The Daily Digest

Welcome to the Daily Digest where opponents of a voter ID bill packed a Senate hearing, the STOCK Act is getting attention once again, and Romney was in Minnesota.

Around Minnesota

DFLers in the state Legislature are pushing a jobs agenda.

Opponents of a constitutional amendment that would require identification to vote packed a Senate hearing Wednesday.

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According to the Star Tribune, Sen. Tom Bakk wants to know what authority Secretary of the Senate Cal Ludeman has to hire legal representation. Ludeman hired a lawyer last month in case former staffer Michael Brodkorb brings legal action against the chamber.

The state's 40-year-old fiscal disparities tax is explained.

Groups opposing and supporting a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage have published their fundraising and spending numbers for 2011.

The state's manufacturing index jumped in January.

Republican Rep. Bruce Anderson he will likely run for Sen. Amy Koch's Senate seat.

Jefferson Fietek, who as a teacher in the Anoka-Hennepin school district has been active in efforts to combat bullying, says he's running as a DFLer for the Minnesota Senate.

The City Pages reports that Melissa Hill, the first person arrested at the state's Occupy Wall Street protests, has agreed to a financial settlement.

Rep. Chip Cravaack talked to constituents in the 8th.

In Washington

National Public Radio has an update on the STOCK Act. Rep. Tim Walz is mentioned.

President Barack Obama has a new housing refinance plan.

The Associated Press writes that the proposal was composed with election-year politics in mind.

Sen. Al Franken is among a handful of Senators who say the Rules Committee will be holding hearings on super PACs.

On the Campaign Trail

Rep. Michele Bachmann pushed back on reports that she was considering endorsing Mitt Romney.

Romney was in Minnesota Wednesday.

He got glitter bombed.

Romney and the other candidates made stops in Nevada, too.

He's being criticized by his opponents for saying that he's not too concerned about the very poor because they have a safety net. (He says he's not concerned about the very rich, either.)

A new Gallup poll has Romney leading Newt Gingrich by five percentage points.

Donald Trump will endorse Gingrich.

Minnesota's upcoming caucuses will influence the GOP presidential race, says state party chair Pat Shortridge.

The Washington Post has more detail on contributions to the pro-Gingrich super PAC Winning Our Future.

No Joke

I spend a fair amount of time in Rochester. And I'm not kidding when I say the crow situation down there is out of control.