Good morning, and happy Tuesday.

Gov. Tim Walz surprised absolutely no one by announcing this morning he’s running for reelection next year.The governor made the announcement in a video released by his campaign. Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan appear in the video, touting their record on responding to COVID-19, improving the economy, taking initial steps on police reform, investing in education and clean energy, and cutting taxes for the middle class. “Peggy and I ask Minnesotans to come together and make a goal line stand to fight COVID and protect the economy,” Walz says in the video while standing on a football field and holding a football. Flanagan warns of people with "dangerous views" on vaccines and masking who are downplaying the pandemic and COVID risks. “We’ve got to move forward as one Minnesota,” Walz says, echoing the theme of his 2018 campaign.

Minnesota officials say they will pay a $200 incentive to those between the ages of 12 and 17 who get the Covid-19 vaccine.   Elizabeth Shockman reports: Gov. Tim Walz made the announcement standing in front of Gordon Parks High School in St. Paul Monday. He added the state would also enter students’ names in a drawing to receive a $100,000 scholarship. “A big thank you to those of you who have done it before and are fully vaccinated,” Walz said. We’re going to enter our names into a pool and every week for about 5 weeks, we’ll draw for a $100,000 scholarship to attend a Minnesota school - public or private.” Walz said the money for the incentives will come from federal Covid relief funds. Health officials estimate approximately 60 percent of 12-17 year olds in the state have already received the Covid-19 vaccine.

DFL U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar endorsed not one but two candidates for Minneapolis mayor Monday, and neither was Jacob Frey . Omar said voters should rank Kate Knuth and Sheila Nezhad but not Frey. "Any time there is progress to be made on behalf of the most vulnerable in our city, and gains to be made [for] the most powerful, he's always sided with the most powerful,” Omar said in urging voters to reject Frey. “I think it is important to put the people first and not those who line their pockets.” In a statement, Frey said that he was not surprised by Omar's endorsement. He criticized Nezhad and Knuth for their support of a proposed charter amendment that would replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new department of public safety. Liz Navratil at the Star Tribune reports: The congresswoman's remarks come at a time when the organizations leaning furthest left are waging social media campaigns and launching ads encouraging voters not to re-elect Frey. The November elections have become a referendum on Frey's track record on policing, not only in the mayor's race but also fights over the future of the city's Police Department and how to divide power in City Hall.

Minneapolis police will end the year about $5 million dollars under budget, reports MPR’s Jon Collins. City staff say it’s largely due to savings from salaries after officers left the department or filed disability claims.  Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is recommending a public safety budget of $109 million dollars, a 17 percent increase for the police department over last year. Chief Medaria Arradondo said he’s had to eliminate foot patrols, reduced staffing for property crimes, and reduced engagement with the community due to the declining number of officers. ”We will continue to prioritize the public safety, and we are right now operating very much one dimensionally, ensuring that we have enough officers to respond to violent crimes as well as property crimes that may be in progress,” the police chief said. The City Council will continue to review the mayor’s budget and will adopt a final budget in mid-December. 

From MPR’s Nina Moini: State public safety officials say speed is a major factor in Minnesota's rising traffic fatalities.  The State Patrol reports 392 people have died on Minnesota roads this year, so far -- about a 25 percent increase over last year. Speeding was responsible for more than one quarter of traffic deaths. Kellen Schmidt was hit while in his vehicle by a semi truck in March while he was at work for a utility company and now suffers intense pain from a traumatic brain injury.  "Just drive,” Schmidt said. “Those messages, those phones can wait, pull over. And if it is that important, if it's that important to update your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, pull over and do it. Please just drive. I do not wish this upon anybody." Five people have died on Minnesota roads just since Friday. The Associated Press has the story here.

From MPR’s Peter Cox: Twenty-four states, including Minnesota, have signed onto amicus brief with the US Supreme Court asking the court to stop Texas' six week abortion ban . Attorney General Keith Ellison joined 23 other attorneys general saying the Texas law is unconstitutional and should be blocked while the legal challenge against it moves forward. The Texas law was put into law in September and bars abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. In a press release, Ellison said the attorneys are calling on the court to not allow Texas to disregard nearly a half century of precedent. He said people being able to make their own choices about reproductive health care is a constitutional right. The law was banned for a time by a district court, but an appeals court put the law back into effect as it moves through the court system.

Minnesota's United States Senators are urging the Biden administration to promptly approve a  federal disaster declaration for the Red Lake Nation. From MPR’s Dan Gunderson: The Red Lake Tribal Council requested federal disaster aid after severe summer storms caused nearly $7 million in damage on the northern Minnesota Reservation. The tribal council said a late July storm  damaged homes and tribal buildings and the cost of repairs is beyond the financial capacity of the tribal government. The letter from Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith said Red Lake has a significant housing shortage among its members and with winter rapidly approaching, repairing damaged homes is critical.