Ever since the latter days of the 2011 regular session, it was clear to lobbyists, staffers and other Capitol watchers that the main limitation on the ability of GOP legislative leaders to cut a budget deal was the hard line on spending adopted by numerous members of their freshman-dominated majority caucuses.

State Sen. Dave Thompson will not run against U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in 2012. The Lakeville Republican had publicly mulled a campaign against the freshman DFLer, but has ultimately decided against a bid. Expect an official announcement on Monday.

Freshman Republican Sen. Dave Thompson says thanks but no thanks to a proposed bipartisan commission made up of former U.S. Democratic Sen. Walter Mondale and former GOP Gov. Arne Carlson to help break the budget stalemate at the Capitol.

Will Republican Party’s close ties to GOP majorities make it harder to reach budget deal?

Former state Rep. Dan Severson is the first Republican candidate to announce that he will challenge U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in 2012. Severson served three terms in the state House prior to an unsuccessful bid for Secretary of State last year.

State Sen. Dave Thompson is considering a run against U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in 2012, Politico reports. The Lakeville Republicans is a former radio talk show host and the only freshman senator to land a leadership post in the GOP caucus.

On Tuesday afternoon the Minnesota Vikings staged a triumphal press conference to announce that the football team has reached a deal with Ramsey County to build a new $1 billion stadium on the site of a former munitions plant in Arden Hills.

There are more costs associated with being an elected official than Republican Rep. Deb Kiel realized. The first-term legislator from Crookston said she didn't anticipate the money she would have to spend on things like travel and communications. She has been able to save some money by living with her son, who is a student at the McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, but said she still needs to tap the per diem payments that she and every other legislator are allotted to help cover the costs.

The debate over how to fund a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings has always divided legislative caucuses on both sides of the aisle. Last year DFLers from Minneapolis pushed back on a proposal that suggested extending local taxes from the Convention Center to help pay for the project, even as Democrats like former Senate Taxes Chairman Tom Bakk led the charge for the team's new home.

The scene was unusual for most Capitol regulars. At an early-session press conference, newly minted House Republican leaders Kurt Zellers and Matt Dean introduced the first symbolic bills of their newfound majority. Standing at their side were the bill authors - two first-time legislators just a few weeks removed from their swearing-in.