One notable exception: Cravaack/Nolan CD 8 race

It’s not hard to see why campaign operatives from both political parties have had Minnesota’s newly drawn Senate District 53 on their radar since day one.

Minnesotans are split down the middle on the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, according to a new survey from Public Policy Polling. The poll finds 48 percent support for the amendment and 47 percent opposition. A majority vote is required for passage, suggesting that amendment supporters may need to convince some of the 5 percent of likely voters who declared themselves "Not sure."

Earlier this month, 8th Congressional District GOP activist Terry Stone drafted a letter to House Speaker Kurt Zellers. It urged Zellers to begin the unprecedented process of impeaching DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will headline a luncheon fundraiser for presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in Minneapolis on August 14. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman will serve as hosts of the event.

Anything could happen in the DFL primary in the 8th Congressional District. Three challengers — Jeff Anderson, Tarryl Clark and Rick Nolan — are running credible campaigns, and turnout is expected to be extremely low for the mid-August primary.

On a recent Thursday evening, roughly 50 people gathered at Shamrocks bar in St. Paul to discuss the looming ballot campaign to ban gay marriage. The event was specifically targeted at young Republicans and featured GOP Reps. John Kriesel and Tim Kelly, outspoken opponents of the proposed anti-gay marriage amendment.

Perhaps the last legal argument stemming from the epic 2008 U.S. Senate contest between Norm Coleman and Al Franken has been settled. The Minnesota Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed by five television stations seeking access to absentee ballots that were rejected. The state's top court ruled that the ballots aren't public data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

Brad Rixmann likes to say he was dragged into politics “kicking and screaming.” Just five years ago, Rixmann, the founder and CEO of Pawn America had been at the Capitol only a few times as a child.

Cullen Sheehan is stepping down as state Senate GOP chief of staff to lobby for Minneapolis-based Lockridge Grindal Nauen. The Senate majority's legislative director Kevin Matzek will assume the chief of staff's role.