East Metro DFLers have an election fight on their hands.

Veteran lawmaker Mary Liz Holberg announced this week that she would not seek re-election to the House seat she has occupied since 1999.

**UPDATED** U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann's surprise decision to not seek re-election has produced a frenzy of speculation about who might seek the GOP nomination in Minnesota's most conservative congressional district. At least a dozens names have been floated as possible successors to the four-term incumbent.

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

**UPDATED** Voices of Conservative Women is backing 18 female GOP candidates in state legislative contests, it announced on Monday. The list includes two candidates who are engaged in GOP primary contests.

**UPDATED** The president of VOICES of Conservative Women wants an apology from the individuals behind a flyer suggesting that she supports Ron Paul's presidential campaign.

Forces on both sides of the move to ban same-sex marriage will be scraping for votes in the run-up to Election Day 2012. But thanks to a 19th century constitutional amendment, those backing the push are likely to find themselves struggling just a bit harder.

Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty began the most important day so far in the GOP presidential nominating process by addressing a group of conservative women at the Gateway Hotel & Conference Center. The breakfast gathering took place just down the road from the site of today's Iowa Straw Poll.

The new political action committee Voices of Conservative Women has bought $5,700 in radio ads to support GOP legislative candidate Mary Franson.

VOICES of Conservative Women, a new political advocacy group, is honoring eight legislators for their work at the Capitol. The "Voices of Fiscal Conservatism" award winners, all Republicans, are state Reps. Laura Brod (New Prague), Mary Kiffmeyer (Big Lake), Mary Liz Hoiberg (Lakeville), Joyce Peppin (Rogers) and Peggy Scott (Andover), and state Sen. Debbie Johnson (Ham Lake), Amy Koch (Buffalo) and Julianne Ortman (Chanhassen).