Recent content from Ryan Faircloth
Minnesota Senate Republicans to file second ethics complaint against DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell
Republicans say Mitchell violated conflict-of-interest rules in voting on a motion related to her possible expulsion.
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announces run for U.S. Senate, Rep. Ilhan Omar considering
Others reportedly mulling a run include Gov. Tim Walz and U.S. Rep. Angie Craig.
A look at who might run for Minnesota governor in 2026 — and who's ruled it out
As Gov. Tim Walz mulls a possible third term, several Republicans, including his 2022 opponent Scott Jensen, consider challenging him.
Tribes could get early foothold in Minnesota marijuana market, each open 5 off-reservation pot stores
Tribal nations could get to open marijuana dispensaries in Minnesota before most state-licensed businesses under long-awaited compacts.
New Minnesota GOP leaders seek peace with party's anti-establishment wing
The state GOP wants to resolve intraparty feuds before the 2026 election. But some Republicans are calling for the party to cut out its fringe factions, not work with them.
Minnesota House returns to work for first time in 2025
DFL, Republicans convene first House floor session of the year with power-sharing pact in place.
Democrats and Republicans reach deal to end Minnesota House stalemate
Three-week impasse ends with deal that makes Republican Lisa Demuth speaker of the House for two years, gives GOP temporary control of committees.
DFL residency case has thrown Minnesota legislative session into doubt. Could it have been avoided?
The DFL's decision to back Curtis Johnson for a suburban House seat has haunted the party since a judge ruled Johnson didn't live in the district, turning a tie into a 67-66 advantage for Republicans.
Minnesota GOP to file recall petitions against absent House Democrats
Republicans continued to pressure House Democrats to return to the State Capitol on Tuesday, as the DFL's boycott headed into its fourth week.
As Minnesota House stalemate continues, how much are legislators being paid?
The 66 House Democrats have collectively been paid more than $130,000 during their boycott of legislative proceedings.
Minnesota House stalemate continues after Supreme Court quorum ruling
The DFL's boycott of House proceedings headed into its third week Monday. House GOP and DFL leaders hadn't reached a deal after meeting over the weekend and again Monday morning.
Minn. House Republicans propose fraud prevention measures
GOP legislators want to create new Office of Inspector General to investigate fraud, require state employees to report suspected fraudulent activity.
Minnesota Democrats sue House Republicans over 'unlawful' session
Republicans maintain that their 67-66 edge in the House gives them authority to elect Lisa Demuth as House speaker.
5 things to know about the chaotic start to Minnesota's 2025 legislative session
Republicans moved ahead after Democrats boycotted the first day of business.
Minnesota House Democrats boycott first day of session, but Republicans move forward anyway
Negotiations between House DFL and GOP leaders failed to reach a deal before the Legislature convened at noon Tuesday.
'As bad as I've ever seen it': Partisan dysfunction worsens in Minnesota Legislature
State lawmakers are poised to start their 2025 session with the sort of partisan chaos that brought their last one to a bitter end.
House DFL threatens to not show up for start of session, as GOP might refuse to seat DFL member
Minnesota House Democrats are threatening to not show up for the first two weeks of the legislative session, saying that would deprive Republicans of the quorum they need to elect a speaker. And Republicans are considering refusing to seat a DFLer whose election victory they're contesting in court.
Walz creates state fraud investigation unit, proposes tougher criminal penalties
Walz signed an executive order Friday creating a new fraud investigations unit. He also proposed several legislative measures meant to crack down on fraud in state programs.
More than a dozen candidates file for special elections to determine control of Minn. House, Senate
Special elections will be held Jan. 28 to fill vacant seats in the closely divided Minnesota House and Senate. More than a dozen candidates filed for a Senate seat, while a half dozen filed for a House seat.
The top 10 stories of the year in Minnesota politics
The governor's vice-presidential run, a state senator's burglary arrest and the legislative session's chaotic end were among Minnesota's biggest political stories of the year.
Minnesota lawmakers want to crack down on fraud in state programs: 'They're stealing from us'
Fraud prevention is poised to be a big focus for legislators when they return to the Capitol on Jan. 14.
Walz-Flanagan partnership on ice since governor's failed vice presidential bid
Multiple sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Walz team was not pleased with steps Flanagan had taken to assume the governorship.
Walz weighs in on canceled Minnesota cannabis license lottery: Litigation 'happens in every state'
The governor said it may be 2027 or 2028 by the time the market catches up to demand.
Gov. Tim Walz wants to remain a force in politics, at state and national levels
Minnesota's DFL governor is still trying to figure out how Democrats lost their message to the working class, along with the presidential election.
Gov. Tim Walz calls for tougher Medicaid fraud penalties as FBI investigates autism centers
"They're stealing from us … You've got to increase the penalty on these crimes. These are crimes against children, in my opinion," Walz said.
