Minnesota
Minnesota polka legend Florian Chmielewski dies at 97
Florian Chmielewski, famed for his polka prowess and longtime service in state government, died Tuesday at age 97. According to an obituary shared by his family, Chmielewski had been experiencing congestive heart failure and “passed away peacefully” at his home in Sturgeon Lake, Minn.
As a longtime member of the Chmielewski Funtime Band, the musician helped preserve and celebrate a musical tradition with deep roots in the state’s European settler communities. His band toured widely, recorded extensively and became television’s Partridge Family of polka.
“It’s just like a piece of history is missing,” said the artist’s daughter, Patty Chmielewski, reflecting on the end of her father’s life. “He never stopped. He had two settings: full speed and sleep.”
Florian Chmielewski also served in the Minnesota Senate from 1971-1997, representing the districts encompassing Sturgeon Lake, and served as president of that body during a special session in 1987. As listed by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, his special areas of concern were employment, health care, housing and veterans affairs.
The inheritor and steward of family traditions in music, agriculture and public service, Chmielewski was beloved by audiences — representing, to many, the cheerful face of a longstanding community tradition of “old-time” music and social dance.
“Polka music is happy music,” Florian Chmielewski told the Cloquet Pine Journal in 2014. “There’s no sadness in it.” Chmielewski played well into his 90s, saying he would consider retiring when he reached 100.
One of 15 siblings, Florian Chmielewski was born in 1927 on his family farm in Sturgeon Lake. The family’s musical tradition stretched back to Chmielewski’s grandfather, a fiddler originally from Poland. “My dad only spoke Polish until the fifth grade,” said Patty Chmielewski.
Florian Chmielewski began playing accordion in his teens, forming a band with his brothers. After serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, Chmielewski brought his talents to the airwaves, performing in radio and television programs. The “Chmielewski Funtime” TV show, airing in syndication in markets across the United States and Canada, would turn the accordionist and his family members into national polka celebrities.
Duluth is “where it all began” for the family’s multimedia fame, said Patty Chmielewski. “My dad started on radio at WKLK.” Florian Chmielewski’s first television show, “The Polish TV Party,” launched in 1955 on Duluth’s WDSM-TV.
At the peak of the family’s television success, Patty Chmielewski remembered, “We were like the Beatles … girls would be jumping in the windows, trying to get hold of my brothers. It was crazy. Who would ever think? But that was back in the ’70s, and it’s a tribute to Duluth.”
Florian Chmielewski’s musical success helped elevate a political career that led to the state Senate. “He said he couldn’t be a senator, he (didn’t) believe, without the accordion,” said Patty Chmielewski.
In St. Paul, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor legislator embraced his identity as “the Swinging Senator” (the title of one of his many record albums, featuring a cover photo of Chmielewski standing outside the Capitol) and even used his music to build bridges across party lines.
At one point, said Patty Chmielewski, referencing her father’s memoir “0 to 90,” Florian Chmielewski pulled out his accordion during a Senate impasse; the frustrated politicians improvised lyrics to a song about being stuck.
“It just changed the whole demeanor of everything,” said Patty Chmielewski. “They went back in and voted, and it was done.”
Although Florian Chmielewski worked at the Capitol alongside former Gov. Rudy Perpich, the pair’s best-remembered intersection came at the 1978 launch of the Chmielewski International Polkafest in Pine City. A runner appeared with a torch, evoking the Olympics, and attempted a ceremonial handoff to the governor.
“Oil was dripping from the torch,” remembered Patty Chmielewski, and as the prop was passed to the governor, “Boop! Rudy goes up in flames. He had this polyester suit on, and it just melted.”
The fire was extinguished without serious harm to the governor, and the festival went on to become a multi-decade tradition. In a 2015 News Tribune interview, Florian Chmielewski recounted the incident and said that Perpich quipped to him afterward: “Eleven attorneys called me. Since you’re a good friend, I told nine to get lost.”
