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Here’s the latest political developments in Minnesota. 

A legislative committee is scheduled to get an update today on the COVID-19 policy for state workers in offices or dealing with the public. It's been about a month since Gov. Walz required most state workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly. About 7,000 workers are subject to the testing requirement. Department of Human Services behavioral treatment specialist Mandi Helmin decided to remain unvaccinated until she’s comfortable there’s long-term data on it. “This is a very new vaccine. And I’m glad so many feel safe with it, that’s good. I’m glad they have a right to choose it then,” she said. “I’m reserving my right to make my own health choices and choose to wait.” Helmin spent nine days on unpaid leave after she objected to how the test program was laid out and declined to sign the test consent form. She was concerned about medical privacy in on-site testing. “So every Wednesday when I get to walk into the office and have to spit in a cup in front of my supervisor, everybody knows that the ones going in on this day are the ones who aren't vaccinated,” Helmin said. “That's private information, and it causes hostile work environments when there are such strong feelings over this.” Read more from Brian Bakst at MPR News.

Meanwhile the governor is trying to put new COVID-19 measures on the agenda for a special legislative session. Walz said Tuesday that he wants lawmakers to take several steps to respond to a rise in COVID-19 cases,  including vaccine and testing requirements for teachers and school staff, and for long-term care workers. Following a private meeting with House and Senate leaders, Walz sent a letter to outline what he wants to see the Legislature do. Along with bonus pay and drought relief, his pandemic-related agenda includes reinstating waivers to assist hospitals, nursing homes and childcare centers. Walz said he stands ready to call a special session as soon as there is an agreement. The response from legislative leaders? "The growing list of requests from Governor Walz is not productive towards ensuring these dedicated workers receive their bonus pay in a timely manner," said Senate Republican Leader Jeremy Miller, who said he was confident a deal could be reached on bonus pay for pandemic workers. DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman said Democrats are on board: "The Minnesota House DFL stands ready to deliver pay for frontline workers, provide drought relief, and assist our state's health care providers with the challenges they're experiencing due to the Delta wave.”

Speaking of the governor, there’s been some speculation that Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan may not be on the ticket next year when Walz runs for reelection. So MPR News reporter Elizabeth Shockman asked Flanagan Tuesday whether she will run for reelection. "That's my plan,” the lieutenant governor said. “Folks should expect an announcement soon.” And she added, “I think we’ve done a lot of really good work, and I think we have more to do."

And something that could have an impact on the election next year is highlighted in this story from the New York Times: The share of the Democratic presidential vote in the Midwest declined most precipitously between 2012 and 2020 in counties that experienced the steepest losses in manufacturing and union jobs and saw declines in health care , according to a new report to be released this month. The party’s worsening performance in the region’s midsize communities — often overlooked places like Chippewa Falls, Wis., and Bay City, Mich. — poses a dire threat to Democrats, the report warns.

Some other election notes: A community organizer from St. Paul says her challenge to longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum for the DFL endorsement is aimed at bringing more progressive leadership to the district. Amane Badhasso  announced this week that she plans to seek the party endorsement but would not say whether she intends to run in the primary election. Badhasso is an Ethiopian refugee who worked on Joe Biden’s campaign in 2020. She told MPR’s Tim Pugmire that she’s offering a vision for economic, racial and environmental justice. “We have not had a progressive leadership that has centered and prioritized those issues,” Badhasso said. “So, I’m in this race so that we can organize and actually have leadership that will prioritize the district’s needs.” McCollum acknowledged the challenge in a campaign fundraising letter this week. She said she will be running for reelection next year and campaigning on a record of delivering tangible results to her constituents.

Another DFL candidate, Liz Lee of St. Paul, is running in Minnesota House District 67A. The incumbent is John Thompson, who was expelled last month from the House DFL Caucus over allegations of domestic abuse and other misconduct. Thompson has denied any wrongdoing and plans to run as an independent. “I decided to run because I think we’re in desperate need of new leadership on the East Side,” Lee said. Hoang Murphy is also a DFL candidate.

Landlords and property managers have formed a coalition to oppose rent control questions on the ballot this year in Minneapolis and St. Paul. From a story by Zoë Jackson in the Star Tribune : "Rent control has been proven in cities across the world to reduce availability of housing, and the quality of housing," said Cecil Smith, Minnesota Multi Housing Association (MMHA) president, at a news conference Tuesday. "This has only deepened the challenge for low-income residents in those cities to afford a place to call home." Tram Hoang, campaign manager for Housing Equity Now St. Paul (HENS), which wrote the St. Paul proposal, said voters won't fall for fear mongering from groups that have benefited from low housing stock and rising prices. The coalition's formation less than a month before the election shows that there's momentum in support of rent control, she said. "Research shows that rent stabilization works to stabilize housing for low-wealth renters and renters of color across the country, which is why cities continue to pass it and why we're certainly not the first," Hoang said.