Republicans plan to beat the tax drum once again when the Legislature convenes to pass $5M in local storm aid

A bill that would bump the state minimum wage up to $9.50 an hour has cleared the floor of the Minnesota House.

A few Minnesota lawmakers are experiencing déjà vu this session as they take up a bill to help pay for a $6 billion project to build up Rochester and boost the Mayo Clinic.

The swift pace at which the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill advanced through the House and Senate this week amounted to nothing short of a legislative resurrection.

Barring some unlikely resurrection as part of a close-of-session grand bargain, the long-troubled Vikings stadium bill has apparently drawn its last breath of 2012.

Ranging in age from 24 to 65, new class presents a varied face

Mark Dayton rode a dominating performance in greater Minnesota to a narrow victory in Tuesday's DFL gubernatorial primary, edging party endorsee Margaret Anderson Kelliher by just over 6,500 votes out of over 440,000 cast. One-time House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, who spent over $5 million on his primary campaign, garnered just over 80,000 votes.

The 201 legislative seats on this November's general election ballot include 23 races featuring intra-party challenges that will be settled in Tuesday's partisan primary.

Voters in Minnesota House District 29A have a long track record of favoring Republican leadership. The area, which covers all of Dodge County and part of the city of Rochester, has elected GOP state Rep. Randy Demmer of Hayfield over DFL challengers handily since 2002.

Republicans are slated to squared off in a handful of competitive state legislative primary contests on August 10. In most instances, the GOP rivals are vying to take on a DFL incumbent in districts that look winnable.