| Leaders gave a lot of “we’re still talking” comments as they came and went from the Capitol room Tuesday where they’ve been negotiating. They’ve been in hourslong talks almost every day for two weeks. And while they laughed at questions about when a special session would take place, it’s getting nearly impossible in terms of a timeline to wrap up a state budget without one. Gov. Tim Walz said the end-of-session close is looking like 2019, when leaders across divided government reached a deal for a framework in the final week and came back for a brief special session to close things out. “We're probably getting pretty close to that. I can say that it has been very productive. It's moving,” he said. “I will still say the tone of these are really encouraging, respectful differences, ideological differences, still working.” Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy made a point of noting on her way back into afternoon meetings that a jar of Milwaukee's dill pickles she brought last week had been eaten and a variety of new pickle snacks were on offer in the negotiating room. They're scheduled to resume talks later this morning. Dana reports that some activity has slowed as lawmakers outside the negotiations await answers.
Gov. Tim Walz took a pause from talks to provide an update Tuesday on the wildfire fight in northeastern Minnesota . He and representatives from several state agencies noted that the wildfires have been more intense and widespread than past years and it’s early in the season so there could be lots of blazes to battle. Walz said state officials have made preliminary contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency about the ongoing situation. Whether these fires qualify for federal damage assistance remains to be determined. Walz said he’s expecting that it will follow the past course of action. “I'm going to assume that the changes that have been made at the federal government have not gutted FEMA, have not gutted our responders. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt.” As of midday Tuesday, some 37,000 acres had burned and 80 structures (40 of them home or recreational dwellings) had been damaged or destroyed. MPR News will have the latest on the wildfires with updates throughout the day.
The “kitchen table” is proving more compelling than the “bargaining table” for one state leader. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is off to Cannon Falls for a Wednesday evening gathering tied to her U.S. Senate run. Flanagan has been around the Capitol this year; she was seen this week walking by the gathered media awaiting budget talks at the governor’s office and speaking at a Habitat for Humanity rally. But Flanagan has also been working to build up her 2026 campaign. She’s held 15 “kitchen table conversations” since early March. On Tuesday, her campaign touted its latest high-profile endorsement: She received the backing of Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a big figure in progressive circles.
A new set of those keys in your pocket might be harder to come by in Minnesota if lawmakers don’t unlock a deal before they bolt for the session. Minnesota lawmakers have yet to lock in a session-ending deal. But as they try, one proposal getting new attention could dictate how Minnesotans can legally purchase keys. A 2023 law requires all keys manufactured and sold in Minnesota after July 1, 2025, to have no more than .009% lead. “We shouldn't lock out common sense,” said Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown. “That is simply what we are doing here today. So I'm so proud that we have bipartisan support for this effort.” Minnesota Pollution Control Assistant Commissioner Kirk Koudelka said the agency could live with a law change to allow other key makers to complete the transition within three years. “What we do not support is forever, to exempt this and continue to have high lead in keys,” Koudelka said. “We're interested in a reasonable amount of time for a transition.” He said there are three alternative alloys currently in use that would satisfy Minnesota law. Read more from Clay.
As big budget bills take shape (slowly), the last work product of the Minnesota Legislature was in court Tuesday. Matt Sepic was at a Ramsey County court hearing as the 1,400-page tax bill that passed in last year’s session finish was under scrutiny. A gun rights group argues that a ban on a certain type of trigger that DFLers added to the sprawling 2024 tax plan violates a prohibition on multi-subject bills. They want the trigger provision overturned. The judge promised a ruling soon.
There was a campaign kickoff Tuesday night for Kendall Qualls, a big-name GOP entrant in next year’s governor’s race. Qualls filed his paperwork last week, as we reported here , to run for the office a second time. Last night’s event gave him a chance to frame up his campaign themes. According to his prepared remarks, Qualls went hard at DFL Gov. Tim Walz as the incumbent considers a third-term bid. “He’s spending more time outside the state on a vanity tour than he is trying to move Minnesota forward. That’s not leadership,” Qualls said of Walz. “I’m the only candidate who can help Minnesota live up to its potential. If we are going to fix the budget Tim Walz broke, we need a proven leader with real world business experience.” Qualls won’t be the only one in the race for the Republican nomination. He came close in 2022 to gaining the party endorsement. The DFL Party is already working to scuff him up, labeling him a “far-right culture warrior” and noting some of his past stances on abortion and promotion of more private school options using tax dollars. Republicans will be angling in 2026 for their first statewide victory since 2006.
The leader of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs wrapped up a part-official, part-political visit to Minnesota Tuesday. VA Secretary Doug Collins visited the Minneapolis veterans hospital and spoke about federal spending and veterans’ medical wait times, according to our Estelle Timar-Wilcox. The night before, Collins was the headline speaker at the Minnesota Republican Party’s major fundraising dinner.
Minnesota Republicans are at odds over new leadership’s embrace of conservative grassroots groups. Star Tribune reporters Sydney Kashiwagi and Ryan Faircloth that the state’s four Republican congressional delegates opted not to attend the party’s Lincoln-Reagan Dinner Monday in Bloomington. Sources told the pair that the representatives, along with others in the GOP, have concerns new Minnesota Republican Party Chair Alex Plechash and Executive Director Jennifer DeJournett are too tight with the group Action 4 Liberty. The group has directed opposition toward sitting GOP lawmakers for years. Plechash denied any division with the GOP members of Congress. | 