Capitol artwork panel hears what citizens want hanging on the walls

When it comes to his bid for re-election next fall, Rep. Tim Faust said the gay marriage vote will only have a small impact on his chances. “It’s going to make a difference, but is it going to make a difference in the mind of the independent voter? I don’t think so.”

On the same day the U.S. Supreme Court struck struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act, the Minnesotans United PAC released the full "Minnesota 15" list of pro-gay marriage legislators who will be made "priorities" in their reelection campaigns. That list includes the five legislative Republicans who voted in favor of the bill and 10 rural Democrats serving in the House who could be vulnerable after casting their "yes" votes.

MN United PAC, the political fund formed by pro-gay marriage group Minnesotans United for All Families, announced its "Minnesota 15" initiative on Thursday, a list of lawmakers who supported gay marriage this spring that will be made "priorities" for the fund in their campaigns for reelection. Minnesotans United named the first five lawmakers on the list, which consisted of all rural Democrats serving in the state House.

On the steps of the state Capitol, Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton stood in the sleet on Thursday to encourage a crowd of hundreds to push their legislators to legalize gay marriage this session.

Paul Marquart knows that when it comes to the gun debate at the Capitol, most of it boils down to matters of region and culture.

On Sunday, incoming House Majority Leader Erin Murphy congratulated the new assistant leaders over Twitter, naming Reps. Carly Melin (Hibbing), John Ward (Baxter), Leon Lillie (North St. Paul), Kim Norton (Rochester), John Persell (Bemidji), Diane Loefller (Minneapolis) and freshman Jacob Isaacson (Shoreview).

Democrats had an outstanding night on Tuesday. They won back control of the Minnesota House and Senate, picked up a congressional seat, and defeated two contentious amendments that most political observers expected to prevail.

When it comes to spending by Minnesota’s political parties, the state DFL has emerged as the No. 1 player in the 2012 battle for control of Legislature.

On Thursday morning state Reps. Carolyn McElfatrick and Tom Anzelc appeared on the “Making Sausage” radio program on KAXE (FM 91.7) in Grand Rapids. They fielded questions about the budget, taxes and the proposed constitutional amendments.