The Daily Digest (Same-sex marriage edition)

In Minnesota

The Minnesota House will vote on the same-sex marriage bill Thursday, and a Senate vote could come this weekend. Backers are confident the measure will pass. If it passes, Minnesota would be the second state this week to recognize same-sex marriages. Delaware's legislature became the 11th state to approve sex-sex marriage on Tuesday.

MPR News spoke to supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage across the state about their thoughts as the vote approaches.

Soon-to-be former Vikings kicker Chris Kluwe, who made a name for himself outside of sports by speaking out for same-sex marriage, was on the Daily Circuit yesterday.

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Gov. Dayton and DFL leaders in the House and Senate are still working on a budget deal ahead of a May 20 deadline.

A day after the House passed a bill to prevent school bullying, the Senate also signed off on the legislation.

The state's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has closed its investigation into the Minnesota Republican Party and says no further investigation is needed.

In Washington/National Politics

Former GOP Gov. Mark Sanford, who made the phrase "hiking the Appalachian Trail" famous, was elected to the U.S. House in an unusually competitive special election in South Carolina.

The House held hearings about whether President Obama's Labor Secretary nominee improperly arranged a deal with the city of St. Paul to drop an appeal with the Supreme Court.

Congressional Republicans continue to focus on the administration's response to the Benghazi terror attacks and will hold more hearings featuring State Dept. whistleblowers today.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar chaired a hearing on immigration reform Tuesday and got strong support from a man who normally opposes most of Klobuchar's positions, antitax activist Grover Norquist.

A Pentagon study shows a sharp rise in sexual assaults in the military.

The Star Tribune reports that Michele Bachmann is considering a settlement to one of the legal cases related to her presidential campaign.

Speaking of Bachmann, she recently sent out a fundraising email claiming that the military could court-martial soldiers who proselytize. Bachmann asked supporters to sign a petition and asked for donations to fight for the soldiers. As has happened to a lot her statements recently, the fact-checking site Polifact debunked the claim and now, one of the men at the center of the claim is threatening to sue Bachmann for "propagating complete and utter lies."

Even though politicians keep talking about debt and deficits, the red ink is fading fast. The Washington Post reports that shrinking deficits are reducing the pressure to reach a budget deal between Republicans and Democrats.