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CBS News
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- Politics
- CBS News
Special elections scheduled for Minnesota Senate seats formerly held by Nicole Mitchell, Bruce Anderson
Special elections will be held on the same day to fill the two seats vacated in the Minnesota Senate by Bruce Anderson and Nicole Mitchell. Gov. Tim Walz announced early Tuesday afternoon that both elections will be held on Nov. 4, 2025. If needed, special primaries for candidates will be held on Aug. 26. Anderson, a Republican who represented District 29, died unexpectedly last week at the age of 75. Meanwhile, Mitchell – a DFLer for District 47 – resigned from her seat after being found guilty earlier this month of felony first-degree burglary and possession of burglary or theft tools for breaking into her stepmother's home in Detroit Lakes on April 22, 2024. Candidates will have between July 30 and Aug. 6 to file with either the Secretary of State or county auditors.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
EDITORIAL: A positive step to help promote small, family-owned farms
Apr. 19—Some pictures really are worth 1,000 words. For example, we'd point to a photograph taken April 7 by former Post Bulletin reporter Noah Fish, who now works for Agweek. The photo (you can it find online easily enough) shows Tony Lent and Allie Kuppenbender on their farm in Mazeppa. Also in the photo are the couple's children, Otto, 4, and Aurora, 6 months. If you want to believe that family farming has a future in Minnesota, then this photo gives you reason for hope — but this family, like a lot of other young farmers, needs some help. Lent and Kuppenbender don't plant hundreds of acres of corn and soybeans. They don't milk 500 cows. They don't have containment buildings filled with hogs or feedlots packed with steers. Their farm, Bleed Heart Floral Farm & Design, operates on just 14 acres. They derive the bulk of their family's income from just 2 acres, on which they grow a variety of flowers. They sell cut flowers wholesale, provide arrangements for weddings and other social events, and also offer a subscription-based service of fresh, seasonal bouquets. These young farmers battle many of the same elements that crop farmers face, including unpredictable weather, weeds, insects and other pests, but they lack some of the built-in advantages that bigger, more conventional agricultural operations enjoy. Sen. Steve Drazkowski, a Republican from Mazeppa, and Sen. Aric Putnam, a DFLer from St. Cloud, are teaming up to help level the playing field for farmers like Lent and Kuppenbender. They have co-authored a bill that would qualify flower farms for agricultural classification. Why is such a change needed? Currently, Minnesota's tax code doesn't consider cut flowers as an agricultural product along the lines of soybeans, poultry or even tree seedlings. This means Lent and Kuppenbender pay property taxes on their farmland at the much-higher residential rate, and the process of erecting even basic farm buildings is more permit-burdened and costly than it would be for a turkey farmer who needs a new pole shed. The mere fact that a Republican and a DFLer have united in an effort to update the tax code is strong proof that this change is needed. Bipartisanship in St. Paul is only slightly more common than an orchid blooming outdoors at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in January, so Drazkowski and Putnam deserve full credit for reaching across the partisan divide in an effort to help flower farmers. We urge other legislators in our region to join this effort. Would this classification change have a profound, immediate impact on Minnesota's economy? Probably not. Fewer than 300 floriculture farms operate in Minnesota right now, including 10 in Olmsted County, seven in Goodhue County and 19 in Wabasha County. About 80 percent of the cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported from other nations, and those imports include the relatively few flower varieties that are easily grown, ship well and have a comparatively long shelf life. But just as the "know your food" movement has gained steam, so too has the market for locally produced flowers. More acres in the U.S. are converted to flower production every year, and local growers can offer more delicate, seasonal, region-specific flowers. They can create bouquets and centerpieces that simply can't be found at a supermarket or a major floral chain. Such flowers might be more expensive than blooms harvested in Mexico (tariffs could change that), but the ever-increasing popularity of farmers markets is ample proof that plenty of people are willing to pay a premium for locally-produced agricultural products. We see this trend as an opportunity for young Minnesotans who want to get their hands dirty. Between 2017 and 2022, Minnesota lost 3,300 farm operations. The land involved didn't vanish, of course — it came under new ownership and/or operators. In that same time, the number of farm operations that worked at least 2,000 acres grew by 21 percent. When agricultural acres change hands, newcomers to farming are largely shut out of the market by the high price of land and equipment. Even renting farmland is difficult, because large operations can pay rates that aspiring newcomers can't match. So, if a young couple doesn't inherit 500 acres and a tractor, they face a difficult path to become conventional crop-and-livestock farmers. But there is another path, and that's the one being followed at Bleeding Heart Farm. Lent and Kuppender are living proof that small operations, even less than 10 acres, can survive and potentially thrive by growing labor-intensive, high-value products that they market and sell locally. Young people who want to create careers in farming will have a tough time buying 500 acres — but five acres is doable. Minnesota should do everything possible to encourage such farms. That's not to say we oppose what's happening on Minnesota's vast agricultural landscape. Large farm operations are very adept and efficient producers of meat, livestock feed and the ethanol that fuels our vehicles. Although we look back with some nostalgia at the days when a 160-acre crop-and-livestock farm could support a family of four, those days are gone — and our state's farmland has never been as productive as it is today. But we like the idea that many of the parcels now considered "hobby farms" or "rural acreages" could soon become viable micro-farms that produce organic vegetables, specialty meats and Minnesota-grown flowers that will make beautiful centerpieces for Easter feasts. And if kids like Otto and Aurora grow up on the farm and decide to follow in Mom's and Dad's footsteps, so much the better.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DFL's David Gottfried wins special election, ensuring power split in Minnesota House
