Daily Digest: New poll in MN3
Wednesday's here, and for your mid-week pleasure, so is your Digest.
1. Slight lead for Phillips in 3rd District. It's likely to be the most expensive congressional race in Minnesota during the 2018 midterm elections and it also might end up among the closest. With just over 30 days until Election Day, Democratic challenger Dean Phillips has a five-point lead over incumbent Republican Congressman Erik Paulsen, 49 percent to 44 percent, in our KSTP/SurveyUSA poll. Another eight percent remain undecided. (KSTP-TV)
2. Walz, the "citizen soldier." In his campaign for Minnesota governor and, by default, National Guard commander in chief, Walz touches on his military days. Sometimes it's an icebreaker when the Democratic nominee encounters a fellow veteran in public. Other times, he references it to stress his leadership and motivational skills. (MPR News)
3. Analyzing Klobuchar's popularity. Minnesota’s senior U.S. Senator, Amy Klobuchar, is occasionally mentioned as a possible presidential contender. She once again rose to national prominence in last week’s Judiciary Committee’s hearings on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. How well-liked is Klobuchar? In both of the statewide surveys we’ve been involved with over the past year, Klobuchar has received higher ratings than any other politician on the list. Less than three weeks ago we collaborated with the Star Tribune and MPR News on a Minnesota Poll of 800 likely voters, Klobuchar’s 57 percent favorability rating exceeded all other office-holders and candidates in the survey by 20 or more percentage points. (APM Research Lab)
4. In tight AG race, Wardlow seeks to raise profile. Doug Wardlow has a chance to become the first Republican to hold the Minnesota attorney general's office in nearly 50 years. But despite his competitive position in the contest against DFL candidate Keith Ellison, Wardlow remains largely unknown to voters. Results of a recent MPR News/Star Tribune Minnesota Poll showed seven in 10 didn't recognize his name. Wardlow says he's working on it. (MPR News)
5. Health insurance premiums heading down. Average premiums across the individual market will be on the decline next year, state officials said Tuesday, with reductions from the four largest carriers in the market ranging from 7.4 percent to 27.7 percent. The discounts amount to the latest sign of stability in the individual market, which for several years was plagued by premium spikes under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). About 155,000 Minnesotans currently are buying individual coverage, where those who don't get coverage through their employer can purchase on the state's MNsure exchange or directly from some carriers. (Star Tribune)
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