Election 2026 in MN: The first domino (UPDATE: friend of the NARN)

I had been hearing rumors of Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) not seeking reelection in 2026. On Thursday morning, she made it official. 

I’ve decided not to run for re-election to the Senate in 2026.

This job has been the honor of a lifetime. For the rest of my term, I’ll work as hard as I can for Minnesotans and our country.

Thank you so much, Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/3sWVib8nKJ

— Senator Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) February 13, 2025

Given the GOP has a 53-47 advantage in the U.S. Senate, Dems need a net gain of four seats to attain a majority. But given they'll be on defense in Georgia (Jon Ossoff, incumbent D in a red state) and Michigan (Gary Peters, who's also not running in '26), this announcement certainly doesn't bolster their prospects. While I'm not suggesting that Smith's seat is suddenly in play for Republicans, it does mean that Democrats have to devote more resources to playing defense here as opposed to relying on the power of incumbency in a blue state.  

So now the question shifts to who might vie for this seat from both parties. Well, the current Lt. Gov. didn't waste any time in conveying her plans. 

I love Minnesota and my intention is to run for U.S. Senate and continue to serve the people of this state. I’ll make a formal announcement later this month. In the meantime, I’m talking with community and family and friends. I will have more to say soon.

— Peggy Flanagan (@peggyflanagan) February 13, 2025

This comes on the heals of speculation that Flanagan's boss was considering a run. 

The fact Flanagan made her official announcement while her boss was mulling it over is not only hilarious but also doesn't squash speculation that the two have been at odds since last summer when Walz was running for Veep. Since I believed that Flanagan would challenge Walz in the Dem primary for governor in 2026, who's to say the two won't go head-to-head in this Senate race. Dang, there ain't enough popcorn in the world for that spectacle. 

On the Republican side, I have little hope that a viable candidate will emerge. Royce White, who was soundly defeated by Sen. Amy Klobuchar in their 2024 matchup, signaled within the aftermath of his loss that he would be heard from again. If the GOP is serious about flipping this seat, that is an absolute non-starter. Another name that has emerged is Adam Schwarze, whose cousin happens to be my next door neighbor. 

 

Senator Smith’s announcement that she is not seeking another term sets the stage for a new way forward in Minnesota. We need a stronger America. A stronger Minnesota. I’m excited for our future, I look forward to sharing some big news soon. @mnleg @nrsc

— Adam Schwarze (@AdamSchwarze) February 13, 2025

Schwarze's only foray into electoral politics was in 2022 when he failed in his bid to be the GOP candidate in Minnesota's Third Congressional District. The woeful lack of name recognition would be his undoing in a statewide race. 

So if the Minnesota gubernatorial race is suddenly wide open, who does the GOP put forth? Well, given the party's recent history in candidate selection, they're on a course to make the same mistake they did in the 2018 cycle when they put forth the guy (Jeff Johnson) who lost in the previous gov race.

Former GOP gubernatorial nominee Scott Jensen told the Minnesota Star Tribune this week he is “strongly considering” running again next year. Jensen, a Chaska physician and former state senator, rose to prominence in the state Republican Party during the COVID-19 pandemic as an outspoken skeptic of death counts, vaccines and mask mandates.

Jensen lost to Walz by nearly 8 percentage points in 2022. Despite being at the top of the ticket, Jensen garnered fewer votes than the GOP’s candidates for attorney general, secretary of state and state auditor.

Again, that's gotta be a non-starter. 

Kendall Qualls, who seriously pushed Jensen for the state party endorsement in 2022, is also considering a run. Between his '22 gov campaign and his opposition to CD3 Congressman Dean Phillips in 2020, Qualls has some significant name recognition. His founding of the organization Take Charge has also raised his profile. This would be a solid pick. 

And then there's an out-of-the-box consideration......and I definitely don't hate it. 

Attorney Chris Madel has been rumored to be contemplating a run for the governor’s mansion. Madel was the attorney for state trooper Ryan Londregan, who faced criminal charges in the shooting death of Ricky Cobb II that were later dismissed. He is representing Alpha News and its star reporter, Liz Collin, who are being sued for defamation by a high-ranking Minneapolis police officer over claims made in the film, “The Fall of Minneapolis.”

Political observers noted that several “Chris Madel for governor” web domains were registered in mid-January. Madel would not confirm or deny his interest in the race when asked by a Star Tribune reporter late last month.

