The Daily Digest is posted (Legislative races heat up, Brodkorb speaks, Debate week for Presidential and Congressional candidates)

The race to win control of the Minnesota Legislature leads the Digest today. The Pi Press and the Star Tribune have looks at the races that could determine which party is in power in January.

MPR's Cathy Wurzer talks DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and GOP Rep. Jenifer Loon about the race to win the Minnesota House.

Thissen and other DFL candidates will hold a news conference today to discuss the issue of property tax hikes.

Brodkorb/Koch Scandal

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Michael Brodkorb, a fired Senate staffer who is suing the Minnesota Senate, says he was fired as a result of a "power grab" aimed at removing Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch. Koch resigned after she was confronted about having an affair with Brodkorb. Senate officials say Brodkorb was dismissed because he was an at will employe and the will was no longer there to employ him. Brodkorb continues to insist he was unfairly fired from his position.

Fox9 has video of the interview.

Early Voting

The Secretary of State says more than 100,000 Minnesotans have requested absentee ballots.

Under the Dome

The wolf hunts in Minnesota and Wisconsin proceed despite court challenges.

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents approved a conditional tuition freeze.

The state is cutting paperwork for special ed teachers.

A lawsuit by the Minnesota Taxpayers League is suing the city of St. Paul. The group says St. Paul improperly awarded the construction contract for the Saints Stadium.

A judge is allowing Minnesota to enforce a key part of the state's disclosure law.

Gov. Dayton's Pheasant Opener was well attended but Dayton didn't get any birds.

Economy

A survey finds that consumer confidence has jumped to pre-recession levels.

Race for Legislature

Democrat Julie Bunn says a MNGOP complaint against her is baseless.

Constitutional Amendments

The head of the NAACP was in the Twin Cities on Friday. He denounced both proposed constitutional amendments.

Amendment To Ban Same-Sex Marriage

The Star Tribune says the Knights of Columbus are quietly working behind the scenes to pass the amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

Politics in Minnesota says there are difficulties in gauging support for the amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

Voter ID Amendment

Opponents of Voter ID say the amendment would cause significant problems for senior citizens.

The Voter ID amendment could jeopardize use of Tribal Identification to vote.

A judge heard a complaint against Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.

A group opposed to the Voter ID amendment launched their first TV ad.

Race for Congress

There are several Congressional debates being held in Minnesota this week.

The failure of the U.S. House to pass a Farm Bill has given Democrats some ammunition in House races in the Midwest.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann raised $4.5 million in the 3rd Quarter.

Bachmann and Democrat Jim Graves are taking swings at each other's business records.

A liberal group aligned with civil rights causes is working to kick Bachmann off of the House Intelligence Committee.

A New York Times columnist writes about Bachmann's step-sister, Helen LeFave. LeFave is a lesbian who has been in a committed relationship for almost 25 years.

Graves is attending a town hall in Forest Lake tonight.

The AFL-CIO sent out mailers supporting Democrats running in the 2nd, 6th and 8th Congressional Districts.

GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack is holding a morning press conference in St. Paul to discuss his "record on jobs and the economy."

Democrat Rick Nolan outraised Cravaack in the 3rd Quarter. Cravaack has more cash on hand.

The Pi Press has a look at the battle in the 8th Congressional District.

MPR's PoliGraph looked at the statements in last week's 8th Congressional District debate.

GOP Rep. John Kline raised $286k in the 3rd Quarter. DFL Rep. Tim Walz raised $320k.

Race for Senate

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar raised $800k in the 3rd Quarter. No word on what Republican Kurt Bills raised.

Race for President

The presidential campaign enters a crucial week as the candidates prepare for Tuesday's debate.

A study says the repeal of some of the most popular tax breaks would pay for only a four percent cut in income tax rates. The study undercuts Mitt Romney's proposed 20 percent rate cut.

AP says the impact of the Romney and Obama tax plans are tough to figure.

The Wall St. Journal says the Romney campaign is sticking to the belief that a GOP win would prompt Democrats to work with them on a tax overhaul.

The Obama campaign is on defense after the Libya attack.

MPR says Minnesota is losing its swing state status as the top of the ticket candidates publicly campaign elsewhere.

Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for Vice President, raised at least $254,000 at a "dine and dash" event in Minneapolis on Saturday.

Jill Biden will campaign in Minnesota this week.

Mitt Romney's crowds are surging.

The New York Times says Romney was away a lot when he was governor.

Ron Paul says he won't back Romney's campaign for president.

RIP

Two moderate Republican leaders died over the weekend.

George Pillsbury died in Minnesota.

Longtime Republican Senator Arlen Specter died in his home state of Pennsylvania.