Monday, October 26

When polled, people usually cite taxes and education as the top issues influencing their vote for Governor. It rarely shows up in polls or on the campaign trail, but a statewide affordable housing crunch is a big concern for many Minnesotans. Some citizens say they wish the gubernatorial candidates would spend more time talking about ways to address the problem. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

With a week to go in the Minnesota gubernatorial campaign, candidates today appeared to be engaged in a game of strategy. Republican Norm Coleman is pursuing votes this week in rural Minnesota, including appearances in traditional DFL strongholds in Northern Minnesota. In the last few days, Coleman has forced DFLer Skip Humphrey to shore up his support in DFL territory. That's prevented Humphrey from invading Coleman's "turf". We'll hear more in the day in politics.

Farmers across the region are finishing the fall harvest and assessing the year. In northern Minnesota hundreds are also wondering if they will farm again next year. When Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson checked in with Tim Dufault before the harvest he was hoping for a break from five years of crop disease. Now near the end of the grueling harvest season that wasn't as good as he hoped, Dufault must turn his thoughts to balancing the books and figuring how he'll plant next spring.

The race for Governor in South Dakota has had it all. Allegations of illegal behavior, charges of unconstitutional behavior, jabs, jokes and handshakes. Incumbent Republican Bill Janklow is seeking an unprecedented fourth term in a state where there's a two term limit. Challenger Bernie Hunhoff is trying to become the state's first democratic governor since 1978. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland reports.

With Republicans only six seats shy of controlling the Minnesota House of Representatives, political strategists have their eye on about two dozen districts that could make or break the DFL's majority status. Three of those districts are located in northwestern Minnesota, and are attracting a lot of attention from the two major parties. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports from Bemidji.

Minnesota Public Radio has invited all 8 candidates for Governor to present a five minute statement about their candidacy. You can hear the gubernatorial candidates during our news programs from now until the end of the campaign. Today we hear from the Libertarian candidate, Frank Germann.

Voters and the candidates have placed education at the top of the agenda for this year's campaign for governor. The three major candidates have similar goals for education. They say they're committed to keeping elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools strong. But the differences begin to show when they describe how to get there. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire looks at the some of the education issues and where the candidates stand.

Polls indicate Skip Humphrey is neck-and-neck with Norm Coleman in the race for governor, but Humphrey is about three-quarters of a million dollars behind in the race for campaign funds. It's hard to say anything more detailed about Humphrey's fund-raising, however, because the campaign says its accounting software is on the fritz. Minnesota Public Radio's politics reporter, Martin Kaste, joins us from the capitol.

Common Cause of Minnesota is praising some of the state's U.S. senators and congress members for supporting campaign finance reform, and criticizing others for opposing it. The group also accuses some state lawmakers of abusing Minnesota's campaign finance laws. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports.

Political strategists have their eye on about two dozen legislative district races that could make or break the DFL's majority status in the Minnesota House of Representatives. District 21-B, in the southwestern corner of the state is one of those 'swing' districts. Only one Democrat has served in the state house in more than a hundred years. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland reports.

Minnesota Public Radio has invited all 8 candidates for Governor to present a five minute statement about their candidacy. You can hear the gubernatorial candidates during our news programs from now until the end of the campaign. Tonight we hear from Republican Norm Coleman.

Cowboys are my Weakness was author Pam Houston's first book of stories, and a bestseller. She chronicled a woman with a love for wilderness adventure as well as for men in spurs. In her new book Waltzing the Cat, Houston has created a series of stories about Lucy O'Rourke, a photographer who travels the world, keeping an eye out for a place to call home. She explained to Minnesota Public Radil's Amy Radil how her adventures inform her stories.

One of the battlegrounds in the governor's race is the state's prime agricultural area, the generally republican "L"-shaped third of western and southern Minnesota that sweeps from Canada to Wisconsin. Concern over the farm crisis has many people there interested in what the candidates for governor will do about it. The gubernatorial hopefuls have responded with proposals like cutting property taxes, but much of their time has been spent arguing over who is the best friend of the family farm. That's a lot of attention for a group which makes up a small portion of the state population. But Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Steil reports the symbolic importance of farms outweighs their numbers.

DFL gubernatorial candidate Skip Humphrey is beating the brush for votes in outstate Minnesota today. Right now he's in Hibbing, and, in the words of one campaign aide, "he's shoring up the DFL base." He and a bus-load of volunteers toured central Minnesota earlier today; Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste went along for the ride, and joins me now from the capitol.