“As a policy, I admit nothing, and I deny nothing,” Madel said.

In January, Madel wrote an op-ed in Alpha News urging state House Republicans to fight back against the DFL’s boycott of the legislative session. He slammed Walz’s leadership at the beginning of the op-ed while also noting he once supported the governor.

If we've learned anything in the Trump era, it's that a high profile figure from outside the political realm can definitely make some hay, particularly for a constituency (i.e. MN Republicans) who have grown tired of losing (18 years and counting, statewide). I absolutely wanna hear more. 

We're barely more than a month removed from those who won elected office in 2024 being sworn into their new positions. This is proof positive that there is no offseason for campaigning. As a citizen, I occasionally grow quite weary. But as a radio talk show host? More, please!


🚨🚨🚨🚨UPDATE: Friend of the Northern Alliance Radio Network (and current Minnesota State Senator) Julia Coleman is considering running for a different office in 2026! 🚨🚨🚨🚨

More candidate watch news:

State Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia, confirms that she is also considering a bid for this seat once held by her father-in-law Norm Coleman #mnleg #mnsen https://t.co/Ckjbyi98FZ

— Caroline Cummings (@CaroRCummings) February 13, 2025

 

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Quick Hits: Volume CCCLXIV

 - The latest media and prog (PTR) chanting point has gone out: President Donald Trump's actions has us on the verge of a "Constitutional Crisis." 

This is the same collective who turned a blind eye to President Joe Biden openly admitting to defying a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court  as well as indulged the walking cadaver's fantasy that he alone can amend the United States Constitution. 

For all the leftist media's shrieking over Trump's words leading to violence, they themselves have no issue peddling disinformation in order to stoke anger among their fellow progs. Erick Erickson points out that inconvenient truth. 

In all seriousness, and I do mean I am serious and not trying to be hyperbolic when I say this, the press’s willingness to claim a “constitutional crisis” is going to get someone shot. The left is mentally fragile right now. They are experiencing sensory overload and despair from an election they were convinced they would win. And the press that has lectured Republicans about their shrill and dangerous rhetoric potentially provoking violence is now aiding and abetting the left’s assassination fantasies with this hysterical rhetoric that amounts to a well-coordinated talking point from the Slack channels of the left.

But hey! Assassination attempts make for great ratings and sell papers.

And the prog media will go all "abusive spouse" by proclaiming the Trump's actions will be the reason for any assassination attempt.....like they rationalized after the previous two. 

- Upon being shown on the Jumbotron at the Super Bowl on Sunday evening, Taylor Swift was soundly booed.  

President Trump, who was the first ever sitting POTUS to attend a Super Bowl, reacted on Truth Social. 

Eh. I think it's more attributable to the fact the majority of those in attendance were fans of the Philadelphia Eagles. Given Tay Tay's allegiance to her boyfriend's team (and Philly's opponent), it was for that reason alone she was the target of much of the crowd's invective. Remember, this is the same fanbase who infamously booed Santa Claus. 

- The Minnesota Legislature's favorite felony burglar (allegedly) is having another charge brought against her over an incident last spring. 

Prosecutors filed an amended criminal complaint Monday charging Minnesota Sen. Nicole Mitchell with a second felony.

Mitchell, a first-term Democrat from Woodbury, was initially charged with first-degree burglary last April after she allegedly broke into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home before dawn.

Now, prosecutors have added a second felony charge of possessing burglary or theft tools. The amended complaint says police officers discovered a crowbar in the window well where Mitchell allegedly broke in. Mitchell was dressed in all black and in possession of a flashlight with a black sock covering the light, according to the complaint.

The amended complaint also provides new details on comments Mitchell reportedly made during the incident.

“My God my military retirement. Shoot,” she said after being placed under arrest, according to the complaint.

“I have never done anything like this. You are going to find out I am a military commander for God’s sake,” she added, the complaint says.

Mitchell reportedly told police that she was attempting to retrieve some of her late father’s belongings and that her stepmother wasn’t talking to her.

After being read her rights, Mitchell reportedly responded: “I’m just hoping, um, this mistake won’t completely f– up my life.”

Now, compare Mitchell's statements upon her arrest to her depiction of events in her first public response on the incident in question. 

