By J. Patrick Coolican | Editor-in-chief
Good morning Reformers,
High of 96 in the cities today. Worse in the corn sweat regions. At least we have lovely and mild winters.
U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, competing for the DFL nomination for U.S. Senate, will debate at 11 a.m. on MPR. They’ll have fresh news to discuss: state Sen. John Hoffman accused Craig of seeking his endorsement while he was in the ICU after the Vance Boelter attack on Hoffman, his wife Yvette and their daughter Hope. Craig showed text messages that would seem to disprove the claim. Hoffman said it was someone close to Craig. David Wellstone, the Craig backer thought to be the intermediary, denied it. Meanwhile, Gwen Walz endorsed Craig. Briana Bierschbach has more. Gov. Tim Walz has not endorsed even though his lieutenant governor is in the race. Messy.
Max Nesterak has been working for several weeks on dual profiles of the candidates, each of which look at their primary weakness, with the belief that character is revealed in adversity and error.
In Craig’s case, that means explaining her hawkish immigration record while Minnesota Democrats are still livid over Operation Metro Surge, the routine violation of people’s constitutional rights and the killing of two Americans.
Tomorrow we’ll publish Max’s piece on Flanagan.
As Max notes, they aren’t that far apart on the issues, but they have very different backgrounds and temperaments.
Flanagan, who would be the first Native woman in the U.S. Senate, would use her charisma and oratory to push for fundamental change to America’s politics and economy. Craig, who grew up working class in Arkansas to become a medical device executive before Congress, would use levers of government to fix problems, not unlike Sen. Amy Klobuchar. To put it another way: Flanagan had Sen. Bernie Sanders here as a surrogate; Craig says the Senate doesn’t need another Bernie.
Rep. Angie Craig meets with veterans for a roundtable discussion at the Uptown VFW Friday, July 17, 2026 in Minneapolis. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
To the news:
By Michelle Griffith
Brian Nicholson told his workers earlier this month at an Albertville manufacturer that he was doing everything in his power — and even seeking divine intervention — to strike one of five “Hail Mary” deals so he could pay them what they’re owed.
“I’m praying on my knees every night before I go to bed that that’s what happens,” Nicholson told workers at Advanced Volumetric Alliance on July 8, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by the Reformer. “I’m working night and day to try to get this fixed … I’m sorry.”
Nicholson, who is the lieutenant governor running mate of Kendall Qualls, told the workers they would be furloughed, and that he’d find the money to pay them — for the first time since June 19 — as soon as possible.
Read the rest for the ugly details of how Nicholson, who’s been repeatedly accused in lawsuits of failing to pay his bills, has left his workers high and dry.
Great scoop by Michelle.
By Jacob Fischler
Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents used facial recognition technology, license plate readers and other technology to identify protesters and observers. The agents would then use that information in efforts to intimidate and retaliate against protesters, the suit says.
Federal immigration officers addressed many legal observers by name, despite having never spoken to them. In Minnesota, legal observers tailing DHS agents in a car would commonly be led back to their own home addresses, according to the suit.
“The experience … is so widespread that Minnesota residents have coined a term for it: being ‘driven home by ICE,’” the suit said.
IN OTHER NEWS
What’s with Minnesota politicos throwing phones? This time it’s Ken Martin | New York Times gift link
Minnesotans are playing chess | Axios
Footage shows Graham’s obsessive push for war | Wall Street Journal gift link
OH BY THE WAY
Some Friday reporting in the New York Times (gift link):
“When the Trump administration canceled more than $7.5 billion in Biden-era federal grants for clean energy projects in October, it framed the move as an urgent corrective to protect taxpayer funds from waste.
But it wasn’t true.
In little-noticed court documents, federal officials acknowledged this month that they had terminated the funding ‘based solely’ on political criteria, targeting projects in states that were represented by Democrats and had voted for Kamala Harris….”
I need a list of this presidential term’s impeachable offenses, because this is surely a new one. In any other presidency, even Trump’s first term, this would be a huge, weeks-long scandal, accompanied by nationally-televised congressional hearings.
We’re in the The Great Inurement.
Song of the day: “Hot Fun in the Summertime” by Sly and the Family Stone.
Have a great day all! JPC
Thanks for reading Daily Reformer. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.