Recommended Reading

Governor's Race

Tom Emmer releases his K-12 Education plan. Most notably, he won't start paying back the K-12 funding shift until 2014 and no mention of the claims he made at the State Fair to tie that money to his reform proposals. (For the record, Tom Horner's plan would delay paying that money back until 2013 and Mark Dayton is the only candidate promising to repay it in his first budget.)

The candidates squared off on education issues this morning in front of a crowd of school administrators. MinnPost and MPR both have coverage.

The Star Tribune looks at the candidates' differing theories about school funding.

Bobby Jindal will be in Minneapolis on Monday to raise money for Tom Emmer's campaign. The event is closed to the press.

Bill Clinton will be in Minneapolis on Tuesday for a Mark Dayton fundraiser.

The Human Rights Campaign is making political donations to offset the controversial Target/Best Buy/etc donation to a pro-Emmer PAC



US Congress

Politico has a post about Democrats (mostly Blue Dogs) who have received money from the Kochs (the big spenders in the Libertarian and Tea Party movements) including the 7th CD's very own Collin Peterson.

Speaking of the 7th District, have you seen Lee Byberg's Collin Peterson 101 video? It's a page straight out of Glenn Beck's playbook complete with constant references to socialism, scrawling notes and connections on a board, and coins the term "Pelosified." (But just for the record, contrary to what Byberg keeps alluding to, Rep. Peterson voted against the healthcare reform bill.)

In the 3rd CD, Erik Paulsen has released his first TV ad.

In the 6th CD, Friends of Tarryl Clark has launched a new website where you can have Michele Bachmann's "Fake Jim" launch outlandish attacks against you, your friends, and your family members.

Michele Bachmann will be a speaker at the Values Voters Summit. According to the schedule, Gov. Pawlenty will also be making an appearance via video from his current trade mission in Asia.

John Boehner cites Rep. John Kline (R-2nd CD) in an op-ed on repealing "Obamacare"

In the 4th CD, Betty McCollum declines to participate in a TV debate after learning that one of the hosts of the debate (KSTP) made contributions to her opponent. Her staff cites a policy the campaign has had for the past few cycles to avoid such situations. The McCollum camp says Betty would likely accept another televised debate if it is hosted by another station. Republican challenger Teresa Collett claims Rep. McCollum is trying to hide her record. (If you're wondering how so many Republicans ended up on an MPR blog, Teresa Collett posted the link on her campaign's facebook page. It caught my eye, because it is honestly the most right wing and rhetoric filled comments I've ever seen on an MPR post.)

Perhaps in response to Collett's accusations, today Betty McCollum announced a series of DFL rallies as well as her intent to participate in a radio broadcast MPR debate.


Misc

A recent national security report once again puts the focus on Minnesotan Somali youth being recruited by extremists.

An interesting look at elections in townships and small cities when no one wants to run for the office.

Will the Anoka County Board be the first in the metro to have a majority of female commissioners after this fall's elections?