Reform party candidate Jesse Ventura today announced plans for a statewide get out the vote blitz in the final days before the election. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik caught up with Ventura at a rally at the University of Minnesota.

The governor's race has tightened in recent weeks. Polls show Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Skip Humphrey are virtually tied with about a third of the vote each. Reform candidate Jesse Ventura has been steadily gaining support and now enjoys 23-percent support according to the latest MPR/ Pioneer Press and KARE 11 poll. University of Minnesota political scientist Larry Jacobs says the close race should help increase voter turnout on Tuesday.

In this election year when Republicans are looking to gain the majority in the State House, the races in two central Minnesota Districts - 15A and 15B- are drawing a lot of attention. The districts cover the Willmar and Granite Falls areas. Those house seats have often gone to DFLers, but voters in the area aren't always guided by party loyalty. In fact, more often they depart from the party line. Minnesota Public Radio's Gretchen Lehmann reports.

The American and British medical associations are calling on their governments to lower nicotine in cigarettes over time to non-addictive levels. The associations made the announcement today at the national conference of smoking and health in St. Paul. Minnesota public radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

Minnesota Public Radio has invited all 8 candidates for Governor to present a five minute statement about their candidacy. You can hear the gubernatorial candidates during our news programs from now until the end of the campaign. Tonight we hear from Socialist Workers' Party candidate Thomas Fiske.

Documents from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's investigation of environmental violations at the Koch oil refinery in Rosemount show top officials of the company denying knowledge of its environmental problems. Koch Refining Company tried for six months to keep the documents from the public. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure has more.

A Minnesota House of Representatives candidate is accusing an opponent's supporter of making anti-Semitic phone calls to her home. The opponent, incumbent Betty Folliard, says the incident is unacceptable, but that her challenger is trying to twist it to her political advantage. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports.

Rural Minnesota again occupied center stage in the gubernatorial campaign as some of the candidates worked areas of the state where they're already considered strong. For Skip Humphrey, that included the 8th District and for Norm Coleman, the 2nd District. Minnesota Public Radio Political Editor Bob Collins has today's highlights on the campaign trail.

Voters have consistently said education is their primary concern in Tuesday's election. The Republican and DFL House caucuses are trying to capitalize on the issue through radio blitzes in key districts. Both sides' advertisements use some vague characterizations and fuzzy facts to try to blame the other guys for problems in public education. At stake is control of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

Activists on both sides of the abortion issue staged press conferences at the state capitol today. They discussed the platform positions held by each of the three gubernatorial candidates. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen Louise Boothe reports.

Over the years Minneapolis folk duo Neal & Leandra have gained an almost rabid following for the heartfelt innocence and affection in their songs. However, on their new album, Stranger To My Kin, the husband-wife song writing team have traveled to what they call the "darker side of grace," and are wondering whether their audience will follow. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.

Students at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul are denouncing the anti-Semitic epithets scrawled in a dormitory bathroom earlier this week. They are putting up banners in residence halls expressing outrage over the incident and their support for tolerance and respect. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.

Minnesota Public Radio has invited all 8 candidates for Governor to present a five minute statement about their candidacy. You can hear the gubernatorial candidates during our news programs from now until the end of the campaign. Tonight we hear from Fancy Ray McCloney with the People's Champion Party.

Candidates for Governor of Minnesota will criss-cross the state this weekend. According to polls, Tuesday's vote could be one of the closest elections for governor since Carl Rolvaag beat Elmer L. Anderson by 91 votes in 1962. With the election so close and the race so tight, no candidate can afford to take time off now. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Collins has the highlights of today's campaign.

Secretary of State Joan Growe is predicting slightly more than half of eligible Minnesota voters will show up at the polls on Tuesday. Growe says she thinks turnout will be 53 percent. She says interest in the tight governor's race appears to be growing.

Republicans say they have the best chance in years to gain control of the Minnesota House. They're hoping the call for tax relief will benefit Republican candidates, particularly in some key suburban districts. But Democrats are confident they'll retain the majority. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Minnesota Public Radio has invited all 8 candidates for Governor to present a five minute statement about their candidacy. Tonight, we hear from Attorney General Skip Humphrey, the Democratic candidate.

Halloween costume contests aren't just for kids - employees at Llewelyn publishing in downtown St. Paul take their contest very seriously. Llewelyn specializes in New Age Sciences, and so it might not be surprising that the winning costume this year was Fate Magazine's alien abduction autopsy. Associate Editor Jeff Harrison helped come up with idea.