Category: The Upper-Midwest

Team Trump Takes Victory Lap as Michigan Dismisses 14th Amendment Cases Against Candidacy

Just the News

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign is celebrating the dismissal of a litany of cases in Michigan challenging his eligibility to run for president again.

Trump has struggled to fend off challenges to his appearing on the ballot in multiple states. The litany of challenges have largely asserted that he was ineligible to hold public office under the 14th Amendment for having led an “insurrection” against the nation in the form of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Riot. He recently notched a win at the Minnesota Supreme Court allowing him to appear on the GOP primary ballot.

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Six Companies Get $7 Million from Minnesota for Business Expansion

The Center Square

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will give $7.45 million in business expansion funding expected to create 430 jobs.

The funding comes from DEED’s Job Creation Fund and Minnesota Investment Fund. The Job Creation Fund provides financial incentives to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets. Eligible companies may receive up to $2 million for creating or retaining high-paying jobs and for constructing or renovating facilities or making other property improvements.

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‘Squad’ Member Ilhan Omar Draws a Competitive Primary Challenger

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Former Democratic Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels announced Sunday that he will attempt to unseat Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to The Associated Press.

Samuels previously challenged Omar in August 2022, a race in which he was narrowly defeated, garnering 48.2 percent support to Omar’s 50.3 percent. Samuels called Omar, a member of the ‘Squad,’ divisive and believes a more moderate option is needed, according to the AP.

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Wisconsin Congressman Warns of Flood of Chinese Electric Vehicles

The Center Square

One of Wisconsin’s congressmen is warning about a potential Chinese strategy to corner the market on electric cars.

Congressman Mike Gallagher and other members of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party this week sent a letter to the U.S. ambassador warning China may flood the U.S. market with electric vehicles.

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Minnesota State Senator Announces Bid for Dean Phillips’ Seat

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Minnesota Sen. Kelly Morrison, a practicing OB-GYN and Democrat from Deephaven, announced Thursday that she will run for the congressional seat currently held by Congressman Dean Phillips.

Phillips launched a campaign for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination late last month, angering many Democrats in his home state who believe Phillips’ “political side show” will do nothing more than weaken President Joe Biden.

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Right-to-Life Sues over Michigan Abortion Rights Amendment

The Center Square

Right-to-Life and other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit on federal constitutional grounds challenging the enactment of Proposal 3, an abortion rights amendment voters enshrined into the Michigan Constitution.

The American Freedom Law Center and Great Lakes Justice Center sued in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan on behalf of 16 plaintiffs challenging the abortion rights law voters passed Nov. 8, 2022.

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Two Newcomers in Anoka-Hennepin Defeat DFL-Allied, Education Minnesota-Backed Candidates

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In one of the most closely watched school board races in the Twin Cities, two of three candidates endorsed by a conservative grassroots organization, the Minnesota Parents Alliance, have captured seats on the Anoka-Hennepin School Board.

Linda Hoekman and Zach Arco defeated their Education Minnesota-endorsed opponents in their respective head-to-head races on Tuesday night, as election results from several school board and municipal elections across the state came pouring in shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m.

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Michigan House Deadlocked After Mayoral Wins

The Center Square

The Michigan House will be deadlocked 54-54 after two Democratic House members won local mayoral races.

After Reps. Lori Stone of Warren and Kevin Coleman of Westland won their respective mayoral races, House Democrats will still craft legislative agendas but won’t have the votes required to enact legislation without Republican votes until a special session is called to fill those seats.

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Wisconsin Rep. Introduces ‘TRASHED’ Bill to Address Environmental Harm Caused by Illegal Immigration

Just the News

Congressman Tom Tiffany, R-Wi., introduced legislation to address environmental concerns of illegal immigration, such as the millions of pounds of trash left near and on the southern border. 

“If it’s eight pounds of trash and we’re up to nearly 10 million people, that’s 80 million pounds of trash that have been dumped here in the United States of America,” Tiffany said on the Monday edition of the “Just the News, No Noise” TV show.  “But as we all know, the immigration situation, the illegal immigration that’s going on with the open border has affected us in so many different ways.”

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State Rep: Michigan’s 2040 Carbon Neutral Goal Is ‘Simply Too Late’

The Center Square

Days after the Michigan House and Senate passed a plan for the state to use 100% clean energy by 2040, Rep. Dylan Wegela, D-Garden City, said a goal of reaching 100% green energy by 2040 is “simply too late.”

“The problem is this legislation [SB271] is going to be billed as 100% clean energy, and that’s just false,” Wegela said in a statement. “This legislation had carveout exceptions for natural gas, carbon capture and even a trash incinerator. None of these are carbon free or clean, and all of them disproportionately impact communities of lower income and communities of color. 100% green energy by 2040 is simply too late. We need a Green New Deal.”