While in office Chmielewski focused on bringing concrete results — state funding and projects — to his district. Though highly popular and “considered unbeatable” as an incumbent up to that point, the Duluth News Tribune reported in 1996, Chmielewski’s legislative career ended that year when he lost a primary challenge after admitting he had allowed relatives to place long-distance phone calls at taxpayer expense.
After leaving office, Chmielewski continued to entertain for the remaining three decades of his life. He was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame and was recognized in the Pioneer Division of the International Polka Association Hall of Fame.
As just one example of their statewide stardom, in 1989, Chmielewski family members performed alongside stars like the Jets at the Minnesota Music Awards in Minneapolis — and took home more prizes than Prince.
Chmielewski’s familiar face and reliable good humor earned warm receptions at concerts and events, as his family band encompassed members of fourth, fifth and sixth generations.
“There wasn’t anything he didn’t tackle without a positive attitude,” said Patty Chmielewski. “Everybody says, ‘What a kind, what a gentle man.’”
Pat Chmielewski, the artist’s wife of 47 years, died in 2003. The Chmielewski Funtime Band continues on, now led by Patty Chmielewski.
Florian Chmielewski’s shows always stoked an atmosphere of “togetherness,” said Patty Chmielewski. “No matter where my dad was, he could create it. If you didn’t know how to dance, he could talk you into dancing, and then you’d be happy that you did it.”
A funeral for Florian Chmielewski will be held May 7 at St. Isidore’s Catholic Church in Sturgeon Lake. For funeral and visitation details, see hhkfuneralhome.com.
KSTP/SurveyUSA poll results: Trump, Walz both below 50% approval in Minnesota
The political feud between President Donald Trump and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is frequently documented.
While both try to score political points with their criticism of each other, neither has much in the way of bragging rights when it comes to approval ratings in Minnesota.
According to our exclusive KSTP/SurveyUSA poll, the president has a 42% approval rating in Minnesota with 55% disapproval. That 13-point difference is six points worse than our last survey three months ago.
Trump retains the approval of 89% of Republicans but just 35% of independents.
“Trump is always running a bit below the national average in job approval in Minnesota and that is the case here,” says Carleton College political analyst Steven Schier. However, the newest Associated Press/Reuters poll showed the president with a 39% approval rating and 59% disapproval, slightly better than his Minnesota results.
The president’s approval is bogged down by a 43% approval of his handling of the economy.
Gov. Walz doesn’t fare much better in our survey. For the second survey in a row, Walz is at 48% approval and 48% disapproval. Those ratings are his lowest in the 20 times we’ve surveyed his approval in the past four years. He’s seeking an unprecedented third four-year term as governor of Minnesota.
“Gov. Walz’s approval puts him in sort of a flashing yellow light zone,” says Schier. “There’s some danger ahead. He’s below 50% approval.”
The Walz approval numbers are weighed down by just 14% who say he’s done enough to stop state government fraud.
Our survey included 35% Democrats, 31% Republicans and 29% independents.
SurveyUSA interviewed 650 adults from the state of Minnesota 12/09/25 through 12/12/25. Of the adults, 578 were identified as being registered to vote and were asked the questions which follow. This research was conducted online, using nonprobability sample of online adult panelists chosen randomly by Cint USA. The combined pool of survey respondents was weighted to US Census ACS targets for gender, age, race, education, and home ownership.
ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management and
Gov. Tim Walz
recently announced the signing of a cannabis cooperative agreement with
Red Lake Nation.
According to a release, the agreement outlines how the state of Minnesota and Red Lake Nation will protect the public health, safety and well-being of all Minnesotans regarding adult-use cannabis and supports Red Lake Nation’s tribal sovereignty, cultural identity and heritage.
