Daily Digest: Congressional battles

Good morning, and welcome to Monday. We're a week out from Labor Day and the unofficial start to the campaign, but it seems like this has been going on forever, doesn't it? I guess we'll miss it when it's gone, so let's get on with the Digest.

1. We've seen this in Minnesota already this year, and Democrats nationally think that Donald Trump's unpopularity in a number of congressional districts gives them a chance to gain House seats in November. At this point they don't believe they can pick up the majority, but they think several seats are now competitive that were not four years ago. Republicans are hitting back by raising the notion of Nancy Pelosi as a Democratic House Speaker. She is also not very popular. (New York Times)

2. In one of those competitive races in Minnesota, south of the Twin Cities in the 2nd District, the Republican candidate has a long record of public statements for Democrats to sift through, and many of them are on tape. Republican Jason Lewis spent years as a radio talk show host. His opponent Democrat Angie Craig hopes to use some of what Lewis said against him. Lewis says he doesn't think it will hurt him. (AP Via Pioneer Press)

3. The Republican candidate for Minnesota House in District 60B in Minneapolis says he has suspended his campaign for personal reasons. Abdimalik Askar is the GOP nominee on the ballot against DFL candidate Ilhan Omar, who defeated longtime Rep. Phyllis Kahn in the primary earlier this month. It was believed to be the first state office race in the country with two major party candidates who are both Somali-American. It looks as if Askar's name will remain on the ballot even though he doesn't intend to campaign. (MPR News)

4. A state House member may be out of a job because he allegedly does not live in the district where he's seeking re-election. The Minnesota Supreme Court will have the final say in the case of Rep. Bob Barrett who represents District 32B north of the Twin Cities. State law requires candidates for the Legislature to live in the district they're running in for at least six months before the election. Democrats filed a lawsuit against Barrett, and a judge agreed he doesn't live in the district. Barrett says he looks forward to taking the case to the supreme court and that he expects to prevail. (Pioneer Press)

5. Donald Trump was back to a hard-line stance on immigration in Iowa over the weekend, and he's scheduled to give a speech focused on the issue later this week. Still, stand-ins for Trump had a hard time on the Sunday shows explaining just where the Republican candidate stands on immigration, specifically on whether he wants to deport millions of people who are in the country illegally. When he was asked why it seems Trump is having trouble settling on an immigration policy  Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said, "I just don't speak for Donald Trump." (AP)

Political Coverage Powered by You

Your gift today creates a more connected Minnesota. MPR News is your trusted resource for election coverage, reporting and breaking news. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.