The Daily Digest

Welcome to the Daily Digest, where political groups focus cash on competitive legislative elections, voter ID and marriage amendment opponents outraise proponents, and the 8th CD candidates compete over mining.

Around Minnesota

Minnesota's third-party political groups released their first finance reports since the Aug. 14 primary this week.

Here's what we learned:

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Political groups are starting to focus their cash on some of the state's most competitive legislative races.

Some of those groups spent a total of $134,000 on the GOP legislative primary in District 33.

The Freedom Club spent the most - nearly $100,000 - supporting two tea-party backed candidates that won their primaries, David Osmek and Cindy Pugh.

Marriage and voter ID amendment opponents outraised proponents of the two proposals.

So far, gay people haven't been featured in ads paid for by the marriage amendment opposition.

Other states offer only limited guidance for Minnesota on voter ID.

3M announced a new research center in the Twin Cities.

In Washington

A congressional panel probes St. Paul and the Department of Justice housing discrimination cases.

The Race for Congress

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is putting an ad on the airwaves.

8th District candidates compete on mining.

The Presidential Race

Election mania is missing from college campuses this year.

Democratic super PACs are finally drawing donors, the New York Times reports.

AFSCME and a super PAC backing President Barack Obama have teamed up on an ad criticizing Mitt Romney's "47%" comments.

A new Romney ad reaches out to the middle class.

Obama is less reliant on spending by super PACs to support his campaign, which actually gives him more control over where and when new ads are launched. The Washington Post says the advantage is getting the Obama campaign ad discounts.

Politico says that the upcoming debate in Denver is "do-or-die" for Romney.