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Capitol View®
Brian Bakst

Daily Digest: When politics seem so inconsequential

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In Minnesota, there was only one story that mattered yesterday _ the heartbreaking and long overdue answer to the confounding question: "What happened to Jacob?" The account from Jacob Wetterling's confessed killer was excruciating, but it also revealed yet again the anguished grace of a mother who held out hope until the very end. "For us, Jacob was alive _ until we found him," Patty Wetterling said in her stop-you-in-your-tracks remarks. It made it hard to focus on anything else, including politics. But there are 62 days until the election, so here's your Digest check-in:

1. What hue is the Minnesota presidential race blue? Relatively speaking, it's not as solidly blue as some other places despite Minnesota's unparalleled streak of backing Democrats for the White House. An ambitious 50-state poll by the Washington Post puts Democrat Hillary Clinton up here over Republican Donald Trump, bigger when pollsters ask about their standing in a head-to-head race. The gap is narrower when third-party candidates are included and Libertarian Gary Johnson has a decent showing. If the snapshot in time holds up, Minnesota would have at least one new major party heading into 2018. (Washington Post)

2. Like it or not, money is the fuel that drives politics. Each side likes to rail on where the other's bucks come from but both gobble up the dough as fast as they can. So where does this year's money chase stand? It's a bit early to know for sure, but looking at the stockpiles of outside groups is as good a place to start as any and here's a good primer as the battle for control of the Legislature ramps up. (MinnPost)

3. Republican Rep. Bob Barrett needs the vote of a few before he can go after the votes of the many. The state Supreme Court will decide soon if Barrett can remain a candidate for re-election or will have his name scratched off the ballot over a residency dispute. Barrett cruised to a third term in 2014, with a 10-point victory. In the last presidential year election _ 2012 _ it was a tighter, with a mere 393-vote win. Needless to say, it's a race Republicans didn't figure they'd be worrying about with their majority on the line. (MPR News)

4. The warden of the Stillwater prison is on leave while an investigation into his conduct proceeds. The reason for the probe hasn't been revealed, but it's not the first time Steven Hammer has come under scrutiny. He was disciplined twice before for being flirtatious with or romantically linked to prison colleagues. (Star Tribune)

5. State Auditor Rebecca Otto is dealing with a setback in her challenge to a new state law giving counties latitude in their annual fiscal checkups. A Ramsey County District Court judge upheld the 2015 law. So far, 50 counties have alerted Otto's office they are exploring or have entered into contracts with private auditing firms rather than relying on the state auditor for the financial reviews. Otto is vowing to appeal, drawing criticism from Republicans that she is spending taxpayer money on a lost cause. (MPR News)