Minnesota politicians are in action

By Eleanor Steffen

Minnesota's politicians have been busy since January, adapting to and reshaping the local, state, and federal changes initiated by the new executive administration. There's no time to waste! Now for the news.

Heels or wheels: The Minneapolis city council voted on Thursday to override Mayor Jacob Frey's veto aiming to keep George Floyd Square an operating intersection, according to the Sahan Journal. The future of the intersection, where Floyd was killed in May 2020, is an ongoing topic of debate as many activists and locals look to reform it to a pedestrian plaza, says the journal.

Third time's a charm: A spokesperson for state Gov. Tim Walz said on Wednesday that Walz is looking to run for a third term in his position and will not be running for senate in the coming election, according to CBS News. Democratic Sen. Tina Smith said early February that she will not be running for reelection in 2026 and Walz was named as a potential replacement, says CBS.

Help wanted: Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in an interview Monday that Democrats need more support in their efforts to oppose President Donald Trump's legislation, according to Fox News. In response to a poll of voters who argued that Democrats were not doing enough, Klobuchar said, "Our Republican colleagues, they're supposed to advise and consent, they have been accepting and acquiescing and if two of them stood up, this would be different," according to Fox News. 

Community question: What are you listening to right now?

"I don't know, my girlfriend played Harry Styles for me recently and I've kind of been into that. He's surprisingly good."

-Cooper Radke, 20, Menominee, WI


Quote of the day: "I actually asked my husband to run, and he said he wouldn't, and he probably asked me the best question. When I said, 'I can't run,' he said, 'Why not?'"

-Minnesota Rep. Lisa Demuth in a USA Today interview Thursday on running for the ROCORI Public School's Board of Education in 2007, according to the St. Cloud Times. Demuth became the first Republican woman and biracial House Speaker for Minnesota's House of Representatives early February, according to Politico. Demuth was named one of USA Today's 2025 Women of the Year Thursday, says USA Today. 

I used the stories above because they are relevant to Minnesota politics, but they're also not too negative. A lot of the stories I've been writing about haven't been very uplifting, but these stories are more about the process of change rather than the product, so they don't feel so daunting. 

I used the quote of the day above because it's a historical milestone in Minnesota for women and people of color. Despite how her politics are viewed, Demuth's position as House Speaker is really significant to how diversity is presented in leadership.

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