Protecting the 'Minnesota Miracle': Democrats Approach Elections Following Ambitious Progressive Initiatives
With Gov. Tim Walz included on the Democratic presidential ticket, the state's policies are attracting national attention.
TroibNews 
**WINONA, Minnesota** — When Minnesota Democrats gained full control of the state Legislature two years ago, prioritizing the protection of abortion rights, they committed to leveraging their opportunity to significantly reshape the state.
They swiftly enacted policies that included 20 weeks of paid medical and family leave for all workers, free tuition at state colleges for low-income families, and over $1 billion in affordable housing funding. Republicans expressed outrage over the expenses associated with these ambitious progressive initiatives.
“We were very united,” Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman said in an interview. “Pedal to the metal. Let's get it done. Let's do everything we can do in two years.”
The upcoming election will allow Minnesota voters to decide whether to continue the direction set by Gov. Tim Walz and the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party or to revert control back to the GOP. This election serves as the first evaluation of the sustainability of the “Minnesota Miracle,” which Democrats have touted as a national model despite narrow electoral margins.
As Walz campaigns for vice president, promoting his achievements in St. Paul, his party is focused on maintaining trifecta control of the government. The most significant contest is for the state House, where Democrats have a slim four-seat majority. Additionally, a special state Senate election on November 5 — to fill a seat held by a Democrat now running for Congress — could shift control of that chamber.
Since 2010, Republicans have dominated state legislatures across the U.S., gaining an astounding 680 seats and flipping 20 legislative chambers. However, Democrats have made recent progress in various election cycles, successfully flipping chambers in states like Minnesota, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, with aspirations for possible takeovers in Arizona and Wisconsin this year.
With Congress mostly gridlocked due to divided control, state legislatures are emerging as critical arenas for key policy discussions — a trend that is likely to persist regardless of the presidential election outcome.
Minnesota Republicans are keen to portray Democrats as extreme liberals whose governing strategy has alienated many voters in this mixed-political state. They highlight the soaring spending — general fund expenditures are set to rise by 37 percent in the current biennium compared to the last two years.
“It's been an object lesson of what happens when one party feels empowered to enact the most extreme agenda and please their very, very left wing partisan base,” said David Hann, chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota and a former state senator. “It's the reason why Democrats are going to get rejected at the polls.”
**Must-win Winona**
For Republicans to have a chance at flipping the state House, they likely need to secure the seat currently occupied by DFL Rep. Gene Pelowski, who is retiring after 38 years in office. Pelowski, the last anti-abortion rights Democrat in the Legislature, has often deviated from his caucus throughout his long career.
The southeastern Minnesota district he represents — focused around the college town of Winona — has leaned more Republican in recent years. Walz narrowly won this district two years ago with just 50.7 percent of the vote, compared to an 8-point margin statewide.
The electoral shift seen in Pelowski’s district reflects broader trends observed during the Trump era, where Democrats have gained traction in the suburbs while Republicans remain strong in rural regions.
The GOP candidate, Aaron Repinski, a first-term member of the Winona City Council and owner of two local small businesses, argues that Minnesota's high taxes are pushing people out of the state, which is a concern for an area like Winona that is near Wisconsin.
Repinski and other Republicans are leveraging one specific example of state expenditure — the projected $730 million cost to renovate the State Office Building in St. Paul, where House members have their offices — as a representation of Democrats' spending excesses, calling it a “palace for politicians.”
“As a small business owner, you have to look at the bottom line,” Repinski said, in reference to Democrats’ spending. “You may want to have the newest, shiniest thing, but do you need that? I want a brand new truck. Can I afford it? No. Do I need it? No. My dented, rusty truck runs just fine.”
Democrats argue that the renovation of the State Office Building was approved in 2022 when Republicans still controlled the state Senate and note that the cost covers interest payments. They also mention that the building serves multiple functions, including housing the secretary of state’s office and the Legislative Reference Library.
“Most people who are living their lives on a day to day basis could give a shit about what happens with a State Office Building being remodeled,” said Ken Martin, chair of the state DFL party. “How does it impact their lives? It really doesn't.”
