The last remaining DFL-controlled legislative seat in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District might be up for grabs this fall, as a well-known former legislator from the Pawlenty era returns to challenge a freshman representative to represent St. Cloud.

**UPDATED** U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann's surprise decision to not seek re-election has produced a frenzy of speculation about who might seek the GOP nomination in Minnesota's most conservative congressional district. At least a dozens names have been floated as possible successors to the four-term incumbent.

One day this week, East Grand Forks Mayor Lynn Strauss picked up his copy of the Grand Forks Herald to find divergent stories on the paper’s front page. On one side, the Minnesota Legislature was depicted as trying to maneuver under the weight of a $1 billion-plus deficit. On the other, a story noted elected officials in newly booming North Dakota were full of bold new ideas.

As Gov. Mark Dayton pieces together his 2014-2015 budget, he’s hearing from a bipartisan group of mayors that state lawmakers have cut their funding too deeply and too capriciously during the past decade.

Like all Minnesota counties and cities, Kandiyohi has to put together its initial property tax levy by Sept. 15. The central Minnesota county’s board of commissioners will be voting soon on a 2.6 percent levy increase for next year.

The word of the evening was compromise, and St. Cloud resident Don Bechtold struck the tone early. “You’re not in office to hold your ground and die standing, you’re here to compromise. I drove 10 miles to tell you that,” Bechtold said to GOP Reps. King Banaian and Steve Gottwalt and Sen. John Pederson, who hosted a town hall meeting Monday night. His comments triggered applause from nearly everyone packed tightly into the Haven Township Hall — more than 60 in all — while the legislators quietly nodded and took notes.

Traditionally, there have been a number of more or less well-worn paths to the Minnesota Legislature. They include backgrounds in local government, business, and partisan political activism. Each, in its own way, has tended to breed familiarity with the levers of government and how they operate.

Lobbying pressure remains strong for a second bonding bill. A mixture of interests that saw projects vetoed in first bill are back at the Capitol making their pitch to lawmakers.

The campaign trail is a familiar place for state Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud. Clark won a special Senate election in District 15 last December ...

Special elections last year sent three DFLers and one Republican to the Capitol.