House Republicans have blocked a $2 billion bonding bill. Tim Pugmire reports: "The House vote was 75 to 58 in favor — but that was short of the three-fifths supermajority needed for passage. Republican House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt had previously said there wouldn’t be GOP support unless Democratic Gov. Tim Walz ended the peacetime emergency he declared to fight COVID-19. Daudt’s complaint now is the size of the bill. 'Bringing a bill to the floor that is between two and three times the biennial average and puts Minnesotans on the hook for debt service we cannot afford is a disservice to Minnesotans,' he said."
DFLers said their plan would've provided much-needed jobs. Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman, in a statement ahead of the vote, said “updating our aging infrastructure will help our people, communities and businesses make it through the COVID-19 crisis and provide jobs with wages and benefits that can support a family. Minnesota needs these investments now more than ever.”
No in-person graduation ceremonies, despite Republicans' wishes. Via Brian Bakst: "By a 69-61 vote, the DFL-led House turned back a Republican effort to let schools fete the Class of 2020 in-person as long as social distancing practices are followed. Earlier this month, the state Department of Education said large ceremonies could put health at risk and advised against them . The vote came after a lengthy debate in which some lawmakers recalled the highs and lows of their senior years. Republicans argued that the guidance robbed students and their parents of a rite-of-passage and wrongly applied a one-size-fits-all approach to schools."
Voting software issues — caused by "potentially malicious interference" — forced the Minnesota Republican Party to postpone its convention. Via Mark Zdechlik: "Republican delegates — gathered online instead of in-person because of the coronavirus pandemic — were set to endorse former Congressman Jason Lewis' campaign against incumbent DFL Sen. Tina Smith." State party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan didn't say when the event would be rescheduled.
At the national level, Republicans say they're holding an in-person convention. And it'll be big, NPR reports: "In a statement Saturday marking 100 days to go before the 2020 Republican National Convention, the Republican National Committee said it is expecting nearly 50,000 attendees , including delegates and members of the media, at the convention scheduled for the week of Aug. 24 in Charlotte."
Joe Biden: the "transition candidate." The AP reports on what that means and how it factors into his VP search: "Biden has longed to win the White House for more than three decades. If he finally makes it there after November's election, he's already talking about leaving. In an effort to ease concerns about his age, the 77-year-old presumptive Democratic nominee has said he wouldn't seek reelection if his mental or physical health declined . He has also referred to himself as a 'transition candidate,' acting as a bridge to a younger generation of leadership. Biden is rarely known for sticking to a script, and the comments are evidence of his candid style. But they're also contributing to intense speculation about who is best positioned to lead the party after him."
