Minnesota
It's down to Trump v. Haley in Minnesota on Super Tuesday. What are her chances here?
Julia Coleman knows she’s one of the few elected officials in her party who will openly endorse a Republican other than Donald Trump in Minnesota’s presidential primary.
The two-term GOP state senator from Waconia voted for Trump in 2020, but she’s supporting former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley this year after watching her party lose ground in the suburbs over the last two election cycles, largely due to Trump’s style.
“A lot of them privately [support Haley] but they don’t want to anger their donor base,” said Coleman of other Republican officials. “People feel a sense of loyalty to the former president.”
That’s Haley’s dilemma in Minnesota, a state where Trump has locked down endorsements from the entire GOP congressional delegation. His near-flip of the state in 2016 brought a new group of Republican activists into state politics.
But Haley’s supporters think she has a chance to win a state like Minnesota, which has an independent streak and didn’t back Trump in the 2016 precinct caucuses. Fear of a Trump and Joe Biden rematch in 2024 has helped them build quiet support for her behind the scenes, supporters say.
“We are organizing and people are coming out of the woodwork on a regular basis. I am getting calls and texts from people who want to help,” said Debjyoti “DD” Dwivedy, a Republican activist who is part of a grassroots group trying to turn out voters for Haley in Minnesota.
She’s now the only challenger running against Trump in Minnesota’s March 5 presidential nominating contest, after Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy all dropped out. Trump handily won Minnesota’s presidential primary in 2020, but he was unopposed on the ballot that year.
In 2016, when Minnesota still used the precinct caucus system to nominate the president, Trump placed third, following Republican U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.
“I’m very bullish on this: Marco Rubio won Minnesota, and he didn’t run his campaign on rhetoric but on policy solutions,” said Dwivedy. “Haley’s politics are based on policies. In this country right now we need less rhetoric and less divide and we need someone who will be grounded on policies.”
Neither Trump nor Haley appear to have paid staff on the ground in Minnesota, focusing their attention on Iowa, New Hampshire and the upcoming Feb. 24 Republican primary in South Carolina. Trump beat Haley by more than 30 percentage points in Iowa and by 11 points in New Hampshire.
Polls show Trump leading Haley in South Carolina, where she was governor. Trump’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
“The margin there will signal a lot. If it’s close or if, surprisingly, she should win, that should do a lot to give her campaign a boost,” said University of Minnesota political science professor Kathryn Pearson. “If Trump wins big in Haley’s home state, I think it’s going to be challenge for her to play in any state, including in Minnesota on Super Tuesday.”
Haley’s supporters are encouraging her to stay in the race until at least Super Tuesday — when 16 states hold presidential primaries — to give voters in more states a chance to weigh in on the race.
“Our party is better when we have a contest, and whoever ends up being the nominee will be better off having to face the voters, stump for votes and do speeches and take questions,” said Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, one of the leaders of the grassroots effort pushing Haley in Minnesota.
She said Haley has 17 delegates to Trump’s 33, and it takes 1,215 delegates to win the nomination. On Super Tuesday, 36% of delegates are up for grabs.
Coleman is thinking about her party long-term in backing someone other than Trump in the primary.
“My support for Nikki Haley comes from watching what happened to the election map here under Donald Trump,” she said. “I saw the suburbs in the last election start flipping blue and the Republican message start getting lost in the noise.”
Coleman outperformed the former president in her district, signaling an openness to a Republican candidate with different communication tactics. She thinks Haley could break through, particularly among women voters.
“I think under Trump we might have a great economy,” she said. “But we might lose an entire generation of female voters in the state.”
Timberwolves have 2 chances to eliminate Nuggets in NBA Playoffs
Timberwolves’ players Ayo Dosunmu and Rudy Gobert spoke to reporters after practice on Wednesday at Mayo Clinic Square. The Timberwolves can eliminate the Denver Nuggets from the NBA Playoffs in Game 6 Thursday night at Target Center. If they lose, there will be a decisive Game 7 in Denver.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Thursday has a chance to be a historic night for the Minnesota professional sports scene.
The Timberwolves and Wild both have home playoff games, both lead 3-2 in their best-of-seven series and each can advance on the same night with a victory. If the Timberwolves and Wild both lose, they had back on the road for decisive Game 7s.
Timberwolves have 2 chances to close out Nuggets
The backstory:
The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Denver Nuggets at 8:30 p.m. Thursday in Game 6 on ESPN, with a chance to end Denver’s season. The Timberwolves had a 3-1 lead, but lost Game 5 125-113.
