AM.MN: Fox News leads (not follows) Pawlenty to Minneapolis

On Tuesday Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer promised Gov. Pawlenty, “We’ll be following your travels, OK? Whether it’s Minneapolis or New Hampshire or Iowa or Washington, D.C.” (T-Paw had just made national news by saying he has no plans to return to either early presidential-contest state.) But Fox doesn’t follow Pawlenty’s trips to Minnesota’s biggest city so much as lead him there — to the TV studio where such cable colloquies take place.

Elsewhere in Minnesota news this morning … 

STATEWIDE: Who was poised to out Mark Dayton’s depression? Republicans say a Democrat was, but Dayton’s DFL gubernatorial rivals deny that. [Star Tribune]

SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Independent launches campaign to unseat Michele Bachmann. Troy Freihammer of Sartell wants to abolish the federal income tax and says Bachmann is wrong on war. [St. Cloud Times]

SENATE DISTRICT 26: One special-election state Senate candidate would consider raising taxes. The other won’t hear of it; the Independence Party meets to endorse tonight. [Polinaut; Bluestem Prairie]

MOORHEAD: It’s complicated. Not everyone is on board with the latest Red River flood-abatement plans. [New York Times]

COON RAPIDS: Dams hold back invaders. Stopping Asian carp could be a reason to repair the Coon Rapids dam. [Political Pulse]

ST. PAUL: State to auction off mining rights. So don’t spend everything you’ve got on Vikings playoff tickets. [Associated Press]