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Minnesota Democrats split on war in Gaza, press for unity heading into November

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Minnesota Democrats split on war in Gaza, press for unity heading into November


Minnesota Democrats hold all statewide offices and control over all three levers of power at the Capitol. But party leaders are grappling with internal divisions that they worry could derail their path back to legislative majorities in St. Paul and unseat President Joe Biden.

The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party met for its endorsing convention over the weekend. And while they rallied together to offer support for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s reelection, they clashed over resolutions urging a firmer federal response to the war in the Middle East.

Party leaders tallied their slate of policy advances over the last two years: funding for universal school meals, cementing abortion rights, boosting allowances to Minnesota schools and legalizing cannabis.

They warned that those changes could be rolled back if Democrats let up on campaigning ahead of the November election.

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“We know that all of this progress is threatened if Republicans take control of even one part of Minnesota state government and the Minnesota House is on the ballot in 2024,” House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, said. “We need you to have our backs.”

Democrats currently hold narrow majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate, as well as the governor’s office. But voters will determine whether those will stand or flip in favor of Republicans this fall. All 134 House seats are on the ballot; the potential for at least one state Senate special election could determine which party will be in power in January.

DFL delegates also stressed the importance of reelecting Biden. Party Chair Ken Martin said allowing former President Donald Trump to reclaim the White House could be deeply damaging. 

“When we are divided and we allow [the] perfect to be the enemy of the good, we risk opening the door to an authoritarianism that cannot be stopped. That cannot happen,” Martin said. “Our ethos of solidarity tells me that we have no right to take that risk. We have no right to gamble with our democracy and risk the safety and well-being of so many.”

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Demonstrators calling for a ceasefire gather outside of the 2024 DFL State Convention on Saturday in Duluth.

Erica Dischino for MPR News

Outside the convention hall, hundreds of protesters who came from around Minnesota yelled out to delegates to take a firmer stand on the war in Gaza. 

The party weighed and ultimately passed a resolution that would call for an immediate ceasefire, demand the release of hostages and allow humanitarian aid to be administered. But some delegates said the party should do more.

“We want our president to step forward and be a better candidate in November, and we’re afraid of a Trump presidency too, we don’t want that,” said Asma Mohammed, an uncommitted delegate to the Democratic National Convention. “The only way we can avoid that is if we get a ceasefire.”

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a man holds a protest sign

Ed Higgins of Columbia Heights holds a sign in support of divestment from Israel as a speaker voices the need to uphold treaty rights on Saturday in Duluth.

Erica Dischino for MPR News

Delegates concerned about the war also promoted a challenger to Klobuchar. Ultimately, he came up short of the support needed to run from the floor and Klobuchar was endorsed in her run for a fourth term by an acclamation vote.

Bonnie Peterson of Two Harbors said she agreed that the Biden administration should take a firmer stand on the war but still planned to support his reelection bid.

“I think President Biden needs to do something about that. But I will be in President Biden’s corner no matter what,” Peterson said.

Delegate Joe Baratta of St. Cloud said he understood the concerns about the situation in Gaza, but worried about what it could mean if Democrats don’t stand with President Joe Biden.

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“It’s a concern,” Baratta said. “I hope cooler heads prevail, and they realize there’s a lot more at stake than just one thing.”

During the three-day convention, Democrats also butted heads over tribal treaty rights, mining projects and a proposed resolution condemning antisemitism.

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan told the more than 1,000 activists in attendance that it’s healthy for the party to disagree.

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“We’re a big tent, y’all. And it can get real messy in here. But when we pull together for the greater good, we win, and win and win,” Flanagan said. “Some of you voted uncommitted in the primary. And that’s okay. Because we believe in democracy here. We can be ourselves and we can express our concerns, and then come together in a good way and move forward.”



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Perennial candidate Kendall Qualls wins Minnesota GOP gubernatorial straw poll

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Perennial candidate Kendall Qualls wins Minnesota GOP gubernatorial straw poll


Kendall Qualls, Army veteran, former health care executive and anti-anti-racist activist, won the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial straw poll on Saturday, beating House Speaker Lisa Demuth, MyPillow guy Mike Lindell and a long list of other names. The poll of the party’s State Central Committee offers the first look at how the candidates in the 2026 […]



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Minnesota weather: How cold it got on Saturday

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Minnesota weather: How cold it got on Saturday


Temperatures dropped into the negative Saturday, with the coldest temperatures in the morning. 

How cold it got in Minnesota Saturday

By the numbers:

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Here is how cold the temperatures got in Minnesota: 

  • Hinckley: -20 degrees
  • Bemidji: -20 degrees
  • Ely: -18 degrees
  • Brainerd: -18 degrees
  • Detroit Lakes: -18 degrees
  • Hibbing: -17 degrees
  • International Falls: -17 degrees
  • Duluth: -16 degrees
  • Alexandria: -12 degrees
  • St. Cloud: -12 degrees
  • Cambridge: -11 degrees
  • Grand Marais: -10 degrees
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport: -6 degrees
  • Red Wing: -6 degrees
  • Morris: -6 degrees
  • Hutchinson: -5 degrees
  • Rochester: -5 degrees
  • Mankato: -3 degrees
  • Windom: 0 degrees
  • Marshall: 0 degrees

