The Daily Digest
Democrat Mark Dayton will make a few media appearances over the next few days. He's scheduled to be on MPR's Midday at 11am. He's also scheduled to appear on TPT's Almanac tonight. On Sunday, he'll appear on WCCO's Sunday Morning.
On Thursday, Dayton also announced the members of his recount team. It includes long-time DFL strategist Ken Martin, attorneys Charles Nauen and David Lillehaug and Alliance for a Better MN spokesman Denise Cardinal.
While Dayton makes the media rounds, Republicans are working to find 9,000 votes for Republican Tom Emmer. The MNGOP sent out two separate messages to supporters asking if they've seen any irregularities at the polls and whether they had their absentee ballot rejected.
Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton is not backing down from his heated rhetoric.
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Experts say Emmer faces an uphill battle to win the recount.
Gov. Pawlenty says he plans to meet with Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer. He also promised to work with both of them on the budget and other matters.
You can watch Pawlenty's news conference here.
Under the Dome
Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson says the next budget forecast will be released on 12/2.
Republicans in the Minnesota Senate will meet today to elect a new Senate Majority Leader.
Republicans in the Minnesota House will meet tomorrow to elect Kurt Zellers as Speaker of the House. They may also elect a new Majority Leader. The GOP in both the House and the Senate are preparing for a takeover of the Legislature. The Star Tribune and MPR have stories.
On Thursday night, Paul Thissen was elected House Minority Leader.
Tom Bakk was elected Senate Minority Leader on Thursday afternoon.
AP says Democrats in the Legislature will aim to have Mark Dayton's back (if he ends up winning).
AP says opponents of same sex marriage ponder opportunity with GOP leadership.
Congress
GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann is seeking a leadership post but it's getting a cool reaction.
Politifact says Bachmann's claim that President Obama's trip to India will cost $200 million a day is false.
The Washington Post takes a look at where GOP Rep. John Kline, the incoming chair of the Education and Labor Committee, stands on education policy.
Will outgoing Congressman Jim Oberstar end up becoming Secretary of Transportation?
Here's a look at Republican Chip Cravaack, who defeated Oberstar.
There will be little change to Ag policy even as DFL Rep. Collin Peterson loses his chairmanship.
A stalemate in Congress may be bad for the economy.
The GOP will also need to balance the demands with the Tea Party with the need to compromise with President Obama and a Democratic Senate.
Pawlenty for Prez Watch
Gov. Pawlenty hosts the deer hunting opener this weekend in Little Falls.
Pawlenty is in single digits in two different polls that looked at the viability of potential 2012 candidates. Rasmussen has him at six percent. CNN has him at three percent.
The polls are a positive and a negative for Pawlenty. He'll have to work extra hard to make himself known to GOP voters but any uptick in support will show that he's surging.
Gov. Pawlenty told reporters on Thursday that his scheduled book tour for early January shouldn't have an impact his ability to govern the state should he have to stay on as governor.