“This partnership opens a new outlet for state-licensed cannabis businesses to access and sell legal cannabis and honors the independence of the members of the Red Lake Band,” OCM Executive Director Eric Taubel said in the release. “We look forward to their cooperation in bringing more cannabis supply to the state and seeing their cannabis operations develop and thrive while respecting the Red Lake Band’s autonomy.”
In Minnesota’s cannabis law, the legislature directed Walz to negotiate intergovernmental agreements with tribal nations sharing territory with Minnesota to strengthen public health and safety, secure an equitable and well-regulated cannabis market, and provide financial benefits to both the state and tribal nations.
Red Lake’s NativeCare dispensary
was the first in the state to sell legal, adult-use cannabis after the law legalizing cannabis took effect in August 2023. With this agreement in place, Red Lake is able to collaborate with state-licensed cannabis businesses and create partnerships.
“Our goal from the beginning has been to produce the highest quality cannabis products that are free of all toxins and impurities. Consistent testing has verified that we have reached our goal,” Red Lake Nation Chair Darrell Seki Sr. said in the release. “Now that our cooperative agreement with the state has been finalized, we are looking forward to sharing our top-shelf products with the Minnesota market.”
Compact negotiations continue between the state and tribal nations sharing territory with the state of Minnesota. To date, the state has signed compacts with White Earth Nation, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Prairie Island Indian Community, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.
The state expects to announce additional tribal-state cannabis agreements soon.
Copies of signed, executed tribal-state cannabis compacts and cooperative agreements can be found on
OCM’s website.
The former NFL sideline reporter has met with top Republican committees as she weighs a 2026 bid and a rare GOP pickup attempt in Minnesota.
Michele Tafoya, the former NFL sideline reporter turned political analyst, is considering a run for the United States Senate in her current home state of Minnesota, OutKick has learned. Sources familiar with the situation say she is expected to make a final decision in early 2026.
Tafoya met with the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Senate Leadership Fund, and other stakeholders in Washington, D.C. last week. The NRSC has been recruiting her to run for the Senate race in Minnesota, where the Democratic primary has pitted progressive favorite Peggy Flanagan against Chuck Schumer-backed Angie Craig.
Tafoya gave up her NBC career so she could speak more openly about her conservative political beliefs. The breaking point for Tafoya at the media giant came in December 2021 when she appeared on “The View” and served as the conservative panelist. The rest of the cast on the show supported Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest, and his assertion that the NFL resembled the slave trade, while Tafoya raised some important counterpoints.
“I’ve been covering the NFL for 25 years,” Tafoya said at the time. “Nobody forces these guys to play. I thought comparing it to the slave trade was a little rough. These guys enter willingly, they are the most well cared for people. Yes, they play a hard sport. And every one of them — black, white, Latino, whoever’s playing the sport — will tell you how much they love it, and they’re willing to do it, and they make a damn good living.”
Former NFL reporter Michele Tafoya is weighing a Minnesota U.S. Senate bid after meetings with GOP groups, with a final decision expected early next year.
(Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images)
Tafoya nnounced in February 2022 that she wanted to pursue other career opportunities. Shortly after, she became the co-chair for Republican Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Kendall Qualls when he ran against Tim Walz in 2022.
Tafoya’s Rise in Minnesota Politics
Since then, Tafoya has become more active politically, particularly in Minnesota. Tafoya has taken Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar to task many times over their policies and rhetoric. Most recently, Tafoya has railed against a $1 billion fraud scheme in Minnesota that she linked to Walz and Omar.
Tafoya grew up in California and attended UC Berkeley for her undergraduate degree and USC for her master’s degree. She moved to Minnesota after graduation to pursue a career in sports broadcasting and has lived in the state since.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Tafoya has been receiving calls from supporters in Minnesota encouraging her to run, and she’s had ongoing conversations with South Carolina Sen. and NRSC Chairman, Tim Scott.
Minnesota hasn’t had a Republican senator since Norm Coleman, who left office in January 2009. Should Tafoya choose to run, she’d look to reverse a trend that has continued for over 15 years.
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