Politics and Government News

MPR News is your hub for the latest politics and government news coverage. Whether you're looking for the status of a recent Supreme Court ruling, or want updates on Minnesota's newest laws, we have comprehensive state and national news coverage ready for you.

Why Republicans are calling Walz 'Tampon Tim' — and why Democrats embrace it
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a law last year requiring public schools to provide period products "to all menstruating students" in grades 4-12. Some Republicans are now criticizing him for it.
Talking Sense: How we talk about immigrants and immigration
Polls show immigration is a key election issue with voters having sharply different views. Assumptions and misinformation also cloud discussions about immigrants and immigration. What’s accurate and what’s not? 
The Walz VP pick surprised much of the country. What went into Harris’ decision?
MPR News host Cathy Wurzer took a deeper dive into that choice with Chris Devine, a political science professor at the University of Dayton Ohio and the co-author of the book “Do Running Mates Matter?”
As spotlight shines on Eau Claire, here's a look inside Republican VP nominee Vance’s rally
In a Wisconsin town about an hour and 15 minutes from the Minnesota border, the political spotlight shines on both the Trump-Vance campaign and the Harris-Walz campaign.
Walz picks up Minnesota’s ‘politics of joy’ baton for Harris campaign, 2024 race
Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz set a tone of hope and happiness in their first rally on Tuesday in Philadelphia, from the Democratic vice presidential candidate’s first words through his closing remarks.
The Pentagon is reinvestigating if troops killed civilians in its 2019 Baghdadi raid
A prior investigation rejected claims that civilians were killed and wounded in the raid targeting ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The Pentagon says it's reinvestigating after an NPR report.
The GOP continues a legal fight against mail ballots that arrive after Election Day
Ahead of this year's election, Republicans have been trying to stop some states — including swing state Nevada — from counting valid postmarked mail ballots that don't arrive until after Election Day.
Walz opponents criticize the governor’s 2020 riot response
Walz’s handling of the riots following the killing of George Floyd by a police officer is being revived by Republicans who say he was too slow to call out the National Guard. A review in 2022 found the city at first did not provide a detailed plan, and Walz said at the time state and local law enforcement underestimated the scale of the unrest.