State Politics

Altendorf: Put productivity over politics

Mar 25, 2026

Heading into the session and knowing that this was a huge election year in Minnesota with every statewide office being on the 2026 ballot, I predicted this year’s session was going to be high on theater, and low on productivity. Minnesota’s elected Democrats are not disappointing on that...

Area Republicans nominate candidates for state legislature

Mar 11, 2026

Nearly 170 delegates from across Senate District 20 filled the Wild Wings Plaza event space on Saturday for an endorsing convention that marked both a transition and a turning point for the district’s legislative landscape. The gathering brought together precinct leaders and local residents for...

Goodhue County officials urge lawmakers to avoid burdening local governments

May 14, 2025

An open letter from Goodhue County elected officials It’s well known that the Minnesota Legislature is working diligently on the next two-year state budget—a complex and essential task. A major challenge they face is planning for potential future deficits. By law, the Legislature must pass the...

Stinson seeks state legislature seat

Apr 20, 2022

Laurel Stinson has announced that she is running as the DFL-endorsed candidate for the state house of represntatives in District 20A. According to her announcement, Stinson is an arts activist, non-profit leader, and Red Wing City Council Member. “Laurel grew up in rural Florence Township and has...

With Goggin retiring, Haley and Drazkowski seek state senate seat

Feb 2, 2022

On Jan. 27, State Sen. Mike Goggin announced that he would not be running for re-election to his District 21 seat, which he has held since he was first elected in 2016, in November. That same day, the two state representatives from the districts that comprise his senate district announced that...

State rep. unresponsive on water, the environment

Oct 21, 2020

Question: Do you think your elected representatives should be responsive to their constituents needs? I do. Angie Craig is the hardest working U.S. Congress person I have ever seen. She is out in this district all the time, holding town halls, and meeting with businesses, schools, farmers, about...

Rep. Haley's district tour kicks off Monday in Lake City

May 31, 2017

Rep. Barb Haley (R-Red Wing) will be holding a series of town hall meetings and in-district office hours (all open to the public) to discuss the 2017 legislative session. A Lake City town hall with Sen. Mike Goggin will be Monday, June 5, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the council chambers at City Hall...

Lake City voters follow Trump down ballot

Nov 10, 2016

Lake City voters joined those around the nation in voting for Donald Trump as the next President of the United States and, with some tight margins, voted for Republican candidates down the ballot. Trump received 1,432 votes to 1,153 in Lake City. Jason Lewis, who was elected to the U.S. House of...

Rep. Drazkowski: I disagree with Gov. Dayton on surplus spending

Mar 31, 2016

Recently, Minnesota’s state economists projected that our state would have a $900 million budget surplus to allocate before the 2016 legislative session ends. Because of this, Gov. Dayton recently released a supplemental budget proposal outlining what he’d like to do with this money. In short, his...

Rep. Kelly: Tax relief should trump spending of projected surplus

Dec 17, 2015

The arrival of December means different things for different people. Nearly everyone recognizes this time as the beginning of the holiday or Christmas season. But inside the State Capitol, early December marks the time where the first piece or our upcoming session’s roadmap session is unveiled –...