The Democratic candidate for the Winona district is Sarah Kruger, the chief of staff at FairVote Minnesota, an organization advocating for ranked-choice voting, and a founder of the Southern Minnesota Democratic Action Group. She previously ran for the state Senate in 2020, losing by 15 percentage points to a three-term incumbent.
Kruger aims to galvanize support in the Democratic-leaning areas of Winona — including increasing turnout among students at Winona State University — while mitigating losses in the more rural segments of the district.
“Rural people are very proud of the communities that they come from,” Kruger said. “They want to live in places that aren't just surviving but thriving. How can we as Democrats put more money into rural areas, but then also share about what has been done so that there is a tangible connection that folks see in their everyday lives?”
Pelowski endorses Kruger, yet his remarks have become a challenge for Democrats. Republicans are highlighting comments he made in August suggesting that it would be beneficial for Minnesota if Republicans regained control of the House or Senate. “I think we do need divided government to simmer things down,” he said.
In a separate interview, Pelowski robustly defended the legislative accomplishments of the last two years under complete Democratic control, emphasizing major allocations for local government aid, higher education, and healthcare, and stating that he rarely encounters individuals discontent with that spending.
“They still have a very good chance of maintaining a majority,” Pelowski said of Democrats, “but it’s going to be close, very close.”
**Suburban bellwether**
The Twin Cities suburbs will be crucial battlegrounds in the fight for Democrats to keep control of the House. DFL State Rep. Brad Tabke’s district, centered around Shakopee, has indeed swapped control during the last three election cycles. He won the seat in 2018, lost it the following cycle, and reclaimed it in 2022.
The district has exhibited a Democratic trend in recent election cycles, with Walz receiving 53 percent of the vote in 2022 and Tabke winning by more than 8 percentage points. The incumbent is underscoring the investments made by DFLers and the positive effects they're having locally. He notes, for example, that the Shakopee Public Schools benefited from a $16 million funding boost, which enabled the district to raise salaries for both teachers and support staff.
”People are seeing the difference in their lives on a day-to-day basis from what we did,” said Tabke, who previously served as Shakopee Mayor. “Our 2023 session improved generations of Minnesotans’ lives.”
His Republican opponent, Aaron Paul, a Bloomington police officer and first-time candidate, contends that the increases in school funding came with numerous additional mandates — 65, according to Republicans — which did little to alleviate their financial difficulties.
“Shakopee has different needs than Duluth and Crookston and all these different school districts,” Paul said. “Give them money and get out of the way.”
Paul describes himself as a reluctant politician lacking campaign experience. Nevertheless, he believes the significant funding pouring into the district indicates a strong possibility of success on his part.
“When the DFL started running attack ads on Labor Day, that's a huge sign that they did some polling and the polling hasn't been going well,” Paul said. “It's either too close or I'm ahead.”
**Senate special favors Dems**
A key factor in the Minnesota legislative races is the Senate, where only one seat is up for election, yet it will determine which party controls the chamber. DFL Sen. Kelly Morrison resigned her seat representing the western Twin Cities suburbs in June to pursue the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Dean Phillips.
The race pits Democrat Ann Johnson Stewart, who previously served two years in the state Senate, against Kathleen Fowke, a real estate agent who is making her second attempt at the seat. Most political analysts consider Democrats to be solid favorites to retain the position, given that Morrison defeated Fowke by more than 12 percentage points in 2022.
However, DFL Chair Martin mentioned that Republicans are investing heavily in this race, viewing it as potentially their most viable opportunity to regain some power.
“The whole Republican establishment is zeroing in on this one Senate seat because they can actually flip the trifecta,” he said, “or at least flip one chamber and slow things down.”
Despite this, Martin, who has chaired the DFL for over a decade and also serves as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, remains optimistic about sustaining majorities in both chambers. His confidence is bolstered by the struggles faced by the state Republican Party, which has been dealing with a significant financial and ethical scandal since 2021.
Hann acknowledged that the challenges faced by the party were greater than he realized when he took on the leadership role three years ago. Nevertheless, he believes Republicans are in a position for success, even while being significantly outspent.
