John Marty

Late results of a very early straw poll in the race for DFL governor show state Sen. John Marty slightly ahead of former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton for the lead, with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman running neck-and-neck close behind. The number of DFL gubernatorial candidates (and near-candidates) who gathered [...]

Five Democrats running for governor have agreed to abide by the party’s nominating process, reports Eric Black at MinnPost, but several others — including some well-funded presumptive front-runners — won’t make such a promise.

Reaction to Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s Tuesday press conference announcing his unallotment of nearly $2.7 billion from the state budget has been swift and, at times, scathing.

Only one thing is certain about the 2010 gubernatorial contest: It will be crowded field. Some three dozen politicians are thinking about climbing into the race. Here’s a look at the crop of DFL contenders.

The national debate about gay rights hit home in the small community of Pine City, Minn., on Sunday as residents hosted two dueling picnics in the city of 3,000 people. For the fifth year, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender folks from east-central Minnesota gathered to celebrate family and community. And for the second year, their neighbors organized a picnic just blocks away opposing gay rights and promoting “family values.”

Democrat Tom Bakk is running for governor. The state senator from Virginia made it official yesterday. Bakk originally set up an exploratory committee and began raising money roughly a year ago. The chair of the Senate’s Taxes Committee was a strong advocate during the recently completed legislative session for increasing taxes on the state’s wealthiest [...]

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton comes closest to out-polling Gov. Tim Pawlenty in a theoretical match-up in the 2010 governor’s contest, according to a new SurveyUSA poll commissioned by KSTP (Channel 5).  The two-term Republican incumbent defeats Dayton by a 47-43 margin.
The KSTP phone survey of 551 registered voters also looked at potential match-ups with [...]

A politician handing out wooden nickels in the midst of a historic economic recession is odd enough, but what State Rep. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, suggests the worthless coin be used for — plugging gunshot wounds — is even stranger.

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Health Plan Act, which would make the state of Minnesota the insurance pool for all residents, passed by a 7-3 margin with no Republican support in the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. The bill advances to the Senate, where its odds of passage this year are slim. But the animated debate put into sharp relief views about health care — as a right or a privilege, a community good or a consumer choice.

The Marriage and Family Protection Act is getting traction at the Minnesota Capitol. Numerous legislators have added their support — so much so that a duplicate bill has been drafted in the Senate to allow for more sponsors. The legislation would create gender-neutral laws in Minnesota, allowing same-sex couples access to the same benefits legally married couples enjoy.