The Daily Digest (Would new gun laws make a difference? Zellers fundraising)
Good morning!
In Minnesota
Some Minnesota lawmakers say they plan to push again for more restrictive gun laws. But passing new or tighter laws may not deter the most persistent gun offenders, according to an MPR News analysis. In many cases, the suspected gunmen were already legally banned from possessing guns. (MPR News)
Gov. Mark Dayton says he’s hugely disappointed with the performance of MNsure and the people he relied on to make it work. But the governor says the buck stops with him to improve the online health insurance exchange. (MPR News)
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Former state House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, raised $403,000 in the last six months of 2013 for his campaign to unseat DFL Gov. Mark Dayton. (MPR News)
Two Republicans are gearing up to run against DFL state Rep. Ron Erhardt, who was once a Republican lawmaker. (Star Tribune)
An alliance of more than 130 organizations launched its campaign to persuade Gov. Mark Dayton and the Legislature to make transportation funding a priority this year. (Pioneer Press)
Local Republican leaders last week rescinded the formal admonishment of state Sen. Brendan Petersen they had approved last year in the wake of his vote to legalize same-sex marriage. (Star Tribune)
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said the current draft of the environmental impact statement for PolyMet's mine and processing facility could be revised because of more up-to-date information about the flow of a nearby river. (MPR News)
Minnesota is considering making it easier to become a teacher by eliminating what educators say is an overly demanding test of their academic skills. (Pioneer Press)
In Congress/National Politics
Priorities USA Action, a super PAC that played an important role in helping re-elect President Obama, announced that it was formally aligning itself with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has not yet announced a presidential bid, and would begin raising money to fend off potential opponents for 2016. (New York Times)
The Republican National Committee is likely to greatly compress its presidential nominating process under rules passed by a key party committee Thursday, in hopes of uniting behind a stronger nominee headed into the 2016 presidential election. (Washington Post)
Dinesh D’Souza, a best-selling conservative author and filmmaker, was indicted on Thursday on charges that he used straw donors to illegally donate to a 2012 Senate campaign. (New York Times)
Rep. Paul Ryan said he does not want to be speaker of the House, a declaration that will have reverberations in Republican leadership circles in Washington. (Politico)
Reagan, Ventura, Schwarzenegger, Franken...Aiken? “American Idol” runner-up Clay Aiken may be the latest celebrity looking for a political career. Aiken is reportedly preparing to run for Congress as a Democrat in North Carolina’s heavily Republican 2nd District. (Roll Call)
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