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Minnesota Woman Leads Grassroots Effort to Repeal Ranked-Choice Voting

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A city in the west metro Twin Cities has become ground zero in a larger battle waged by well-funded progressive activists to turn Minnesota into a ranked-choice voting state. And Ellen Cousins might be the woman to stop FairVote MN in its tracks.

The Minnetonka resident has held several volunteer positions on city commissions and within her local school district over the last three decades. She’s now channeling her zeal for civics and community service into a grassroots movement to repeal ranked-choice voting as a method of electing city officials in Minnetonka. And the more voters Cousins and her volunteers reach as the Nov. 7 election draws near, the more they believe momentum is on their side.

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Never-Trump Republican and Former Michigan U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer Launches Bid to Replace Retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow

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Former Republican Rep. Peter Meijer announced his candidacy Monday for outgoing Democratic Michigan Rep. Debbie Stabenow’s seat in 2024.

Meijer already had an exploratory committee for the seat that he launched in late August, where he was able to raise funds ahead of an official run. The former congressman wrote in a campaign press release that he believes he is the Republican with “the best chance” of winning the Democratic-held seat, where he will face several opponents in a crowded GOP primary.

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Minnesota Appeals Court Blocks Judge’s Ruling Declaring Felon Voting Law ‘Unconstitutional’

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Without ruling on the merits of the law itself, the Minnesota Court of Appeals said Thursday that a lower court judge had “no authority” to declare a new law granting felons the right to vote “unconstitutional.”

Judge Matthew Quinn ordered defendants in multiple criminal cases last month to refrain from voting or registering to vote until they complete probation.

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Republicans, Democrats Agree on New Protections for Wisconsin Election Workers

The Center Square

The plan that would add protections for election workers in Wisconsin, including a felony charge for anyone who assaults a poll worker, is bringing Republicans and Democrats together.

The Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections held a hearing on a series of election bills, including AB 577 that would expand protection for frontline election workers throughout the state.

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Teachers Union Drops over $80K on Minnesota School Board Races in Final Days of Campaign

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Education Minnesota, the state’s teachers union and one of the most powerful political players in Minnesota, has spent over $80,000 on supporting its endorsed candidates in local school board races in the final days of the election season.

The union announced the digital advertising campaign in a press release Wednesday, saying its get-out-the-vote push was a response to “unprecedented outside spending on fall school board races.”

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Michigan Lawmakers Approve $114 Million to Wipe School Debt

The Center Square

Michigan lawmakers approved a spending bill that aims to pay off $114 million of school debt in five districts.

House Bill 4292 is a supplemental bill aiming to pay $42 million of debt for Ypsilanti Community Schools, $31 million for Muskegon Heights School District, $18 million for Pontiac City School District, $12 million for the former Inkster School District and $10 million for Benton Harbor Area Schools.

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Longtime Minnesota Union Member to Run as a Republican Against DFLer Dave Lislegard

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A third-generation miner and union member from Virginia has said he will run as a Republican to unseat three-term DFLer Dave Lislegard in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Cal Warwas says he wants to represent District 7B at the State Capitol because he believes the “the DFL Trifecta, led by Twin Cities legislators, has advanced an agenda that is way out-of-step with Range values and priorities.”

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Michigan Senate OKs Financial Disclosure

The Center Square

The Michigan Senate passed financial disclosure bills voters approved in November 2022 through Proposal 1 to expose conflicts of interest but one lawmaker says the rules are all “smoke and mirrors.”

Senate Bills 613, 614, 615, and 616 aim to require lawmakers and candidates for public office to disclose assets and income above certain thresholds. The bills seek to require candidates and officeholders to disclose their spouse’s employment, including their status as a registered lobbyist.

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DFL Minnesota Legislators from Dean Phillips’ District ‘Enthusiastically Support’ Joe Biden

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A group of DFL lawmakers on Tuesday made it loud and clear their allegiances lie firmly with President Joe Biden, even as the Democrat congressman who represents their west metro legislative districts is mounting a primary challenge.

On Wednesday, Biden will make his fifth stop in Minnesota since becoming president. He last visited the state in April, when he toured an industrial business park in Fridley.

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‘MAGA Republicans’: Minneapolis Candidates Decline to Seek Star Tribune Endorsement

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Multiple Minneapolis City Council candidates declined to seek the endorsement of the Star Tribune Editorial Board this election, accusing the board of siding with “MAGA Republicans.”

“The Star Tribune should consider whether it’s worth keeping the editorial board, whose work undermines the credibility of the paper,” incumbent Ward 9 Council Member Jason Chavez wrote in a statement about why he did not seek the endorsement.

