Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Lindell is disputing last week’s election results after House Speaker Lisa Demuth handily won the Republican primary. Lindell trailed Demuth by more than 45,000 votes, meaning there will not be a publicly funded recount. Lindell says he’ll personally pay for one. The Secretary of State’s office says that will cost more than $800,000, and Lindell has until Monday to make a formal request and provide the money or a surety bond.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Klobuchar says she wants to break from the St. Paul status quo. Klobuchar has called for a full state government audit, a money-back guarantee if state permits come late, and bipartisan plans to reshape health care, housing and economic development. Gov. Tim Walz has publicly clashed with President Donald Trump, and Klobuchar says she would push back when Trump’s actions hurt Minnesota. Lisa Demuth, who is running against Klobuchar, says the only way to change the status quo in St. Paul is to elect a Republican.
The mayor of New Hope is calling on state lawmakers to reverse a 2024 law that stripped cities of the power to shut down group homes. Only the state has that authority now. The law came after New Hope tried to close group homes tied to Sekou Dukuly, the subject of an MPR News and APM Reports investigation. New Hope Mayor John Elder says the state does not have enough staff to adequately monitor group homes.
Minnesota gas prices are currently higher than the national average, according to Triple-A. St. Thomas economics professor Tyler Schipper says the U.S. war against Iran has disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Schipper says Minnesota usually tends to be a little below the national average because the state gets more oil from Canada that is refined locally. He says he would not be surprised if Minnesota prices fall below the national average next week.
