Ben Golnik, who oversaw the GOP's successful campaign to win control of the state Senate, will manage recount operations for Tom Emmer's gubernatorial campaign. Golnik also previously served as executive director of the state Republican party.

Facing a contest that has typically been labeled by most election analysts and pollsters as a "toss-up," third-party groups are pulling in millions of dollars from donors, national organizations, unions and corporations looking to tip the scale in their preferred candidate's favor. The groups' advertisements and activities have been some of the most visible of this year's campaign season.

Political action committees and legislative caucuses have already done mailings assailing the opposition. But now that the campaign has entered the final month, the rough-and-tumble race for the Legislature is kicking into high gear.

The cast is set for the governor's race. Mark Dayton's narrow triumph in a three-candidate DFL primary field puts him on the November ballot with Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party nominee Tom Horner

Political consultant Ben Golnik will join the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus as an election consultant. He will do the work through Golnik Strategies, the firm he started in 2007. Golnik’s position was needed after chief of staff for the caucus, Culleen Sheehan, left to become campaign manager for Tom Emmer’s gubernatorial bid. Sheehan was responsible for many of the caucus’ election efforts, which Golnik will now fill in his absence.

Tom Emmer may be the endorsed candidate for the historically business-friendly Minnesota GOP, but observers say Emmer has work to do if he means to win the broad support of the state’s business community.

Rare is the newly formed interest group lobbying the legislature that starts out with a politically savvy bang. Such was the case just before Thanksgiving when Sensible Energy Solutions for Minnesota (SESM) held a press conference with U.S. Reps. Erik Paulsen (R-MN 3) and Tim Walz (D-MN1) asking legislators to repeal the moratorium that prevents the Public Utilities Commission from authorizing construction of new nuclear facilities.

Two years ago, Golnik formed a company, Golnik Strategies LLC, which he describes as a grass-roots public affairs and political consulting firm. It leverages his campaigning skills to help corporations and nonprofit groups mobilize supporters around political issues.