Fundraising and spending reports are due from all four legislative caucuses to the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure board on Tuesday.

The changing demographics and DFL-friendly voting record of Senate District 46 signaled an easy win for DFL Sen.-elect Chris Eaton in Tuesday’s special election.

Shortly after DFL Sen. Linda Scheid died from cancer in June, the stars began to align for Chris Eaton to take her place in the upper chamber.

Three DFL candidates have lined up for the primary battle in Berglin's Minneapolis district, and two candidates will go head-to-head in a primary for Scheid's old seat.

The special elections will be held Oct. 18, with a primary scheduled the month before on Sept. 13.

It’s been a long time since Senate District 46 has seen an open legislative seat. State Reps. Mike Nelson and Debra Hilstrom have each been in their current positions for roughly a decade. Sen. Linda Scheid, who died of ovarian cancer last month at the age of 68, had held her seat since 1996. Before that, she represented the area for seven terms in the House.

In 11 nonconsecutive terms as a DFL legislator going back to 1977, Sen. Linda Scheid has made a name for herself as a highly knowledgeable and instinctually bipartisan legislator with an independent streak. Long before legislators were chanting “jobs, jobs, jobs” in unison, Scheid cast moderate, pro-business votes that sometimes raised eyebrows among fellow DFLers.

House Minority Leader Paul Thissen named five fellow Democratic representatives that will join him in leading the caucus next session.

A bill that would require Minnesota homeowners to be notified when their homes are sold at foreclosure auctions unanimously passed the state House this afternoon and is on its way to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's desk.

Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson plans to step down from his post effective June 30, he announced this afternoon.