Minnesota abandons early cannabis lottery, retail pot sales likely to start later than expected
"This was certainly not an outcome that we were hoping would materialize, and we know that today's path forward does not provide a perfect solution," interim OCM director Charlene Briner said Wednesday.
Why Minnesota is projected to face a future budget deficit, and what lawmakers might do about it
Minnesota had a record surplus two years ago. Now, it's projecting a deficit on the horizon. How did the state get here?
Modest budget surplus overshadowed as Minnesota projects $5 billion deficit down the line
"We have time to address this structurally without negatively impacting the services that we're providing to people, but it's going to take some hard decisions," Gov. Tim Walz said.
Will the delayed cannabis license lottery slow the rollout of Minnesota's marijuana market?
The lottery's postponement, however long it may be, delays the start of plant cultivation. That could lead to less supply for retailers when the market opens next year.
Minnesota's first lottery for cannabis business licenses delayed amid litigation
A Ramsey County judge's decision to delay the lottery could affect the launch of Minnesota's retail marijuana market.
Five Minnesota political figures to watch after the 2024 election
These Minnesotans are poised to play prominent roles in state and national politics in the coming years.
This Minnesota county voted blue for nearly 100 years — until Trump
Carlton County, just southwest of Duluth, hadn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Herbert Hoover in 1928.
How Minnesota House Republicans ended the DFL's state government trifecta
Republicans across the country benefited from favorable tailwinds as President-elect Donald Trump resoundingly defeated Democrat Kamala Harris. But that wasn't the whole story in Minnesota.
Gov. Tim Walz will return to Minnesota after Trump victory blocks him from becoming vice president
Walz's attempt to join Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale as the only Minnesotans to ascend to the vice presidency was unsuccessful.
'The blue wall must hold': Gov. Tim Walz rallies in Wisconsin, Michigan on eve of election
Walz campaigned across Wisconsin and in Detroit, Mich., on Monday. Trump's running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. JD Vance, held his own rally in La Crosse on Monday.
Here's what would happen in Minnesota if Gov. Tim Walz is elected vice president on Tuesday
If Walz is elected to the White House, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan would succeed him and become Minnesota's first female and first Native American governor.
Minnesotans have cast about 920,000 early ballots. A deadline change could delay results.
Minnesota soared past its 2016 early vote total on Thursday, with five days of early voting remaining.
Will Minnesota's long-blue Iron Range turn red in November?
Minnesota Republicans are hopeful the region's rightward shift will help them win every state House seat on the Range this year and end the DFL's trifecta control of state government.
Gov. Tim Walz's swing-state appeal is put to the test in western Wisconsin
Democrats hope Walz, a former red-district congressman, can boost their appeal in rural America. Western Wisconsin could be the ideal testing ground for this hypothesis.
VP nominee JD Vance visits Minneapolis, portrays it as city in decline
"The story of Minneapolis is coming to every community across the United States of America if we promote Kamala Harris to president of the United States," Vance said, echoing comments Trump made about Detroit just days earlier.
Will Donald Trump return to Minnesota before Election Day?
The former president held three Minnesota rallies in the three months leading up to the 2020 election. He's had less of a presence this year and has spent considerably more time in Wisconsin.
Gov. Tim Walz to attend Mankato high school football game, Pheasant Opener
The Harris-Walz campaign is deploying Minnesota's governor on a new push to win over male voters in swing states.
'America's sweetheart' Walz makes late-night debut on 'Kimmel'
The Minnesota governor and his running mate, Kamala Harris, also appeared in recorded '60 Minutes' segments on Monday night.
Gaffes, misstatements or lies? Walz's inaccurate past statements draw scrutiny.
The Minnesota governor's words are being closely scrutinized now that he's on the national ticket.
Gov. Tim Walz delivers sharp contrast in vice presidential debate against JD Vance
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz held up Minnesota as an example to follow during his first and only debate with Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
Midwest showdown: Tim Walz and JD Vance face off in prime-time debate Tuesday night
With no further debates scheduled, Walz and Vance are tasked with delivering their campaigns' arguments to a national audience.
A year after his first pick resigned, Gov. Tim Walz hasn't named a permanent cannabis director
Charlene Briner has led the Office of Cannabis Management on an interim basis for more than a year. The work to set up Minnesota's recreational marijuana industry remains underway.
Minnesota Poll: A majority of Minnesotans support federal marijuana legalization
But only about 1 in 7 Minnesotans reported using marijuana or hemp-derived products in the past month.
Minnesota Poll: Most voters are confident elections are secure
Half of likely voters said they are highly confident that votes will be counted accurately in November, and nearly a third more said they were moderately confident.
Minnesota 2024 voter guide: Who's running, where they stand on the issues
Early voting begins today in Minnesota. We ask major party candidates for U.S. Senate and Congress about issues ranging from the economy to immigration.