“People want common sense, and that's what Republicans have always believed in,” Hann said. “We don't believe in creating utopias. We believe in creating practical solutions that are going to help ordinary people.”
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
They swiftly enacted policies that included 20 weeks of paid medical and family leave for all workers, free tuition at state colleges for low-income families, and over $1 billion in affordable housing funding. Republicans expressed outrage over the expenses associated with these ambitious progressive initiatives.
“We were very united,” Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman said in an interview. “Pedal to the metal. Let's get it done. Let's do everything we can do in two years.”
The upcoming election will allow Minnesota voters to decide whether to continue the direction set by Gov. Tim Walz and the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party or to revert control back to the GOP. This election serves as the first evaluation of the sustainability of the “Minnesota Miracle,” which Democrats have touted as a national model despite narrow electoral margins.
As Walz campaigns for vice president, promoting his achievements in St. Paul, his party is focused on maintaining trifecta control of the government. The most significant contest is for the state House, where Democrats have a slim four-seat majority. Additionally, a special state Senate election on November 5 — to fill a seat held by a Democrat now running for Congress — could shift control of that chamber.
Since 2010, Republicans have dominated state legislatures across the U.S., gaining an astounding 680 seats and flipping 20 legislative chambers. However, Democrats have made recent progress in various election cycles, successfully flipping chambers in states like Minnesota, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, with aspirations for possible takeovers in Arizona and Wisconsin this year.
With Congress mostly gridlocked due to divided control, state legislatures are emerging as critical arenas for key policy discussions — a trend that is likely to persist regardless of the presidential election outcome.
Minnesota Republicans are keen to portray Democrats as extreme liberals whose governing strategy has alienated many voters in this mixed-political state. They highlight the soaring spending — general fund expenditures are set to rise by 37 percent in the current biennium compared to the last two years.
“It's been an object lesson of what happens when one party feels empowered to enact the most extreme agenda and please their very, very left wing partisan base,” said David Hann, chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota and a former state senator. “It's the reason why Democrats are going to get rejected at the polls.”
**Must-win Winona**
For Republicans to have a chance at flipping the state House, they likely need to secure the seat currently occupied by DFL Rep. Gene Pelowski, who is retiring after 38 years in office. Pelowski, the last anti-abortion rights Democrat in the Legislature, has often deviated from his caucus throughout his long career.
The southeastern Minnesota district he represents — focused around the college town of Winona — has leaned more Republican in recent years. Walz narrowly won this district two years ago with just 50.7 percent of the vote, compared to an 8-point margin statewide.
The electoral shift seen in Pelowski’s district reflects broader trends observed during the Trump era, where Democrats have gained traction in the suburbs while Republicans remain strong in rural regions.
The GOP candidate, Aaron Repinski, a first-term member of the Winona City Council and owner of two local small businesses, argues that Minnesota's high taxes are pushing people out of the state, which is a concern for an area like Winona that is near Wisconsin.
Repinski and other Republicans are leveraging one specific example of state expenditure — the projected $730 million cost to renovate the State Office Building in St. Paul, where House members have their offices — as a representation of Democrats' spending excesses, calling it a “palace for politicians.”
“As a small business owner, you have to look at the bottom line,” Repinski said, in reference to Democrats’ spending. “You may want to have the newest, shiniest thing, but do you need that? I want a brand new truck. Can I afford it? No. Do I need it? No. My dented, rusty truck runs just fine.”
Democrats argue that the renovation of the State Office Building was approved in 2022 when Republicans still controlled the state Senate and note that the cost covers interest payments. They also mention that the building serves multiple functions, including housing the secretary of state’s office and the Legislative Reference Library.
“Most people who are living their lives on a day to day basis could give a shit about what happens with a State Office Building being remodeled,” said Ken Martin, chair of the state DFL party. “How does it impact their lives? It really doesn't.”
The Democratic candidate for the Winona district is Sarah Kruger, the chief of staff at FairVote Minnesota, an organization advocating for ranked-choice voting, and a founder of the Southern Minnesota Democratic Action Group. She previously ran for the state Senate in 2020, losing by 15 percentage points to a three-term incumbent.
