Jim Ramstad

Former U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad will not be seeking to replace Gov. Tim Pawlenty at the Capitol. The popular, moderate Republican has publicly flirted with seeking the state’s top post. But in a press release issued this afternoon he disavowed any gubernatorial ambitions.

An extended CQ Politics piece on U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s prospects for re-election arrives at the quarter-mark of his term. The main news: The freshman Republican still has no announced rival in a district, Minnesota’s Third, that’s trending left.

The 2010 gubernatorial contest will not be a two-party affair. With no clear favorites on either the Democratic or Republican side of the aisle, the political climate is potentially ripe for a third-party candidate to gain a toehold in the race.

A group monitoring issues surrounding the separation of church and state is urging Attorney General Eric Holder to revoke an earmark to Minnesota Teen Challenge, a Christian chemical dependency treatment center based in Minneapolis. In a letter to Holder, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State argue that MNTC has used taxpayer money [...]

Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s announcement earlier this month that he will not seek a third term has unleashed a political gold rush among Republican politicians in the state. Minnesota’s current political landscape includes an eye-popping 18 declared and possible gubernatorial contenders.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s decision not to seek a third term is widely viewed as an indication that he plans to seriously test the waters for a presidential bid in 2012. But at a press conference this afternoon he insisted that he has no future political plans.

Tim Pawlenty will announce whether he plans to seek a third term as governor this afternoon. The early word: he’s not running for re-election. Both WCCO (Channel 4)  political reporter Pat Kessler and Minnesota Public Radio’s Tom Scheck cite sources that indicate Pawlenty has decided against seeking a third term and is dialing up national [...]

Sure, it’s a 12-way tie, but Minnesota can now boast (or grimace, depending on your political leanings) that it’s represented by the most liberal member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Fourth District Rep. Betty McCollum is among the dozen Democrats sharing the top slot in National Journal’s annual rankings of congressional members based on [...]

A new look in the Washington junk drawer: Rep. Keith Ellison lauds the Obama administration’s aid for Gaza, while Rep. Tim Walz tries to tackle an insider trading bill for legislators and Rep. John Kline joins the call for a congressional pay freeze.

Congressional Quarterly has released its annual rankings of federal legislators in terms of party loyalty and support for President George W. Bush’s policies. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (pictured), finishing up her second year at the Capitol, voted with her party 94 percent of the time in 2008, while siding with the president on less than a [...]