Had there been an honest and impartial ethics hearing last year, Mitchell's conflicting accounts alone should have been enough to expel her from the Senate, regardless of the outcome of her criminal trial. And if Minnesota DFL chair Ken Martin wasn't such a gutless wonder, he would've have called for Mitchell's resignation immediately as opposed to waiting until the conclusion of the 2024 legislative session. But that would've shown integrity over perpetuating a power grab, which would have disqualified Kenny in his ultimately successful run for DNC chair. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 2/9/2025

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Wanna know the rest? Hey, buy the rights.............

I typically forgo hosting my weekly radio show on Super Bowl Sunday, but there's a lot to get to after this chaotic past week. As such, The Closer will air 1-3 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour I'll spend a lot of time on the situation at the Minnesota House where the elected DFL reps ended their 3-week long boycott. At 1;15, Rep. Cal Warwas (R-Eveleth) will join us via phone to give his perspective. 

Then in the second hour I'll discuss President Donald Trump's efforts to trim the fat in Washington, D.C. and how it has Democrats shrieking like stuck pigs. 

And finally.....my thoughts on the Super Bowl.

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Super Bowl LIX: The Q&A

It absolutely boggles my mind that this is the twentieth installment of this Super Bowl prognostication bit. Had you told me when I did the first one that I'd continue this segment for another two decades, I would have thought it was as likely as Sam Darnold leading my Vikings club to 14 wins in 2024. Yet here we are. 

Anyhow, in the event there is anyone new here (which seems about as likely as someone looking to purchase a rotary phone), my acquaintance dubbed the Super Bowl Inquisitor tosses out some inquiries and I offer up the nonsensical retorts. 

As always, this pick against the point spread is not recommended as the basis for a cash wager. 

Super Bowl Inquisitor: So, uh, we've done 20 of these, huh? Dang, you're old.

Brad Carlson: I never really felt it was noticeable until I visited a Wendy's recently and was offered the 55+ discount. 

SBI: It also means this is twenty seasons where your Vikings haven't been a part of this bit. 

BC: Not sure if it's that or the Wendy's cashier calling out my age that makes me feel worse. 

SBI: OK, onto the big game itself. We have a rematch of two years ago with the Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Kansas City Chiefs. Outside of the two fan bases, there doesn't seem to be a lot of enthusiasm for either team. 

BC: Personally, I've adopted the same philosophy Henry Kissinger conveyed about the Iran-Iraq war in that it's a shame both can't lose. 

SBI: Two years ago, these teams were both top 3 in scoring offense. This season, they were both top 5 in scoring *defense.* Quite a change in philosophy, eh?  

BC: I haven't seen that dramatic a transformation in such a short period since Tom Hanks went from Sleepless in Seattle to Philadelphia. 

SBI: For the first time in 12 years, the Super Bowl is back in New Orleans. Any insight as to why the long gap between the Big Easy being the host city? 

BC: Well, the last Super Bowl there had a minutes long delay midgame due to a power outage in the stadium. I guess it was a bad look for the commissioner of a billion dollar league running to a hardware store to buy a power generator. 

SBI: Jon Batiste will be singing the National Anthem. Your thoughts?

BC: Batiste? As in the dry shampoo?

SBI: Uhhhh..no. As in the multi Grammy award winning singer/songwriter .

BC: And he allows the dry shampoo folks to use his name?

SBI: I don't know why I bother to discuss with you any musical acts whose success occurred after 1990.

With that in mind, do you even know who Kendrick Lamar is? He'll be the headliner at halftime. 

BC: He may have finished runner up in NFL MVP, but he still figured out how to be part of the Super Bowl, eh? 

SBI: Moving on. 

President Donald Trump will be attending the Super Bowl, making him the first sitting POTUS to do so. Does that do anything for ya?

BC: Nah. Although it'll be kinda awkward if he and Tay Tay cross paths at the concession stand. 

SBI: Speaking of Taylor, she is part of one of the more ridiculous prop bets in that the Over/Under of the number of times she's shown live throughout the game is 5.5. 

Can you think of a weirder bet? 

BC: Probably the over/under on the number of food crumbs that can be spotted in Chiefs coach Andy Reid's mustache. Good luck to whomever has to quantify that. 

SBI: What's on the menu for the big game?

BC: Hors d'oeuvres, shmor derves. We're keepin' it simple with sloppy joes, ubiquitous meatballs and various soft drinks. Oh, and prolly some cupcakes with each of the team's colors (before RFK, Jr. has a chance to ban the food dyes of course). 