Kruger aims to galvanize support in the Democratic-leaning areas of Winona — including increasing turnout among students at Winona State University — while mitigating losses in the more rural segments of the district.
“Rural people are very proud of the communities that they come from,” Kruger said. “They want to live in places that aren't just surviving but thriving. How can we as Democrats put more money into rural areas, but then also share about what has been done so that there is a tangible connection that folks see in their everyday lives?”
Pelowski endorses Kruger, yet his remarks have become a challenge for Democrats. Republicans are highlighting comments he made in August suggesting that it would be beneficial for Minnesota if Republicans regained control of the House or Senate. “I think we do need divided government to simmer things down,” he said.
In a separate interview, Pelowski robustly defended the legislative accomplishments of the last two years under complete Democratic control, emphasizing major allocations for local government aid, higher education, and healthcare, and stating that he rarely encounters individuals discontent with that spending.
“They still have a very good chance of maintaining a majority,” Pelowski said of Democrats, “but it’s going to be close, very close.”
**Suburban bellwether**
The Twin Cities suburbs will be crucial battlegrounds in the fight for Democrats to keep control of the House. DFL State Rep. Brad Tabke’s district, centered around Shakopee, has indeed swapped control during the last three election cycles. He won the seat in 2018, lost it the following cycle, and reclaimed it in 2022.
The district has exhibited a Democratic trend in recent election cycles, with Walz receiving 53 percent of the vote in 2022 and Tabke winning by more than 8 percentage points. The incumbent is underscoring the investments made by DFLers and the positive effects they're having locally. He notes, for example, that the Shakopee Public Schools benefited from a $16 million funding boost, which enabled the district to raise salaries for both teachers and support staff.
”People are seeing the difference in their lives on a day-to-day basis from what we did,” said Tabke, who previously served as Shakopee Mayor. “Our 2023 session improved generations of Minnesotans’ lives.”
His Republican opponent, Aaron Paul, a Bloomington police officer and first-time candidate, contends that the increases in school funding came with numerous additional mandates — 65, according to Republicans — which did little to alleviate their financial difficulties.
“Shakopee has different needs than Duluth and Crookston and all these different school districts,” Paul said. “Give them money and get out of the way.”
Paul describes himself as a reluctant politician lacking campaign experience. Nevertheless, he believes the significant funding pouring into the district indicates a strong possibility of success on his part.
“When the DFL started running attack ads on Labor Day, that's a huge sign that they did some polling and the polling hasn't been going well,” Paul said. “It's either too close or I'm ahead.”
**Senate special favors Dems**
A key factor in the Minnesota legislative races is the Senate, where only one seat is up for election, yet it will determine which party controls the chamber. DFL Sen. Kelly Morrison resigned her seat representing the western Twin Cities suburbs in June to pursue the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Dean Phillips.
The race pits Democrat Ann Johnson Stewart, who previously served two years in the state Senate, against Kathleen Fowke, a real estate agent who is making her second attempt at the seat. Most political analysts consider Democrats to be solid favorites to retain the position, given that Morrison defeated Fowke by more than 12 percentage points in 2022.
However, DFL Chair Martin mentioned that Republicans are investing heavily in this race, viewing it as potentially their most viable opportunity to regain some power.
“The whole Republican establishment is zeroing in on this one Senate seat because they can actually flip the trifecta,” he said, “or at least flip one chamber and slow things down.”
Despite this, Martin, who has chaired the DFL for over a decade and also serves as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, remains optimistic about sustaining majorities in both chambers. His confidence is bolstered by the struggles faced by the state Republican Party, which has been dealing with a significant financial and ethical scandal since 2021.
Hann acknowledged that the challenges faced by the party were greater than he realized when he took on the leadership role three years ago. Nevertheless, he believes Republicans are in a position for success, even while being significantly outspent.
“People want common sense, and that's what Republicans have always believed in,” Hann said. “We don't believe in creating utopias. We believe in creating practical solutions that are going to help ordinary people.”
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