Here are the lowest wind chills across Minnesota from Saturday: 

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  • Bemidji: -37 degrees
  • Ely: -35 degrees
  • Duluth: -34 degrees
  • Brainerd: -32 degrees
  • Detroit Lakes: -32 degrees
  • Hibbing: -31 degrees
  • Alexandria: -29 degrees
  • Hinckley: -27 degrees
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport: -24 degrees
  • St. Cloud: -24 degrees
  • Willmar: -22 degrees
  • Cambridge-21 degrees
  • Grand Marais: -21 degrees
  • Hutchinson: -21 deegres
  • Morris: -20 degrees
  • Faribault: -18 degrees
  • Mankato: -18 degrees
  • Marshall: -17 degrees
  • Red Wing: -16 degrees
  • Owatonna: -16 degrees
  • Windom-12 degrees

Cold continues Sunday 

What’s next:

The Twin Cities are under a cold weather advisory that is expected to last through Sunday morning, so residents should prepare for frigid conditions if they have plans to be outdoors.

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Sunday will be slightly less frigid with temperatures climbing above zero. However, it will still feel like 10 below zero in the afternoon.

Milder and warmer temperatures are expected to return for the work week.

Winter WeatherMinnesota
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Minnesota Wild acquires NHL star Quinn Hughes from Vancouver Canucks in a blockbuster trade

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Minnesota Wild acquires NHL star Quinn Hughes from Vancouver Canucks in a blockbuster trade


The Minnesota Wild made an all-in move for one of the NHL’s best players in his prime, acquiring defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in a blockbuster trade — their boldest action yet toward ending a decade-long skid of playoff series defeats.

The teams announced the seismic move on Friday night, after the 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman had been the most talked-about trade candidate over the past couple of weeks. Minnesota sent center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick in the 2026 draft to suddenly rebuilding Vancouver to complete the deal.

The trade was the second major swap of the day, after two-time Stanley Cup Final runner-up Edmonton finally made a move for a goaltender, acquiring Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh.

Rossi (24), Ohgren (21) and Buium (20) fit the mold of the young talent the Canucks were speculated to be targeting if they were going to trade Hughes. Rossi (2020), Ohgren (2022) and Buium (2024) were all recent first-round draft picks by the Wild.

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“Quinn played hard, led by example and did a lot of very good things for the Canucks,” Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin said. “Trading away a player of this caliber is never an easy decision to make, but it was one we had to do to make our team better. We are so excited to add a solid centre in Marco, a good young blueliner in Zeev and a versatile forward in Liam. This year’s draft is a strong one, so acquiring a first-round pick was also a big part of this deal.”

Hughes had no trade-blocking protection in his current deal that pays him an average of $7.85 million annually. Hughes, who is 26 and widely considered the best at player on the blue line behind only Colorado’s Cale Makar, is signed through the 2026-27 season before he can become an unrestricted free agent.

The Wild will not be allowed to extend Hughes until July 1, and it’s unclear if he would consider signing a new contract with them. There has been plenty of buzz around the league that Quinn wants to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke, with the New Jersey Devils.

They could potentially be teammates on the U.S. Olympic team, either in February in Milan or in 2030. Wild general manager Bill Guerin runs USA Hockey’s management team.

The long-term outlook for Hughes can wait until next summer, though. The Wild are focused on challenging the two top teams ahead of them in the loaded Central Division, rivals that happen to also have the top two records in the NHL: Colorado and Dallas.

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The season-long celebration of the franchise’s 25th anniversary would be a lot more meaningful if the Wild can finally advance in the playoffs, having lost nine straight series after a first-round victory over St. Louis in 2015. The Wild have passed the second round just once in their entire existence, when they were swept in the Western Conference finals by Anaheim in 2003.

Hughes is a significant upgrade to Minnesota’s blue line, anchored by captain and 16-year veteran Jared Spurgeon, smooth-skating 14-year veteran Jonas Brodin and young stalwart Brock Faber. The emergence of rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt this season has given the Wild a reliable tandem with Filip Gustavsson in the net, with star winger Kirill Kaprizov leading the attack after recently signing the richest contract in hockey history to stay in the “State of Hockey” through 2034.

After a rough start, the Wild are 14-3-2 since Nov. 1. They host Ottawa on Saturday and Boston on Sunday night, with the latter game likely the more realistic one for Hughes to debut.

Hughes had two goals, 21 assists and 32 blocked shots in 23 games this season with the last-in-the-NHL Canucks. When he won the Norris Trophy two seasons ago, Hughes had 17 goals and 75 assists, both single-season franchise records for defensemen and the most among all blue liners in the league. Drafted seventh overall in 2018 out of Michigan, the native of Orlando, Florida, spent time growing up in the Boston and Toronto areas while his father, a hockey coach, moved around.

This was Hughes’ third season as Vancouver’s captain, and his abrupt exit paves the way for more change 11 months since the trade of J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers and in the aftermath of coach Rick Tocchet’s departure.

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“With the circumstances surrounding J.T. and now Quinn, we are fortunate to acquire these very good young players from Minnesota,” Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said. “They will be a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward. The hockey club will continue to build with talented young players using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later.”



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