SBI: And finally, the Chiefs are a 1-point favorite to become the first three-peat champion in the Super Bowl era. Who ya got? 

BC: As I said two weeks ago, my standard of never going against Belichick and Brady during the Patriots dynasty of the 2010s was a philosophy I've since assigned to the Chiefs tandem of coach Andy Reid and QB Patrick Mahomes. And if you recall the 2016 thru 2018 seasons, the Pats had an opportunity to go back to back to back were it not for......the Philadelphia Eagles, who knocked them off in the middle of that run. 

I say RB Saquon Barkley will put forth another epic performance for Philly, in addition to the Eagles' top ranked defense coming up big against Mahomes & Co. 

I'm going 27-24, Eagles. 

Enjoy the game!

My 2024 postseason record:

Against the spread: 6-6

Straight up: 7-5

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You and me goin' fishing in the NARN................

Since the Northern Alliance Radio Network no longer broadcasts from the Minnesota State Fair, the Saturday of Super Bowl weekend is our favorite day of the broadcast year. Yes, Mitch Berg and I will be on the air live 1-3 PM Central Time from Medicine Lake in Plymouth, the site of 14th (15th?) annual Holes For Heroes ice fishing tournament. This yearly extravaganza is put on by the fine folks at Fishing for Life. Also, a big shoutout to Mudek Trucking and J & J Recycling as well as Snelling Heating & Cooling for sponsoring today's broadcast. 

As usual, Mitch and I will be winging it, whether it's discussing the big news items from this past week or chatting with some of the tourney officials about all the goings on. 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out Mitch's podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Brilliant! Just brilliant!!

I gotta stay this it's a brave new world when MNGOP elected officials show the kind of resolve they've exhibited over the past month. 

Now you can add repartee to their ever-expanding positive traits. 

Here’s a little fun video I put together with our amazing staff and members. It was being put together leading up to the organizational agreement that brought the DFL to St Paul finally.

I thought it would be fun to share with you. #showuptowork pic.twitter.com/QbN6rNHKTN

— Rep. Jim Nash (@JimNashMN) February 7, 2025

If urges to boycott work and burn political goodwill last longer than three weeks, consult your physician. 

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House DFL temper tantrum is over

When elected Minnesota House Dems indicated they would boycott the legislative session as it began three weeks ago, I equated their actions to that of a spoiled child. Specifically, the minute you tell a bratty kid they can no longer do whatever they want whenever they want, they have a tendency to throw a screaming fit. Now, a parent can react one of two ways. They could either a) give in to the kid because they grow weary of the histrionics or b) wait until the little brat gets tuckered out when he/she realizes said fit is all in vain. 

In this analogy, House Republicans chose the latter. 

The nearly monthlong impasse that halted business in the Minnesota House ended late Wednesday as Democrats and Republicans reached a deal to get back to work.

House GOP Leader Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, will be the chamber’s speaker through 2026 under the deal reached by the two caucuses, according to multiple sources briefed on the agreement. Demuth, who is Black, will be the first person of color to become speaker of the Minnesota House.

Republicans will chair all House committees for the next month while they hold a 67-66 advantage. A March 11 special election for a safely blue Roseville-area seat, called by Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday, is expected to bring the chamber to a tie. Once the House is evenly divided, Democrats and Republicans will co-chair the committees.

The House DFL and GOP caucuses issued a brief joint statement Wednesday night, saying “an agreement has been reached to organize the Minnesota House effective Thursday.

Unless I'm missing something, this is a total capitulation by the DFL. The Republicans had indeed agreed to the same number of members on committees before it was learned that the DFL candidate who prevailed in House District 40B would be disqualified due to not living in the district. But once Curtis Johnson's victory was invalidated, the GOP had a literal majority and thus were no longer under any obligation to "share power." Do you honestly believe if the roles were reversed that the Dems would've continued to work under a power sharing agreement made under false pretenses?

After this three week long stunt, House DFLers realized that their gaslighting was not having the impact they had hoped for. I can't help but think this was partial motivation for them to tuck their collective tails between their legs and scurry back to St. Paul. 

KSTP/SurveyUSA poll results: Lower taxes, health care and stopping fraud are top issues https://t.co/VtTdns9FXf

— Tom Hauser (@thauserkstp) February 6, 2025

You don't need an official poll to realize that the public overwhelmingly favors Republicans when it comes to lower taxes and stopping fraud. It's an indisputable fact that the DFL trifecta spent all of an $18 billion surplus in '23 and raised taxes on top of that. Combine that with Dem House members being absent from the first three weeks of the 2025 session and you have a recipe for minority status after the 2026 elections.

