places where votes are counted on March 5 — the largest one-day haul of delegates for the nomination seekers.
One Democrat not on ballots in Nevada: Dean Phillips. The Minnesota congressman failed to make a filing deadline in October (he didn’t launch his presidential bid until after that). Phillips got trounced on Saturday in South Carolina, the first state in the Democratic primary lineup. Phillips finished third with Biden locking in 96 percent of the vote. That’s even more than Phillips foreshadowed Biden would get when he campaigned there. Phillips took the drubbing in stride, posting a humorous message on social media. See this Friday story from Clay Masters, who notes that Phillips didn’t put up much of an effort but has to wait until Feb. 27 for his next stand, which is in Michigan.
From 1981 to 2002, the Minnesota Senate had a single majority leader in DFLer Roger Moe. From 2003 to this year — an equal stretch — it’s been more of a shared assignment. Ten senators have held the title. Senate DFLers will choose a new majority leader soon. That’s because Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, who has been in the post for a year, will leave that leadership position amid a new health battle. Clay had our writeup Friday on Dziedzic’s announcement that she is again coping with a cancer diagnosis.
It’s a notable shuffle with the legislative session beginning one week from today. Expect the Capitol to get busier with groups holding warmup press conferences and lawmakers showing off early bills. The House pre-filing deadline was on Friday; those bills will be posted midweek. The bills that will be introduced when the Senate gavels in must be in by this Friday.
A fire that damaged the offices of several Minnesota conservative organizations is being investigated as arson. The building in Golden Valley houses the offices of the Center for the American Experiment, TakeCharge and the Upper Midwest Law Center. The organizations say they believe they were targeted for their political stances. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is taking up the case, alongside the FBI, but weren’t able to provide further information amid the ongoing investigation. The fire broke out around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28.
Osseo city officials are considering a municipal marijuana dispensary.WCCO-TV reports the Osseo City Council met last week to hear findings and recommendations from a sub-committee put together last year to explore the possibility of a municipal dispensary. The law allows cities and counties to own and operate municipal cannabis stores with certain restrictions. Osseo officials hope to be the first city to have a municipal dispensary. The city would receive potential tax benefits they could put towards funding products and public safety officials would have oversight of the dispensary.
Minnesota is one of four states where a candidate who is constitutionally ineligible to be president will appear on a Super Tuesday ballot. Cenk Uygur, a naturalized citizen born in Turkey to Turkish parents, is among nine names DFL Party Chair Ken Martin placed on the ballot. The U.S. Constitution requires presidents to be natural-born citizens. Martin told MinnPost he was following advice from his lawyers that it’s better to allow candidates to appear on a primary ballot until a court determines they are ineligible. Uygur is a left-leaning Democrat and hosts an online political commentary show called “The Young Turks.” He will also appear on the Super Tuesday ballot in Oklahoma, Texas and Vermont. He told his supporters, “Nothing is impossible.”
Finally, candidates who go on late-night TV often show a side of themselves they don’t in their traditional rallies and events. There’s nothing wrong with yukking it up at your own expense. Nikki Haley took her turn at it on Saturday Night Live. Watch it here. | 