The Daily Digest (Dayton fundraising and Peterson sings edition)
Good morning!
Lots happened on Friday and over the weekend: the Republican gubernatorial candidates held their first debate and Gov. Mark Dayton released his fundraising numbers. Meanwhile, this week the new U.S. transportation secretary will be in the Twin Cities and Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon is leading an overseas delegation to Germany focused on alternative energy.
Statewide
DFL Gov. Dayton raised $217,208 between April and June for next year’s re-election bid. (MPR News)
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The Republicans who hope to replace Dayton next year met for their first debate over the weekend. (TPT's Almanac)
Lt. Gov. Prettner Solon is in Germany with a delegation studying alternative energy. (MPR News)
Representatives of the state's new online insurance marketplace will go before a legislative oversight committee today. (MPR News)
The first set of plans for the next phase of renovation work on the State Capitol building could be approved today. (MPR News)
Newly-sworn in Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will be the Twin Cities today discussing the state's transportation needs with DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and others. (MPR News)
Congress/Washington
Some developments in the 6th Congressional District race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann: former Republican state Rep. Phil Krinkie is entering the crowded GOP field while Sartell Mayor Joe Perske appears poised to be the second DFLer to enter the race. (MPR News and the St. Cloud Times)
The U.S. Senate will likely vote on a compromise bill this week to keep student loan rates from doubling, but DFL Sen. Al Franken isn't sure if he'll vote for it. (MPR News)
On the subject of education, the U.S. House voted Friday to replace the 2001 No Child Left Behind K-12 education law with a conservative alternative authored by 2nd District U.S. Rep. John Kline, although President Obama has vowed to veto the measure. (MPR News)
President Obama will spend the week laying out his economic agenda for the remainder of his second term ahead of what's likely to be another round of brinkmanship with House Republicans over spending bills and the debt ceiling this fall. (New York Times)
A deeper dive into how the once-bipartisan consensus over the food stamp program broke down. (MPR News)
Sports fans will rejoice while political junkies may shed a tear as Nate Silver, the New York Times political number cruncher extraordinaire, returns to his first passion, sports, by moving to ESPN. (Politico)
U.S. House Republicans held yet another anti-Obamacare vote last week, the 39th or 40th so far depending on who's doing the counting. The Associated Press observes that the GOP still hasn't been able to develop policies to replace the Affordable Care Act. (AP via MPR News)
Collin Peterson: Congressman, farmer and Neil Diamond cover artist. (Video by MPR's Nate Minor)