The Daily Digest

Welcome to the Daily Digest, where we get a first look at Pawlenty's portrait, the Senate readies for a vote on the jobs bill, and we get a preview of tonight's GOP debate.

Around Minnesota

An elections official involved in the 2000 redistricting process said he thinks the current process will be decided by the courts again.

Brian Barnes, a businessman and Navy Reserve veteran from Edina, is seeking the DFL endorsement to run against Rep. Erik Paulsen in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District.

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American Crystal Sugar Co. workers and officials may meet for a second time with a federal mediator.

Minnesota Republican Party Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb is resigning from his position to serve as an adviser to State Senator Mike Parry's campaign for Minnesota's 1st Congressional District.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty will be on Midday at 11 a.m. today.

His portrait was unveiled at the Capitol last night.

At the event, Pawlenty said he might have stayed in the GOP nomination race longer.

Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson apologized for characterizing the OccupyMN protesters as "socialists, anarchists, flower children" who were "very messy."

Community activists want the Minneapolis Public Schools board to stop the district from banking with Wells Fargo.

A Ramsey County commission may decide tonight to put a tax proposal to fund the Vikings Stadium on the 2012 ballot.

State budget officials are projecting another budget deficit, but they also say that tax collections were higher than expected in the first quarter of the 2012 fiscal year.

Iowa

West Liberty, a small town in Iowa, is the first to have a majority Hispanic population.

In Washington

The Senate is due to hold a procedural vote today on President Barack Obama's jobs bill.

It looks like the U.S. has avoided a second recession, at least for now.

The deficit "supercommittee" is struggling.

On the Campaign Trail

Tonight is the Washington-Post Bloomberg Debate. It will focus on the economy.

The WaPo says that Texas Gov. Rick Perry has the most at stake in the debate.

Expect a new poll conducted by the WaPo and Bloomberg that shows voters think Rep. Michele Bachmann would do the most damage the economy to be a topic of discussion.

The WaPo's Factchecker provides a guide to the "most dubious things that presidential candidates say."

And here's a list of five things to watch for during the debate.

Bachmann got the New Hampshire treatment during a campaign stop there.

She's well-known in New Hampshire, but has few supporters, according to a new poll.

Bachmann's beefing up her staff in South Carolina.

Bachmann "will basically be setting up camp and almost living in Iowa until the Iowa caucuses," according one of her Iowa campaign chairs.

Bloomberg News visits Stillwater to learn more about Bachmann.

Bachmann's call to slash spending and reduce regulation may be easier said than done.