The Daily Digest
Gov. Pawlenty was in Iraq on Wednesday visiting troops. He wouldn't provide other details of the trip and wouldn't say when he'd return to MN. This is Pawlenty's fifth trip to Iraq.
Pawlenty has kept a heavy travel schedule since he announced he wasn't seeking a third term. Here's the list.
Here's a list of Pawlenty's international travel as governor.
Race for Governor
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Republican Tom Emmer will hold a town hall forum in Elk River today to discuss veterans issues.
Democrat Mark Dayton is scheduled to speak tonight to DFL leaning bloggers at an event called Drinking Liberally. Dayton is an alcoholic who has discussed his relapses during his time in the U.S. Senate.
Margaret Anderson Kelliher campaigned in Bemidji on Wednesday and is scheduled to visit Moorhead and Crookston today.
Slug is backing Democrat Matt Entenza.
Entenza also pledged support for K12 and rural Minnesota during a rural education tour. He'll make additional stops in southeastern Minnesota today.
PoliGraph says Democrat Mark Dayton's claim on education is debatable.
Smart Politics says the DFL candidates have spent 20 percent of their ad time ripping Republicans on the state and federal level.
KSTP gives MN Forward's ad supporting Emmer a B+ for accuracy. Hubbard Broadcasting gave money to MN Forward.
Race for Congress
Teresa Collett, the Republican running against DFL Rep. Betty McCollum, in Minnesota's 4th, is now backed by the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List.
2010 Other
The FEC could open the floodgates to new money.
Congress
President Obama signed the financial regulation bill. DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and DFL Rep. Collin Peterson were in attendance.
Peterson praised the new law.
The House is set to vote on an extension to jobless benefits today.
Homeland Security is playing politics with records requests.
The White House is apologizing over the dismissal of a USDA.
A new poll says former President Bill Clinton is more popular than President Obama and former President George W. Bush.
DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is calling on social media sites like Facebook to create a panic button so children can easily report cyber abuse.
Klobuchar is also one of several senators pressing Harry Reid on tougher energy standards.
DFL Sen. Al Franken wants tougher rules on cutting carbon.
Franken wants to create more incentives for medical device makers to tackle rare diseases.
There's discussion that President Obama's Race to the Top funding is losing its appeal among Congress and the education community. GOP Rep. John Kline praises the competition.
A House Committee approved new mine safety rules. GOP Rep. John Kline objects to the bill because he says it's too broad.
DFL Rep. Keith Ellison talks to MinnPost about his trip to Africa.
GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann held her first Tea Party Caucus meeting. She says the newly formed Tea Party Caucus is no mouthpiece.
DFL Rep. Betty McCollum calls the new caucus "divisive."
GOP Reps. Erik Paulsen and John Kline haven't joined the caucus.
The conservative Frum Forum says Bachmann has inflated the number of Tea Party Caucus members.
The St. Cloud Times says almost half of Bachmann's 2nd Quarter fundraising haul came from out of state donations.
A House Committee is considering a 20% cut to the federal ethanol subsidy. DFL Rep. Collin Peterson opposes it.
DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar says 25% of the nation's bridges are structurally deficient.
Under the Dome
Democrats held a health care forum in Bemidji.
Pawlenty for Prez Watch
A columnist for the Des Moines Register says the DFL attacks on Pawlenty may help him win support among Republicans in Iowa.
Finally
Good-bye Sandra Gardebring Ogren.