Minnesota Democrat David Gottfried won a special election for House District 40B on Tuesday in a landslide, restoring a 67-67 split in the House of Representatives. The special election for the district, which is in Ramsey County and covers most of Roseville and Shoreview, was organized after the November winner — DFLer Curtis Johnson — didn't meet residency requirements following a court challenge. Gottfried defeated Republican Paul Wikstrom, who also ran for the seat in 2024 and challenged Johnson's residency in court. Gottfried received 70.15% of the vote (9,352 total). Wikstrom received 3,966 votes. This marks an increase in the margin of victory compared to November's election, when Johnson received won by a 65%-34% margin over Wikstrom, albeit with lower turnout. Gottfried said in a statement the victory is "for Roseville, Shoreview, and every constituent who hasn't been represented for weeks." "I couldn't be more thrilled to be headed to Saint Paul as soon as possible to get to work for this district and Minnesota. Our team's efforts during the many phases of this campaign have been astounding. I'm so proud of the work of everyone who knocked doors, made phone calls, sent postcards, chipped in a few bucks, and did everything they could to make sure we won tonight," Gottfried said. 'We never lost sight of what's at stake. The President [Trump] is sowing chaos that is increasing the price of basic needs like food, energy, and healthcare. It's never been more urgent that we work together in Saint Paul to shield Minnesotans from the chaos, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and make a smart plan to protect our shared futures in Minnesota.'Democrats already hold a one-seat majority in the Minnesota Senate. Given that 68 votes are needed to pass anything in the House, bipartisan teamwork will ultimately be needed to get most bills passed onto Walz's desk for his signature. DFL Chairman Ken Martin provided the following statement after Gottfried's victory: 'As a proud Minnesotan, I'm honored to congratulate David Gottfried on his crucial special election victory. Minnesota is a shining example of what can happen under Democratic leadership: providing free breakfast and lunch for K-12 students, investing in mental health services, strengthening worker protections, establishing paid family and medical leave, and enshrining protections for reproductive freedom into law. Since November's election, Democrats continue to fight and win in communities across the country.' House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, also issued a statement following Gottfried's win, saying it "was always going to be an uphill battle to win in a dark blue Democrat seat." "I want to thank Paul Wikstrom for running an incredible race and ensuring that District 40B is represented by someone who actually resides in the community," Demuth said. 'While the House will return to a 67-67 tie after tonight, House Republican priorities remain unchanged: we will continue our effort to stop the fraud, protect Minnesotans from harmful tax increases, and work with our Democrat colleagues to pass a responsible and balanced budget.'
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Northland senator calls on Trump to reverse U.S. Forest Service firings in Minnesota
With thousands of forestry workers among the Trump Administration's mass federal firings, one state senator from a heavily impacted district is urging the president to undo the decision. Sen. Grant Hauschild, a DFLer who represents northeastern Minnesota including Hermantown and a chunk of St. Louis County, sent a letter on Thursday to President Donald Trump as well as U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber — a Republican whose district covers Hauschild's. It comes after the Trump Administration embarked on the laying off of around 2,000 "probationary, non-firefighting" forest service employees. While it's not been made clear how many employees are impacted in each state, the Star Tribune reported this week that it includes staff at Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota. Per a news release, Hauschild said the move "significantly impacts northern Minnesota, including the dedicated teams managing the Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters." "These employees are more than just Forest Service Employees; they are Northern Minnesotans who are raising their families in our communities," said Hauschild in a statement. "Their roles are crucial in maintaining the delicate balance of our environment, preserving natural beauty, and ensuring public safety through forest management and conservation efforts. Without adequate staffing, the ability to manage these resources sustainably and safely is compromised, risking environmental degradation and economic loss." Though the "total number of Minnesota Forest Service workers affected is unclear," the release notes, the Superior National Forest was already "100 staff short" before the job cuts, Hauschild's office claims. The release says the firings directly impact the service's ability to "manage forestry, law enforcement, fire management and other critical duties." 'These cuts will only hurt Northern Minnesota," said Hauschild, per the release. "I urge President Trump to reverse this decision, and I call on Congressman Stauber to speak up and join me in fighting for our constituents."
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan enters US Senate race after Tina Smith exits
A Democrat candidate announced her candidacy to replace U.S. Sen Tina Smith, D-Minn., less than two hours after the senator announced she wasn't seeking reelection in 2026. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan posted on X Thursday morning that she hopes to represent the North Star State in Washington D.C., announcing her bid to replace Smith. Meet Peggy Flanagan: Minnesota Lt. Gov. Flanagan uses platform to highlight Indigenous issues "I love Minnesota, and my intention is to run for U.S. Senate and continue to serve the people of this state," Flanagan posted to social media. Flanagan, a DFLer, wrote she intends to make a formal announcement later this month, following conversations with the community, family and friends. The hopeful Democrat was elected as the state's 50th lieutenant governor in 2018. She is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and is country's highest ranked Native woman to hold an executive office. She's also the first racial minority woman elected to statewide office in Minnesota. Flanagan, who is from St. Louis Park, graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2002, where she studied American Indian studies and child psychology. She also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2015 until she became lieutenant governor. Republican Royce White announced his intention to run for the office in 2026. He ran against U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in 2024. Klobuchar won reelection by 16 points against White, but that's a lower victory margin than her 24-point win in 2016. White ran his 2024 campaign on election reform and rhetoric against the transgender community, calling himself further to the right than President Donald Trump. 'I'm...a little further to the right than Donald Trump, a little bit further right than the whole bunch of them,' White said during his 2024 U.S. Senate campaign. 'And for that reason, many of the Republicans here in Minnesota think that I'm unfit or unqualified to be United States Senator, but I think that's exactly what you all need.' Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@ This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Flanagan to run for Minnesota's US Senate seat as Smith steps down
