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

Here’s a guide to key policy matters that are likely to be addressed and heavily lobbied in the 2013 legislative session.

The path through any budget session leads to a negotiating table at which the governor and legislative leaders work out the most politically palatable taxing and spending deal they can muster. But the budget is never the only game in town. Before the session endgame gets played out, a network of committees will play host to various and sundry dramas involving policy issues before state government.

In the wake of a scandal that led a Minnesota Democrat to suddenly suspend his campaign for reelection, the state Supreme Court has ruled that political parties can put new candidates on the ballot after the primary election if their originally endorsed candidate properly withdraws from a race.

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

Continuing a streak of endorsing more conservative candidates, the Duluth News Tribune on Thursday endorsed independent write-in candidate and Duluth City Councilor Jay Fosle for the House District 7B race over the endorsed GOP and DFL candidates.

One peculiarity of the Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision to remove Rep. Kerry Gauthier’s name from next month’s general election ballot was that Justice David Stras opted not to participate in the case.

The Supreme Court of Minnesota issued an order today removing the name of Kerry Gauthier from the House District 7B ballot, to be replaced by that of Erik Simonson.

DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin, teaming up with the House DFL caucus and Erik Simonson's campaign, said Friday that they are petitioning the Minnesota Supreme Court to challenge the St. Louis County Auditor's move to deny a withdrawal affidavit from Kerry Gauthier and a certificate of nomination for Simonson.

Duluth assistant fire chief and union leader Erik Simonson won the backing of area Democrats over the weekend as the party attempts to execute what would likely be the first successful write-in campaign for the Legislature in Minnesota history.