Minnesota
Minnesota presidential poll: Biden leads Trump post-conviction
Will Minnesota be a battleground state in 2024?
Minnesota hasn’t elected a Republican for president in decades, but low party support and close margins means the state could be in play for Trump.
The first poll conducted of Minnesota voters post-former President Donald Trump’s felony conviction shows President Joe Biden with a slight lead.
A new poll released by KARE11, MPR News and the Star Tribune found that the race to win the White House is still a close one in the North Star State.
Despite a Republican president not winning Minnesota in more than 50 years and Biden handily beating Trump in 2020, an unapproving and apathetic electorate is predicted to make 2024 a close election.
Here are the key takeaways from the poll.
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Biden leads Trump, but not by much
Of the 800 registered Minnesotan voters polled in the survey, 44.5% said they’d support Biden while 40.6% said they’d cast their vote for Trump with a margin of error of ± 3.5 %
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. holds 6.4% of the vote while 7% of those surveyed are undecided and 2% favor other candidates.
More: Elections 2024: Will Minnesota be a battleground state in November?
Who’s voting for who?
Minnesotan voters are sticking to their party lines, according to the results. Most Democrats supported Biden and Republicans Trump.
Independent voters are split. While nearly 12% said they were undecided, more than 37% of those polled said they’d cast their ballot for Trump, almost 35% for Biden.
Is RFK Jr. a spoiler candidate?
According to Kennedy, no, he doesn’t see himself as a spoiler.
Despite it being statistically unlikely that Kennedy wins the presidential election, his presence on the ballot is attracting unhappy voters away from their major party figures.
Thirteen percent of independent voters polled in Minnesota said they’d back Kennedy.
In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, the 70-year-old said he’s the hope a lot of Americans are looking for.
“I think it’s important that Americans feel that its potential for democracy to work for them, and they don’t have to vote the lesser of two evils. They don’t have to hold their nose and vote for a candidate they don’t like because they hate the other guy worse,” Kennedy said.
In a race that looks like it might come down to single digits, the independent candidate could be enough to pull votes away from either candidate to secure them a victory, putting the race in an even closer position.
“I think it’s important to give them an alternative where they can continue to have hope for our democracy and vote out of inspiration rather than fear,” Kennedy said.
More: A look at the closest Minnesota presidential election races in the last 50 years
What do Minnesotans care about?
The poll identified five top issues for voters:
- Democracy (27.4%)
- Economy/jobs (26.1%)
- Immigration (14.6%)
- Crime (8%)
- Healthcare (7%)
Previous polling from KSTP/SurveyUSA gave Biden a two-point lead in both April and May surveys.
— Sam Woodward is the Minnesota elections reporting fellow for USA Today. You can reach her at swoodward@gannett.com, on X @woodyreports, or on Threads @samjowoody
A 16-year-old boy is in critical condition after nearly drowning at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis.
Officials were called to Minnehaha Regional Park around 5:15 p.m. Saturday for a technical rescue after a teenager, who was swimming with family, had gone underwater at the base of Minnehaha Falls, did not resurface.
An officer on the scene and witnesses told WCCO that the teen was under the water for about 20 minutes before crews pulled him out.
The Minneapolis Fire Department arrived on the scene and started rescue operations. Crews put on swift-water rescue suits and established safety lines before entering the water where the teenager was last seen.
The teenager was found underwater by firefighters and taken to shore. Firefighters performed CPR and other life saving measures before taking the teenager to a local hospital.
The Minneapolis Park Police say the area is not meant for swimming.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, according to Park Police.
MONTEVIDEO
— One of two suspects charged for their alleged roles in a Sept. 24, 2025, drive-by shooting in Montevideo has entered a guilty plea.
David Michael Pillatzki, 28, of Willmar, entered a petition Thursday, July 2, in Chippewa County District Court to plead guilty to a charge of aiding and abetting a drive-by shooting, which will be reduced from the original felony to a gross misdemeanor as part of a plea agreement.
Contributed
The agreement also calls for Pillatzki to cooperate in the prosecution against the other man charged in the incident.
The criminal complaint against Pillatzki alleges that he was a passenger in a vehicle from which shots were fired at a residence on the 400 block of South Third Street shortly after 8 p.m. Sept. 24. There were two occupants in the residence. Neither was injured.
Pillatzki was upset that his Ford Bronco had been shot on or about May 3, 2025, in Willmar, according to the complaint.
Contributed/ Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office
The man suspected of firing the shots, Albert Vaniler Hughes, 27, of Montevideo, was charged in March after the results of laboratory analysis by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension were received.
DNA and ballistic evidence link Hughes to the gun used in the shooting, according to the complaint filed against him.
He has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of drive-by shooting, intentional discharge of a firearm, and reckless discharge of a firearm.
The District Court recently assigned his case to a different judge, and a new court date has not been scheduled.
Minnesota
New LeBron James Rumors Reveal Wolves Free-Agent Pitch to NBA Icon Amid ‘Ramped Up’ Contract Pursuit
The Minnesota Timberwolves have “ramped up” their pursuit of LeBron James in free agency, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“The Minnesota Timberwolves have ramped up their push for LeBron James, with full belief that they are very much in the hunt to land one of the greatest players in NBA history, league sources told The Athletic.
“The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations, said the Timberwolves have been in contact with James’ representatives with a bold pitch: team up with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert to go after the kind of championship that could end any discussion about who is the greatest player of all time.”
Minnesota is in the mix based on comments that James’ agent, Klutch Sports Founder and CEO Rich Paul, made on his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman.
Paul discussed potential landing spots for James with Kellerman via a white board. For what it’s worth, five teams were featured in the middle and more prominently than the rest: the Miami Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Denver Nuggets, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Timberwolves.
Minnesota is a unique team for James to consider. On paper, Minnesota is probably in the second tier of the Western Conference right now behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. James could elevate the Wolves, who have stars on offense (Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball) and defense (Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels). He would be a great fit in that lineup.
The Timberwolves’ problem is that they have a lot of competition for James’ services. Paul told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that he has spoken with 27 teams about James. But Minnesota is firmly in the mix.
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