Capitol View for January 24

Good morning. They are who we thought they were.

The 2024 election isn’t delivering much by way of mystery or suspense yet. Donald Trump, the poll leader heading into New Hampshire, won the state. Joe Biden, the incumbent, also won through a write-in effort despite the cold shoulder his party gave to the traditional first-in-the-nation state. It’s shaping up as Biden vs. Trump the sequel. Barring something sudden or dramatic, which could happen given the advanced ages and outside noise around these two. AP offered this New Hampshire writeup.

Minnesota’s Dean Phillips was in a giddy mood and his microphone picked up his exclamations — “woo-woo," "high five,” “boom,” “mwah” — as he claimed a victory of sorts. Phillips came in a distant second, but he said it’s all relative to expectations. The three-term congressman said nobody knew him 10 weeks ago when he jumped in and he converted shoe leather into a 20 percent showing. MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports that Phillips vowed to “keep this baby going” into South Carolina, Michigan and beyond.

Speaking of rematches, there could be one ahead in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. MPR’s Clay Masters reports on the Jen Schultz campaign launch. The former DFL legislator is coming out of the gate hard at Republican Rep. Pete Stauber, questioning what he’s gotten done in three terms. Stauber said he’ll work to run up the score after a comfortable 2022 victory over Schultz.

On Thursday, the legislative auditor’s office will release details of its preliminary review of a failed appointment for the director of the Office of Cannabis Management. The report will reveal the early findings in the appointment by Gov. Tim Walz of Erin DuPree to lead the marijuana regulatory division. Legislative Auditor Judy Rarndall is expected to announce whether she intends to do a deep dive into the appointment. DuPree stepped down within a day of being named after multiple news outlets reported on financial problems in her business past and allegations she sold THC products that exceeded potency limits at her CBD shop in Apple Valley. In September, Walz took full responsibility for the failed vetting process, but there are continuing questions over how those details in her background were overlooked.

In Minnesota, union membership ticked down nearly a percentage point. New union data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (along with some helpful watchdog reporting from the Minnesota Reformer’s Max Nesterak), shows Minnesota membership dropped from 14.2 percent in 2022 to 13.3 percent in 2023, but the rate remains above the national average of 10 percent.

The University of Minnesota Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Myron Frans is on his way out. Per reporting from the Minnesota Daily, interim University of Minnesota President Jeff Ettinger announced that Frans will resign on March 1. Frans has worked at the school since 2020 and was formerly a key adviser and commissioner to Gov. Walz. He was also one of the finalists chosen to assume the interim presidential role, but Ettinger won out.

DFL lawmakers plan to introduce a bill to ban parking minimums statewide. The Minnesota Reformer reports that if passed, municipal governments would not be allowed to require developers to build parking spots, but would not limit a businesses’ ability to build new parking spots. The bill will likely face a lot of political opposition. Many city leaders want to maintain control over their zoning ordinances. U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar said she’ll push the issue on the federal level as well.

The Minneapolis city council ceasefire resolution we previewed in yesterday’s newsletter? A veto-proof majority will support it. The resolution calls on the federal government to demand a ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas, as well as an end to U.S. military aid to Israel and a release of hostages on both sides. Council members also approved several amendments to the resolution which will get a final vote Thursday morning.