In the Know
Minnesota DFL
Feb. 17, 2016
219 days before people can begin to vote by no excuse absentee ballot, Sept. 23
264 days until Election Day, Nov. 8
13 days until the DFL SD48 Caucus
 
Events today

• 10 a.m. – Gov. Dayton will hold a media availability. Governor’s Press Briefing Room, Veterans Service Building, 20 W 12^thSt., St. Paul.
• 10 a.m. – The Senate Capital Investment Committee meets in Room 1200 of the Minnesota Senate Building.
• 11 a.m. – Lt. Gov. Smith will provide remarks at an announcement regarding the national Congressional Medal of Honor Convention. FAIR School, Auditorium, 3915 Adair Ave. N, Crystal.
• 1 p.m. – Joint House Education Innovation Policy & Education Finance committees meet in Room 200 of the State Office Building.
• 7:30 p.m. – After months of bargaining, and in response to stalling and delays from employers, janitors with SEIU Local 26 have announced they will walk off the job on an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike today. A community rally will take place from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at U.S. Bank Plaza in Minneapolis.

Precinct caucuses March 1

• 7 p.m. – Help spread the word that people can find their precinct caucus locations here.

Mark your calendars

• Feb. 18 – Vice President Joe Biden visits the St. Paul Depot.
• Feb. 18 – The South Hennepin County DFL Senior Caucus will meet from 12:30 – 2 p.m. at Davanni’s at 12th and Hennepin in Minneapolis. The speaker is Janet Conn from the National Association of Compassion and Choices.
• Feb. 20 – Caucus Convener Training, 10:30 a.m., Hosmer Library, 347 E 36th St, Minneapolis.
• Feb. 21 – The DFL Disabilities Caucus will hold a membership meeting at Rondo Library, University and Dale, St. Paul from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, in the Youth Library Room. The Caucus will pass political resolutions, elect a Secretary, and discuss the Compassionate Care bill to be introduced in the MN Legislature this year.
• Feb. 22 – Rep. Jean Wagenius (DFL-Minneapolis) and other legislators will host a pollinator forum at 7 p.m. at Washburn High, 201 W 49th St., Minneapolis.
• Feb. 25 – Secretary of State Steve Simon will host the “Secretary’s State on the State of Elections” at noonat the Wellstone Neighborhood House, St. Paul. After the speech, participants can attend one of two workshops, “What happens at a precinct caucus,” or “Building the next generation of poll workers.” For more information,click here.
• Feb. 25 – Forum News Service will host a unique preview of the Minnesota legislative session. Gov. Mark Dayton, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, House Speaker Kurt Daudt, Senate Minority Leader David Hann and House Minority Leader Paul Thissen will sit at the same table to answer questions from Minnesota reporters.
• Feb. 26 – Republicans debate in Houston on NBC. The co-sponsors are Telemundo and National Review.
• Feb. 27 – The DFL African American Caucus will meet, 10 a.m., 3240 Library Ln, Minneapolis.
• March 6 – Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will debate in Flint, Michigan.
• April 30 – CD 2 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., Shakopee West Junior High School, 200 10^th Ave. E, Shakopee.
• April 30 – CD 7 DFL Convention, 1 p.m., Courtyard Marriott Hotel, 1080 28^th Ave. S, Moorhead.
• May 7 – CD 5 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., South High School, 3131 S 19^th Ave., Minneapolis.
• May 7 – CD 8 DFL Convention, 10 a.m., Duluth Holiday Inn, 200 W 1^st St., Duluth.
• May 14 – CD 1 DFL Convention, 1 p.m., Worthington Event Center, 1447 Prairie Dr., Worthington.
• May 14 – CD 3 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., Osseo Senior High School, 317 2^nd Ave. NW, Osseo.
• May 21 – CD 6 DFL Convention, noon, St. Cloud Apollo High School, 1000 44^th Ave. N, St. Cloud.
• May 22 – CD 4 DFL Convention, noon, Carpenters Union Hall, 700 Olive St., St. Paul.

Fundraisers

• Feb. 19 – Congressional District 5 DFL will host its Heart of the Party fundraiser. 7 p.m., 301 on Main, Minneapolis. There is free parking adjacent to the building in an open surface lot. Tickets are $35.
• Feb. 22 – The DFL Senate District 13, and in partnership with the College Democrats of the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University will host “An Evening with Secretary of State Steve Simon.” 6:30 p.m., Gorecki Conference Center on the campus of the College of St. Benedict.

• Feb. 27 – SD36 DFL Fundraiser and Elections Pre-Caucus Rally. North Hennepin Community College, College of Business & Technology, Grand Hall, 7411 85th Ave N, Brooklyn Park. Participants will discuss the importance of Elections in Minnesota and your local Senate District. Keynote speakers are Minnesota Secretary of State,
  Steve Simon and Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey. Suggested donation $20. All donations appreciated. Please RSVP with Reva Chamblis at or call Reva at .
• March 12 – Senate District 63 DFL hosts its annual Spaghetti Dinner. 5 p.m., Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4120 17th Ave. S, Minneapolis.
• March 12 – The Senate District 16 DFL fundraiser will be held at Jackpot Junction, Morton. It kicks off at 5 p.m. and will feather a buffet meal, silent and live auctions and speakers.

