The campaign said Zellers had "far out-raised candidates not dependent on their personal wealth."

The Senate's legal bills stemming from Michael Brodkorb's wrongful termination lawsuit have now reached $226,000. The latest billings from the Larkin Hoffman firm add $27,701 to the tab for work done between February 13 and April 30.

There was no audible dissent from Democrats as the committee voted to approve the additional $90,000 in fees, pushing total legal costs in the case over the $200,000 mark. Brodkorb is suing the chamber after he was suddenly fired last December. Brodkorb was having an affair with his boss, former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch.

Rumblings about the marriage amendment’s unpopularity in the western suburbs came early in the campaign season. Orange and blue “vote no” signs vastly outnumbered “vote yes” ones, particularly in places like Edina, and Republican candidates running for the Legislature avoided the issue at the doors and in debates at all cost.

The Senate District 49 contest will almost certainly be the most expensive legislative race in the state. In pre-primary campaign finance filings, DFL challenger Melisa Franzen and GOP state Rep. Keith Downey reported raising roughly $115,000 – easily the highest statewide total.

The Senate District 49 race has resulted in the largest haul so far with more than $100,000 in political contributions. Campaign finance reports have revealed this and a lot more, including some notable financial mismatches as well as challengers bringing in more than incumbents.

Political operatives who have been crunching the numbers and talking to candidates see no shortage of swing districts in this year’s legislative elections. The new redistricting maps have tweaked the partisan complexion of many districts.

In a divided voice vote, the Minnesota Senate Rules Committee approved spending nearly $85,000 on legal fees related to an affair between former Senate Republican Majority Leader Amy Koch and fired chief Senate communications staffer Michael Brodkorb.

Sen. John Harrington’s legislative career will come to a close after just two years. In 2010 the former St. Paul police chief easily won an eight-candidate DFL primary to replace retiring Sen. Mee Moua.

Left for dead in April, the Vikings stadium bill sprinted to passage in the session’s closing days. What happened?