| Vice presidential hopefuls made a Midwest push Monday. U.S. Sen. JD Vance popped into Minnesota and Gov. Tim Walz swung through Wisconsin. Just minutes after Walz took off from MSP on a campaign swing to Eau Claire and Green Bay, Vance touched down in Minnesota for a private fundraiser. Tickets for that fundraiser were thousands of dollars. Later, he stopped by the former 3rd Precinct police building in Minneapolis, which was set on fire during the protests following George Floyd’s murder in 2020. “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 outside the fenced-off precinct building, flanked by retired police officers and Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Joe Teirab. Vance told reporters Minnesota isn’t off the map for Republicans despite a lack of recent visits (the last Trump-Vance rally in Minnesota was in June) and virtually no sustained television advertising. With just three weeks until Election Day, both candidates noted the importance the Upper Midwest holds in determining the presidential outcome. Dana Ferguson and Clay Masters have the story.
In Wisconsin, Walz campaigned with some prominent Democrats and went to the state’s foremost monument. He appeared with U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and with Gov. Tony Evers of Wisconsin and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan in Green Bay Monday night. In Eau Claire, Walz said the approaching election is going to be close and late pushes to get out the vote matter. “I think it’s very realistic to believe this race will be won going through Wisconsin and going through some of these counties,” Walz said. The campaign also made a pit stop at Lambeau Field Monday afternoon as Walz got to walk out onto the hallowed field (Brian wonders why he sent Dana on this leg). Walz joked about it at a campaign event after. “My staff was telling me don't say anything about the Vikings. I said, ‘That’s like telling somebody not to swear in church?’ Of course. What do they think? I'm a football guy that's like, that's a religious experience over there,” Walz said of his Lambeau experience.
Earlier in the day, Walz was trying to answer a question many have. At the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, the Minnesota governor had a philosophical matter on his mind. "These guys over here were going to take the time to explain to me what a Blugold is when we're done, so I get it. I come from a school where we were the Scarlets. I still don't know what it is." It appears to be a mythical bird.
Two vice presidential candidates weren’t enough for one day so a third dropped in. MPR’s Cari Spencer caught up with the Green Party’s VP nominee Butch Ware. At a Mississippi River park, Ware spoke intimately around a bonfire with a handful of Green Party supporters. Ware, who grew up in Minneapolis, is running with Jill Stein, and their ticket has the backing of some disaffected Democrats upset with the U.S. assistance to Israel as it carries out a war against Hamas in Gaza. “The reality is, you are not giving this election to Donald Trump if you walk away from the Democratic party and vote Green,” Ware said. “The Democrats are throwing this election away because they could stop the electoral carnage if they stop the physical carnage. They could stop their electoral bleeding with a cease fire and an arms embargo.” The Green Party ticket led by Stein got 1.26 percent of the vote in 2016 but only 0.31 percent in 2020 when Howie Hawkins was the nominee.
Two hotly contested St. Cloud-area races for the Minnesota House could determine which party is in charge of the Capitol. Republican Sue Ek is running against three-term DFL Rep. Dan Wolgamott. DFLer Abdi Daisane, a leader in St. Cloud’s Somali-American community, is challenging Rep. Bernie Perryman who is seeking her second term. While many parts of Minnesota are either solidly Republican or Democrat, here it’s evenly split. These two House seats that represent the St. Cloud area are among the most competitive in the state and redistricting due to St. Cloud’s growing population has shifted the political boundaries, making the districts even more competitive. Our Kirsti Marohn has this report from the ground.
The city of St. Cloud has sent a second invoice to the Trump campaign after it missed the Oct. 10 deadline to pay about $209,000 related to a June 27 rally. St. Cloud’s city administrator confirmed to St. Cloud LIVE on Friday that the Trump campaign had failed to meet the due date and that the city plans to send a second notice. The rally costs include police and fire department costs, public services, costs related to a construction change order and IT department services. In June, thousands flocked to the rally with Trump and running mate JD Vance at St. Cloud State University. SCSU Athletic Director Holly Schreiner said the campaign paid the university’s $35,000 fee on Aug. 1. U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told the paper he was confident the city would be reimbursed.
Two pastors in North Minneapolis are helping parishioners use their faith to bridge political divides. As part of our Talking Sense series, Catharine Richert visited one of these workshops where churchgoers learn to be peacemakers, hosted by Pastor Gary Dawkins and Pastor Stephanie O’Brien. They are among the religious leaders asking what role faith can play in bridging political divides in a particularly polarized election year. Dawkins says that reducing polarization is exactly what Jesus would want his followers to do, even if it means loving someone who sees politics differently. Participants learn how to listen better, burst through their media echo chambers and use their faith to empathize with people on the other side.
Are political divides stressing you out? About one in four people in the U.S. say they’ve ended a friendship due to political disagreements. Studies show polarization can lead to isolation, stress and anger. Researchers have found that the more distant a person feels from the political norm in their state, the worse their reported health. NPR shares some tips on how to navigate this year’s election cycle while protecting your mental health and your relationships with loved ones. | 