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Minnesota Democratic Senator Headlines Event Alongside Linda Sarsour

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A Minnesota state senator recently headlined the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) annual banquet alongside Lindsa Sarsour, a controversial political activist with a history of making comments that many view as anti-Semitic.

State Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis, posted a picture to X, formerly Twitter, of her posing with Sarsour at the Virginia-based event. The Oct. 21 banquet was originally scheduled to take place at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, Va., but was moved to a different location because of “significant risks to the safety of event attendees,” the Washington Free Beacon reported.

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State Republicans Push Free Speech Punishments for University of Wisconsin Schools

The Center Square

Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol say students need free speech protections on University of Wisconsin campuses.

The Assembly Committee on Colleges and University held a public hearing on a pair of plans Republicans say will not only make sure the Universities of Wisconsin are respecting the First Amendment but will also open the campus to more students.

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Michigan Counties Receive High Speed Internet Grants

The Center Square

Michigan plans to hand out more than $200 million in federal taxpayer funds for grants to provide high-speed internet access to underserved areas. 

The Michigan High Speed Internet Office announced the first round of the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks grants, awarding $203 million to more than 70,000 Michigan homes and businesses to connect them with faster internet.

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Minnesota High School Students Hold Walkout Against the ‘Brutality of the Israeli Regime’

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Edina High School students walked out of class Wednesday afternoon to protest their district’s “support for Israel,” which is at war with Hamas after the terrorist organization slaughtered Israeli civilians in an Oct. 7 attack.

“We all [saw] the email Edina Public Schools sent out showing their ‘support’ for Israel. History is repeating itself, an ethnic cleansing is happening to Palestine right now yet we close our eyes,” says a post on an Instagram page created for the walkout.

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World Relief Wisconsin Leader Says Biden Administration Has Decided Refugees Are Coming to Eau Claire

M.D. Kittle

An official with a refugee resettlement organization told The Wisconsin Daily Star that 75 refugees are coming to Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley beginning in early January, and there’s nothing opponents of the resettlement plan can do about it.

Tami McLaughlin, office director of World Relief Wisconsin-Fox Valley, said the Biden administration has signed off on the plan, and the federal government is the final authority.

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Lansing Receives $400K Grant Toward EV Charging Research

The Center Square

A materials and advancement research hub in Lansing will receive $400,000 in federal taxpayer money to develop faster charging electric vehicles.

The Federal Economic Development Administration announced the grant for project, which is a partnership between the Michigan State University Foundation and the EDA’s tech hub program. The hub will be used to research advanced materials, such as synthetic diamonds and rare isotopes, to advance semiconductor and defense technology. One of the hub’s key goals is to charge electric vehicles up to five times faster.

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Minnesota Democrat Calls on Phillips to Resign for Challenging Biden

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A Minnesota state senator is calling on fellow Democrat Dean Phillips to resign his congressional seat over reports that he will challenge President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary.

“[Rep. Dean Phillips] it’s time for you to resign your seat. I could not be more disappointed in you. You will never have my support again for any elected office, including your Congressional seat. Make America Affordable Again? Pretty rich coming from a multi-millionaire,” said Minnesota Sen. Bonnie Westlin, DFL-Plymouth, who represents portions of Phillips’ Third Congressional District in the state Senate and has campaigned with the congressman in the past.

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Opposition Rises over Plan to Relocate Potentially Hundreds of Somalis to Wisconsin City Without Approval from Elected Officials

M.D. Kittle

Eau Claire residents are speaking out against a plan to relocate potentially hundreds of Somali refugees to the northwest Wisconsin community without the consent of elected city officials.

One Eau Claire County resident who spoke to The Wisconsin Daily Star said the relocation effort amounts to “taxation without representation.”

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Economist: Aging Workforce, Learning Loss Among Biggest Wisconsin Economic Worries

The Center Square

Wisconsin’s top economist says the state’s economy is in a great place to grow, as long as the state doesn’t lose what makes it great.

John Koskinen, the chief economist for the state of Wisconsin, told the Wisconsin Economic Summit on Monday that Wisconsin has a strong workforce that wants to work, a large and solid manufacturing base and the potential to grow.

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Court: Michigan Department of State Must Revise Election Poll Challenger Rules

The Center Square

The Michigan Court of Claims ruled Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office must either rescind or revise a May 2022 Manual for election poll challengers.

The 15-page ruling analyzed four restrictions on poll challengers, including the credential form requirement, the requirement that communication only is with the “Challenger Liaison”, the prohibition on recording “impermissible challenges,” and the prohibition on electronic devices in the Absent Voter Counting Board.

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