Contributing to Minnesota's low ranking is its corporate tax rate, income tax rate, sales tax rate and unemployment tax rate, all of which are scored near the bottom on a scale of 1 to 50.

Political funds MN Forward and Minnesota’s Future, which have spent money on ads supporting GOP gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer and attacking DFLer Mark Dayton, have raised more than $3 million this year.

DFL-friendly group Alliance for a Better Minnesota reported raising $2.3 million since the last campaign finance reporting period in late September, bringing its total this election cycle to $5.3 million.

Dayton's gubernatorial campaign has spent more than $4.2 million in the governor's race, while Emmer has spent has spent more than $2.3 million.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer entered the home stretch of his campaign on Oct. 19 with $461,000 in cash on hand.

During the final two weeks of the gubernatorial contest, DFL- and GOP-aligned groups will spend roughly $3 million on television ads in the gubernatorial contest.

Dayton garnered the support of 40 percent of likely voters in the poll, while Emmer reached 30 percent. Horner saw 19 percent among likely voters.

The latest poll in the Minnesota governor's race shows DFL nominee and former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton holding on to a lead in the three-way contest.

The Republican Party of Minnesota has filed a complaint alleging that the Win Minnesota Political Action Fund illegally disbursed $60,000 to another political organization. At issue is a contribution that Win Minnesota made to the Working America Political Fund in August.

A late September poll from the Star Tribune found Emmer and Dayton running neck-and-neck in outstate Minnesota with 35 percent apiece, but a mid October KSTP/SurveyUSA poll put Dayton ahead in all regions.