The Timberwolves committed 25 turnovers, and allowed 125 points without Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
Chris Finch says Timberwolves had ‘soft mentality’ in Game 5
The Minnesota Timberwolves practiced Wednesday at Mayo Clinic Square ahead of Game 6 against the Nuggets. Chris Finch spoke with reporters and said the team had a soft mentality that led to their Game 5 loss in Denver. The Timberwolves can close out the series with a win Thursday night.
“I thought we had a soft mentality,” Timberwolves’ coach Chris Finch said after Wednesday’s practice at Mayo Clinic Square.
Aside from the turnovers, Jaden McDaniels had two early fouls as the Timberwolves started slow. Nuggets’ role players Spencer Jones and Cam Johnson also combined for 38 points.
Game 6 – What’s at stake
Why you should care:
The Timberwolves have another chance to eliminate the Nuggets, but this time can do so on their home floor in front of what will be a raucous crowd at Target Center. If they win, the Timberwolves advance to the Western Conference Semifinals for the third straight year.
If they lose, they head back to Denver for a Game 7. The team knows what’s at stake.
“We’ve got to come out, have fun, stay together. That’s what I told the guys. The game is going to swing, that’s basketball. It’s all about staying together and sticking to the game plan. I’m excited to play in front of the best fans in the world,” guard Ayo Dosunmu said.
“Obviously a lot is at stake, but it’s basketball. This is the moment you dream about,” center Rudy Gobert said. “It’s huge having the home crowd, but it’s basketball. At the end of the day, it’s on us to bring it.”
If the Timberwolves advance, they’ll face the San Antonio Spurs, who eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday night.
Wild host Dallas Stars for Game 6 Thursday
Dig deeper:
Over in St. Paul, the Minnesota Wild host the Dallas Stars in Game 6 Thursday night at Grand Casino Arean. Puck drop is set for just after 6:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on TNT as well as FanDuel Sports Network.
Minnesota Wild can eliminate Dallas Stars Thursday night
The Minnesota Wild has a 3-2 lead over the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and can close out the series with a win in Game 6 Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena. Wild coach John Hynes spoke to reporters on Wednesday ahead of the pivotal game.
The Wild can end the Stars’ season with a win, after earning a 4-2 win at Dallas in Game 5. Michael McCarron scored what ended up being the game-winning goal at the 7:47 mark of the third period, which gave the Wild a 3-1 lead. Up 3-2, Kirill Kaprizov sealed the game with an empty-net goal.
Does the Wild’s mentality or approach change with a potential closeout game Thursday night? John Hynes says no.
“I just think it’s the mindset we’ve had as a group – you take each game for what it is. Each game has been highly-competitive, tomorrow night isn’t going to be any different,” Hynes said.
What’s next:
If the Wild lose Game 6, they will head back to Dallas for a decisive Game 7. The Wild is looking for its first playoff series win since 2015. If they advance, they face the Colorado Avalanche.
Minnesota
NHL announces start time for Dallas Stars/Minnesota Wild Game 6 on April 30 | Dallas Stars
FRISCO, Texas — The National Hockey League announced that the start time for Game 6 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round series between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild has been set for 6:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 30 at Grand Casino Arena.
Minnesota
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has shocking reaction to FBI raids at day care centers — after previously slamming Trump admin
Lame-duck Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made a stunning about-face after the federal raids on Minnesota day care centers Tuesday — after previously denouncing fraud investigations as “white supremacy.”
In a thread on X, Walz — the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president — said he was putting criminals “on notice” and tried to take credit for the investigations.
“If you commit fraud in Minnesota you’re going to get caught — and that’s exactly what we saw today. We catch criminals when state and federal agencies share information. Joint investigations work, and securing justice depends on it,” he wrote.
“Today’s raids by state and federal law enforcement happened because our state agencies caught irregular behavior and reported it. That’s how the system is supposed to work, and our agencies will keep at it as long as there are fraudsters around to put behind bars,” he said in uncharacteristically full-throated support for the law enforcement action.
However, he also added a call to investigate the killing of two Minnesotans by federal immigration agents earlier this year.
“Now let’s work on a joint investigation into the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good — instead of cherry-picking when we seek justice and when we turn a blind eye,” he said.
In January, Walz announced he would not seek a third term as governor after being accused of allowing mass fraud — largely among Somali immigrants — to fester under his watch.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
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