Way to stand firm, GOP! This was a welcome change from previous sessions where the party often seemed to be playing defense, even with a healthy majority. Don't let off the gas now. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CCCLXIII

 - We're now at the 3-week mark where elected MN House Democrats have not shown up for the 2025 legislative session. And given the special election in House District 40B will not be resolved until next month, we're looking at possibly six more weeks of absent House Dems.

My friend as well as my home area's State Rep. Harry Niska (R-Ramsey) shared his perspective on Fox 9 recently. 

House Democrats are threatening to drag out their SHUTDOWN for another six weeks, and making taxpayers foot the bill.

Watch Leader Harry Niska on Fox 9: 👇📺 pic.twitter.com/W1hCayicS8

— MN House Republicans (@mnhousegop) February 3, 2025

I've been absolutely stupefied by the Dems' ploy here since it's a loser politically, but then Harry offered a valuable nugget in this clip. If Dems showed up before they seat their 67th member next month, Republicans would have the majority. If that happened, a GOP majority would use its power on committees to investigate the more than half billion dollars in waste, fraud and abuse which has occurred in Minnesota over the past number of years. But if Dems hold out until their preferred candidate wins in 40B (very likely to happen), that would deny the GOP a majority and thus such committee hearings would never see the light of day. 

It's still a bad play politically for the DFL but at least they've prevented more Minnesotans from hearing additional details about their sacred cows (i.e. non-profits and entitlement programs) being utterly corrupted. 

- A close family member of mine works in a field which is overwhelmingly occupied by leftist politicos. While overhearing conversation among colleagues recently, said family member heard someone declaring the U.S. Supreme Court was about to hear a case seeking to overturn the legality of same sex marriage. As someone who consumes a generous amount of news, I had literally heard nothing in relation to this, so I wrote it off as little more than progs making a mountain out of a molehill in an effort to gin up more outrage (as if their "shit fit" meter wasn't already at a Spinal Tap-esque 11). 

Turns out, I was right on the money. 

Stop panicking over things that aren't happening. pic.twitter.com/MJCcdqETiO

— Brad Polumbo 🇺🇸⚽️ (@brad_polumbo) February 4, 2025

When it was rumored Roe v. Wade was going to be overturned, the originalist justices on the Supreme Court were subject to threats of violence, including Justice Brett Kavanaugh being the target of a literal assassination attempt. Can you imagine what the reaction would have been had this literal fake news hit the mainstream? For a collective who claims "speech is violence," leftists sometimes act as if that's a feature, not a bug. 

- It appears NFL virtue signaling may not be on display in the world's premier sporting event. 

According to two league sources, Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will mark the first time since February 2021 that “End Racism” is not included as a message in the back of a Super Bowl end zone. Instead, “Choose Love” and “It Takes All of Us” will be stenciled onto the back of the end zones at the Caesars Superdome.

The linked piece from The Athletic was penned by Michael Silver, a San Francisco area sports writer. This is the same guy who once hijacked an NFL Network panel discussion on Tom Brady &"Deflate-gate" and turned it into a screed about Senate Republicans not doing their jobs due to forgoing confirmation hearings for then President Barack Obama's SCOTUS nominee Merrick Garland. As such, you can probably surmise his view on why the NFL is making this move.  

The switch, conveyed internally to high-level employees earlier this week, could be perceived as a nod to the current political climate. Following the lead of recently inaugurated President Donald Trump and his administration, many corporations and institutions are abandoning their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. While Goodell said Monday he was “proud” of the league’s diversity efforts, the decision to do away with “End Racism” as a slogan led at least one high-ranking league official to express concern in light of Trump’s divisive words on the subject.

I feel the rationale conveyed by a league spokesman makes more sense. 

“We felt it was an appropriate statement for what the country has collectively endured, given recent tragedies, and can serve as an inspiration,” said (NFL spokesperson Brian) McCarthy, who noted that “Choose Love” and “It Takes All of Us” also appeared in the end zones for this year’s AFC Championship Game in Kansas City. The NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia included “End Racism” as an end-zone slogan.

C'mon, progs. Y'all already claimed a scalp by ginning up an outrage campaign over the Redskins nickname, which resulted in the name going away. Let this one go. 

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