2016 election
Legislature
Sauk Rapids native plans Minnesota Senate run, St. Cloud Times
Puposky resident announces candidacy for Minnesota House, Bemidji Pioneer
Minnesota lawmaker to step down and focus on microbrewery, WCCO

President
Everything you need to know about delegate math in the presidential primary, Washington Post
Why the Congressional Black Caucus endorsement of Hillary Clinton is a really big deal, Washington Post
Clinton and Sanders before the campaigns, MPR
Why GOP elites just became even more nervous about a Trump nomination, Washington Post
Cruz tax plan would cost $8.6 trillion, second only to Trump’s, Washington Post
Two reasons the Republican presidential race is still such a mess, Washington Post

• In the past, we’d know the nominee by now
• So what changed? First, Citizens United.
• Second, the GOP changed how it doles out delegates
• So no one’s giving up — because almost anyone can still win

2016 session
House Minority leader Paul Thissen delivers DFL agenda, Aitkin Independent Age
MinnPost Social: Bierschbach and Grow to preview 2016 legislative session March 2, MinnPost
 
Democratic National Convention
Good Question: Who are Minnesota’s delegates? WCCO
 
Education (E-12)
Minnesota schools not closing achievement gaps, new state report shows, Star Tribune
How schools are targeting student health to raise attendance, graduation rates, Fox 9
 
Health care
DFL lawmakers say more transparency could lower health costs, Pioneer Press
House DFL releases plan to cut health care costs, MPR
House DFL wants transparency, lower cost in health care, KSTP
 
Homeownership
Where the ‘American dream’ of homeownership is fading the most, Washington Post
 
Labor
I’m striking because it’s time for action on disparities, Star Tribune
 
Lobbying
Amid federal gridlock, lobbying rises in the states, Center for Public Integrity
 
Nevada
Poll: Clinton, Sanders in a dead heat for Nevada, CNN
 
Precinct caucuses
Local GOP, DFL caucus locations set for Super Tuesday, Bemidji Pioneer

Scalia, Antonin
Scalia to lie in repose on Friday, MPR
 
South Carolina
Donald Trump supporter in South Carolina: ‘We’re voting with our middle finger,’ Washington Post
South Carolina Republican presidential primary, Real Clear Politics
Trump opponents try to build eminent domain into SC primary issue, MPR
Attacks hammer Cruz in South Carolina, The Hill
In South Carolina, big leads on both sides, CNN

• In the Republican race, Trump, at 38 percent, tops Ted Cruz, who holds second place with 22 percent.
• Behind those two, Marco Rubio garners 14 percent support, Jeb Bush is at 10 percent, Ben Carson has 6 percent and John Kasich is at 4 percent.
• Clinton leads Sanders 56 percent to 38 percent. Clinton’s lead rests heavily on the state’s black voters and women. Both groups made up a majority of voters in the 2008 primary there.
• Among black voters, she leads 65 percent to 28 percent, and among women, she leads 60 percent to 33 percent.
• White voters break in Sanders’ favor, 54 percent for the Vermont senator to 40 percent for the former secretary of state, while men are about evenly divided between the two, 49 percent Clinton to 45 percent Sanders. CNN

United States Supreme Court
Amy Klobuchar, Jane Louise Kelly on watch list for Supreme Court nomination, Grand Forks Herald
5 ways Scalia’s death complicates the 2016 election, MPR
Klobuchar sees role in Supreme Court fight, Star Tribune
Amy Klobuchar says Judiciary role trumps Supreme Court job, Pioneer Press
Obama: No excuse for GOP not to vote on a court nominee, Star Tribune

Vowing to name an “indisputably” qualified Supreme Court nominee to replace Antonin Scalia, President Barack Obama lashed out at Republicans — saying their strict interpretation of the Constitution is nowhere to be found as they promise to block his choice for the bench. “The Constitution is pretty clear about what is supposed to happen now,” he said at his first news conference since Scalia’s death was announced on Saturday. “I am amused when I hear people who claim to be strict interpreters of the Constitution suddenly reading into it a whole series of provisions that are not there,” Obama said. “I am going to present somebody who indisputably is qualified for the seat and any fair-minded person, even somebody who disagreed with my politics, would say would serve with honor and integrity on the court … Your job doesn’t stop until you are voted out or until your term expires. CNN

Vikings stadium
$15M dispute over Vikings stadium costs nearing deal, MPR
Photos: Vikings stadium 90 percent complete, MPR
Vikings stadium 90 percent finished and is on schedule, KARE

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