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Capitol View®
Mike Mulcahy

Daily Digest: Polls provide look at MN races

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Good morning, and welcome to Monday and the start of a new work week. Here's the Digest:

1. Polls show tight race in CD8; Phillips ahead in 3rd. New polls in two congressional districts in the state show a tight race for an open seat in northeastern Minnesota and a Democratic challenger with a lead over a Republican incumbent in the western metro suburbs. In the 8th District where Democrat Rick Nolan is retiring, the poll of 504 people shows Democrat Joe Radinovich and Republican Pete Stauber running neck-and-neck at 44-43 percent with 13 percent undecided and a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points. In the 3rd District poll of 500 people, Democrat Dean Phillips led incumbent Republican Erik Paulsen 51-42 percent with 7 percent undecided and a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 points. The New York Times and Siena College called these "live" polls because they posted the results as they came in. It seemed like an effort to get people to click on the results, and, for me at least, it worked. (New York Times)

2. Republican candidate and campaign aide injured in accident. The Republican candidate for Secretary of State and his campaign manager were injured Sunday when the parade float they riding on crashed. The float had just completed the Steamboat Days parade and was heading to back to the staging location when the accident occurred, according to Amy Koch, the campaign manager for Republican candidate for Senate Karin Housley. Koch said the tractor pulling the float sped up and hit a curb. John Howe, the candidate for Secretary of State said he was thrown to the pavement along with his campaign manager, Tim Droogsma. Howe spoke to MPR News while being transported by ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center. Howe said it appeared the flatbed trailer ran over Tim Droogsma, his campaign manager. A spokeswoman said Sunday afternoon Droogsma was in stable condition. (MPR News)

3. Ellison ramps up campaign after allegations. After a dip in public appearances, Keith Ellison has resumed a busy campaign schedule. On Thursday, he held a St. Paul news conference to condemn legal efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, with several activists at his side. At a Labor Day picnic in Duluth, he vowed to stand up for unions. And in a State Fair visit he called for affordable student loans and medications. “I spent my life trying to stand up for equal rights for people,” Ellison told the Star Tribune last week. “ ... That’s what I’m going to do as Minnesota attorney general. I’m going to stand up to make sure everybody is treated with fairness, equality and dignity in this society.” In his interview, Ellison again denied the allegation last month by ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan that he dragged her off a bed by her feet during a fight in 2016. As Republicans try to win an attorney general seat that Democrats have occupied for almost half a century, the party has been relentless in its criticism of Ellison — and of other DFL candidates who associate with him. “His views are too radical and the controversies surrounding him will be a hindrance,” said Doug Wardlow, the GOP candidate for attorney general. Ellison’s campaign has hit back by pointing to Wardlow’s work as a lawyer for a legal foundation with ties to the Christian right, which has fought same-sex marriage and transgender rights. (Star Tribune)

4. Hughes wins Trump's backing in CD7. President Donald Trump on Saturday morning tweeted his support for Dave Hughes, the Republican challenger for the U.S. House in Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District. Hughes is running against U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, a centrist Democrat who is the state’s most senior representative. Peterson has served in Congress since 1991. Trump’s tweet, sent at 9:44 a.m. with misspellings, including one of Peterson’s last name, reads: “Dave Hughes is running for Congress in the Great State of Minnesota. He will help us accomplish our America First policies, is strong on Crime, the Border, our 2nd Amendmen, Trade, Military and Vets. Running against Pelosi Liberal Puppet Petterson. Dave has my Total Endorsement!” Hughes thanked Trump for his support in a statement. “I’m honored by his confidence in me and look forward to working with our President to move the America First agenda forward,” the statement read. (Star Tribune)

5. Officials plan to tap Real ID money for MNLARS. Minnesota officials have come up with a plan to continue trying to fix and upgrade the state’s beleaguered computer system for vehicle license plates and tabs. They’re hoping to tap into funds slated for enhancements to a new computer system for Real ID driver’s licenses, which are being rolled out next month. The likely solution floated this week to state lawmakers aims to keep improving MNLARS — the now-$100-million-plus computer system that was rolled out more than a year ago and has never worked as it was supposed to — through February by diverting $5.5 million from the Real ID track. After February, work on MNLARS would essentially cease without new funding from the next Legislature and governor. A more-secure funding plan failed at the Capitol earlier this year. It became roadkill when it was included in a wide-ranging spending bill that Republican lawmakers passed and Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat, vetoed for unrelated reasons. Each side blamed the other. (Pioneer Press)