Republicans and anti-union activists had questioned the state law throughout the organizing process.

The state Republican party will stand behind state Supreme Court candidate Michelle MacDonald despite legal troubles stemming from an intoxicated driving allegation.

It’s not too early to start campaigning for the Minnesota House. Case in point: One suburban seat already has three candidates jostling to go to the Legislature after next fall’s election. House District 53B covers part of the city of Woodbury in the southeastern suburbs, and its current representative, Republican Andrea Kieffer, recently decided she would not seek re-election next year.

DFL House Speaker Paul Thissen this week created a temporary committee on controlled substances and synthetic drugs that will hold hearings over the interim on drug abuse issues. Rep. Erik Simonson, DFL-Duluth, will chair the committee, which has to present a report to the speaker by the time session starts in February next year.

During the fall campaign season, the Republican Party of Minnesota sent out mailings in Senate District 4 accusing Kent Eken of voting to raise the “granny tax.”

Minnesota’s 2012 Democratic legislative campaigns started about two years ago. The exact date depends on who you ask.

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.

The last three election cycles have proven the voters of House District 39B to be independent-minded and evenly divided. While consecutive “wave” elections have rolled in both directions, the district has been the site of a series of nail-biters.

Near-miss 2010 GOP challenger Karin Housley mounts primary bid for retiree Vandeveer’s seat

Bunn, who lost her re-election bid in the suburban House District 56A last fall by 5 percentage points, is plotting a run in Senate District 39.