DFL leaders call for GOP Rep. Jeff Dotseth to end re-election campaign after abuse allegations surface
"Dotseth's behavior, whether it was yesterday or years ago, is unacceptable and not fitting for an elected representative of our state," DFL House Majority Leader Jamie Long said. Dotseth has denied the allegations.
Minnesota Rep. Jeff Dotseth charged in 2008 with abuse of then-wife, court filings show
The first-term GOP representative from Kettle River denied the allegations and said he's "worked to put this difficult chapter of my life behind me."
Here's what six Minnesotans had to say about the Harris-Trump debate
From pets to Putin, these voters thought the debate showed the candidates' personalities more than their policies.
Minnesota's eight U.S. House seats are on the ballot. Here are four races to watch.
The races will help determine control of Congress for the next two years.
As Gov. Walz campaigns across the country, how much time is he spending governing Minnesota?
Gov. Tim Walz has been campaigning nationwide since being elevated to the presidential ticket. The governor's spokeswoman said "our office is still running as it always has — core functions haven't changed."
Gov. Tim Walz could be elected to the White House. How does he perform in a crisis?
Walz's management of the pandemic, the Minneapolis riots and other natural disasters offers insight into how he might respond to a national crisis as vice president.
Two years in, Minnesota's THC market hasn't lost its buzz
The market for low-dose drinks and edibles is maturing and ready to face the competition from recreational marijuana dispensaries, which are expected to open next year.
Minnesota Democrats hope Walz will provide down-ballot boost, help them keep state House
State Democrats also say Sen. Amy Klobuchar will "help us immensely down-ballot."
A chameleon or pragmatist? Walz's political evolution in the spotlight in VP race
Opponents describe him as a political opportunist, but those who know him say he's pragmatic and knows how to evolve to the constituency he serves to meet the time.
Tim Walz admitted to drunken driving in 1995. But his 2006 congressional campaign claimed he didn't.
Walz's old drunken-driving arrest has drawn renewed scrutiny since Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar defeats Don Samuels by wide margin in DFL primary election rematch
Omar narrowly defeated Samuels two years ago. She beat him by a much larger margin Tuesday night.
GOP U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach easily defeats primary challenger Steve Boyd
Boyd, a political newcomer, blocked Fischbach from winning the GOP's endorsement in April. Fischbach defeated him by nearly 30 percentage points on Tuesday night.
Rep. Ilhan Omar's vulnerability will be tested in Tuesday rematch against bitter rival Don Samuels
Samuels nearly upset Omar two years ago, coming within about 2 percentage points of defeating her.
Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Tim Walz hold rally in battleground western Wisconsin
Sen. JD Vance, running mate to former President Donald Trump, appeared at an event in Eau Claire to counter the Democrats.
Minneapolis riots, Feeding Our Future fraud lead list of vulnerabilities for Walz on national ticket
Republicans also say Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz failed to bridge partisan divide.
What you should know about Gov. Tim Walz's record in office, as he joins presidential ticket
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate on Tuesday. Here's what you need to know about Walz's time in office.
Feds estimate Minnesota overpaid about $430M in unemployment benefits during pandemic
At the same time, the state's overpayment and fraud rates for jobless insurance were estimated to be among the lowest in the country.
St. Paul council president calls Pa. governor a 'hardcore Zionist,' says Kamala Harris shouldn't pick him
Critics viewed the attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who's Jewish, as antisemitic.
Here are four key races to watch in Minnesota's primary elections
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has a rematch with a previous DFL challenger. And a pair of Republicans will battle for the chance to face Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November.
Five Minnesota-specific takeaways from the Republican National Convention
There were several Minnesota moments, from Rep. Tom Emmer's primetime convention speech to Gov. Tim Walz leading Democrats' response to the RNC.
At RNC, Trump's inner circle adamant they can turn Minnesota red
Trump campaign officials said at the RNC this week they're targeting Minnesota. But could the Minnesota GOP's Senate candidate undermine their effort?
In Milwaukee, Gov. Tim Walz and other Democrats sound alarm over Trump-Vance ticket, Project 2025
The Minnesota governor and other Democrats raised their concerns before the third day of the Republican National Convention got underway.
At RNC, Emmer cements himself as a top Trump backer
After an apparent rift, Tom Emmer and Donald Trump's relationship comes full circle.
Republicans in Minnesota, U.S. change tune on early voting in push to get Trump elected again
GOP leaders are promoting early voting this year as a means to get Trump elected. They're also calling for future restrictions, such as a return to same-day voting.
Minnesota Republicans show solidarity with Trump at RNC, vow to turn state red
Republicans also passed a new party platform on Monday and celebrated the announcement of Donald Trump's running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance.
