3/14/2025 -- All Tied Up In The MN House

💲 A new study from WalletHub shows that Minneapolis has one of the fastest growing inflation rates in the country.

Politics

DFL Candidate David Gottfried Wins Special Election, Restoring 67-67 Tie in Minnesota House

The Summary: Democrat David Gottfried secured a decisive victory in the special election for Minnesota's House District 40B, representing the Roseville-Shoreview area. With 70% of the vote, Gottfried defeated Republican challenger Paul Wikstrom, restoring a 67-67 tie between Democrats and Republicans in the Minnesota House.

Background of the Election: The special election was necessitated after Curtis Johnson, the previous DFL winner of the seat in November, was disqualified due to residency issues. Johnson’s disqualification temporarily gave Republicans a 67-66 majority in the House, leading to partisan tensions and stalled legislative activity. Democrats boycotted the session for three weeks to prevent Republicans from conducting business with their slim majority.

Implications of the Tie: The restored balance in the House means both parties must adhere to a bipartisan power-sharing agreement negotiated earlier this year. Under this arrangement, committees will be co-chaired by Democrats and Republicans, requiring cooperation to pass legislation. Republican Lisa Demuth will remain Speaker of the House.

Business

❯ St. Paul Tenants Evicted: Tenants of the Alliance Bank Center in downtown St. Paul were abruptly given 48 hours to vacate their premises by the property owner, Madison Equities, citing financial difficulties. In response, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter intervened, negotiating with utility companies to postpone shutoffs until the end of the month and committing to help affected businesses relocate within the downtown area.

❯ Mpls Businesses Sue: Eight businesses near George Floyd Square in Minneapolis have filed a $49 million lawsuit against the city, alleging that officials allowed the area to become a lawless "no-go zone" after Floyd's death, resulting in increased crime and significant damage to their businesses. The lawsuit claims the city's actions amounted to property condemnation without compensation and discriminated against the predominantly minority business owners.

❯ Electric Trade War: Ontario has imposed a 25% tariff on electricity exports to the U.S., affecting 1.5 million American homes and businesses, in response to President Donald Trump's trade war, but Minnesota is expected to experience only a minimal impact due to its limited reliance on Ontario's electricity. Despite the limited direct effect, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has criticized Trump's actions, highlighting broader concerns about the economic implications of the ongoing trade tensions.

What Else We’re Reading…

USDA Cancels $18 Million in Funding for Minnesota School Meals and Food Banks

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has canceled approximately $18 million in funding for school meals and food banks in Minnesota, as part of a broader $1 billion cut to local food purchase programs nationwide. This decision affects the Local Food for Schools program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance program, which were initiated during the Biden administration to support farmers, schools, and food banks during the pandemic. The cuts are expected to impact over 100 Minnesota farmers and food producers,

Meme of the week

Sports 🏀

Ben Johnson Fired After Gophers Lose In First Round Of Big 10 Tournament

The Summary: The University of Minnesota fired men's basketball coach Ben Johnson on Thursday after four seasons. Athletic director Mark Coyle announced the decision early Thursday morning following the team's loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament. Johnson, who had two years remaining on his contract, finished with a 56-71 overall record and 22-57 in conference play during his tenure.

Program Struggles: Under Johnson's leadership, the Gophers failed to make an NCAA Tournament appearance and struggled to compete in the expanded Big Ten. The team finished 15-17 this season, losing five of their last six games. Roster turnover and challenges related to NIL earnings made it difficult for Johnson to establish continuity and identity within the program.

Other Sports News

🏀 The Minnesota Girls State Basketball Tournament is underway at the University of Minnesota. Stay up-to-date on the scores and brackets here.

🏒 The Minnesota Frost lost to Ottawa on Tuesday. They are 1-4 in their last five games

🏀 The Minnesota Timberwolves have won six straight games with their most recent victory coming on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets.

🏒 The Minnesota Wild defeated the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday in a shoot-out.

Quick hits

Headlines From Around The Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota ✔

❯ A Minneapolis restaurant was recently named to Time’s “World’s Greatest Places” list (Bring Me The News)

❯ A locomotive train caught on fire in St. Paul Tuesday night. (Fox9)

❯ The Minneapolis school district sent layoff notices to combat $75M budget deficit (MPR)

❯ In a recent interview, Tim Walz said Democrats shouldn’t have played it so safe in the 2024 presidential campaign (The Hill)

❯ The Trump administration sent a warning to the U of M saying they could face antisemitism penalties (The Patch)

The Final Word: Only In Minnesota

Only in Minnesota can you have a news headline like this one.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

-Patrick