The Daily Digest: Greater Minnesota in play

Good morning!

In Minnesota

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and his GOP challenger Jeff Johnson painted sharply contrasting portraits of where Minnesota is and where it should be headed during a debate Tuesday in Duluth. (MPR News)

When MNsure's open enrollment period begins Nov. 15, most shoppers on the state-run health insurance exchange will find higher premiums than they saw last year. Exactly how much higher is a source of contention. (Pioneer Press)

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The Republican Party's strategy to win the governor's race and control of the Minnesota House in next month's election is on full display in western Minnesota, where a competitive race is receiving lots of attention. (MPR News)

The Republican candidate for Minnesota Secretary of State is proposing an online, absentee voting option for military personnel. (MPR News)

The CEO of a troubled nonprofit with ties to many DFL lawmakers has been suspended. (MPR News)

A political debate that includes bona fide stand up comedy? Count me in. (Star Tribune)

National Politics

Democrats' high hopes of mitigating House losses in a rough election year have been dashed by reality. The question now is not whether Republicans hold the House — that's a given. Rather, it's how many seats could the GOP add to its majority on Election Day? (AP via Star Tribune)

President Obama has decided to wait until after next month’s midterm elections to nominate a replacement for Attorney General Eric Holder, effectively ensuring that the choice does not get mired in campaign politics. (New York Times)

Spending on political commercials soon will surge past the $1 billion mark as both parties fight for the upper hand in congressional and gubernatorial races, a new analysis shows. (USA Today)

The fading political relevance of the Keystone pipeline. (Politico)

A day in the life of a campaign tracker, the most boring, but also potentially the most important, job in politics these days. (Washington Post)