Sen. Mitchell Convicted of Burglary
On Friday, a Becker County jury convicted Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) of felony first degree burglary and possession of burglary tools after a week-long trail in northern Minnesota. The charges stemmed from her April 22, 2024 arrest when police found her in her stepmother’s home after allegedly breaking and entering. According to Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul), Sen. Mitchell previously stated that she would resign if convicted, but as of Monday morning, she had not yet done so. She awaits sentencing, which would be a minimum of 6 months in jail and a maximum of 20 years. Democrats currently hold a 34-33 lead in the Minnesota Senate which means that control of the chamber would be at stake if Sen. Mitchell resigns or is removed from office and a special election is required.
DFL Endorsed Fateh for Minneapolis Mayor
Over the weekend, State Sen. Omar Fateh (DFL-Minneapolis) won the DFL endorsement for the Minneapolis mayoral race, defeating two-term incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey. While the City of Minneapolis uses a form of ranked-choice voting (i.e., there is no primary election prior to the November general election), the party endorsement is significant as only the candidate who receives it retains access to the state party’s voter file and grassroots field infrastructure.
To receive the party’s endorsement, a candidate must receive 60% of the vote. This high threshold is one of the reasons that the Minneapolis City Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) Party has not endorsed a candidate in 16 years. Political insiders expect this to be a highly contested election this fall as national analysts have already commented on the matchup, which they are framing as a test for the Democratic Socialists wing of the DFL.
Special Election Candidates for HD 34B
Last week, Gov. Tim Walz officially called the special election needed to fill the seat formerly held by Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. The election will happen on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, with a primary election on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
As of this writing, four individuals (one Republican and three DFLers) have filed to run for the seat, including former Brooklyn Park city council member Xp Lee and current Brooklyn Park city council member Christian Eriksen, both Democrats. The two others are Republican candidate Ruth Bittner and Erikson Saye, a Democrat from Brooklyn Park who currently serves as an associate attorney in the office of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. The filing period closes at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
Congress Nears August Recess as Appropriations and Nominations Loom
The House is scheduled to adjourn for its August recess at the end of this week, with members expected to depart on Thursday and return September 2. The Senate remains in session through July 31, though there is increasing speculation that the recess could be shortened or canceled depending on floor activity and pending nominations.
President Trump is pressuring Senate leadership to continue working through August to confirm pending nominees. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso are moving forward with confirmations, but progress has been slow due to procedural delays. A package vote on nominees may be offered this week to expedite the process, though Democratic resistance could keep the Senate in session longer than planned.
Meanwhile, Senate Republican leaders are encouraging their members to return home in August to promote the recently passed reconciliation bill. However, dozens of administration and judicial nominations remain pending, including those processed by the Senate Foreign Relations and Judiciary Committees.
FY2026 Appropriations Outlook
Senator Thune has scheduled a vote this week on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) appropriations bill. This legislation, approved in the Senate Appropriations Committee with broad bipartisan support, may be packaged with other bipartisan funding bills. The outcome of this vote will signal whether a bipartisan appropriations process remains viable ahead of the new fiscal year.
Senate Democrats continue to raise concerns about the inclusion of a $9 billion rescissions package, which they argue undermines bipartisan cooperation. While Senate bills include higher overall spending levels than the House GOP versions, Democrats are considering whether to support any of the measures without assurances from the White House and Senate leadership on spending priorities.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Senator Susan Collins and Ranking Member Senator Patty Murray negotiated the MilCon-VA bill together, ensuring significant funding for state projects, including $460 million for projects in Maine. These investments are at risk if a continuing resolution becomes necessary due to gridlock.
In the House, appropriators plan to mark up three additional FY2026 bills this week: Interior, National Security-State, and Commerce-Justice-Science. These proposals closely align with the president’s proposed budget and reflect a $163 billion reduction in non-defense discretionary spending compared to FY2025 levels. The House Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) bill alone proposes an 11 percent cut from the previous year, slashing $2.9 billion overall and significantly reducing IRS funding.
House Republicans have also proposed eliminating funding for a new FBI headquarters, consistent with President Trump’s opposition to the bureau’s relocation to Maryland.
House Homeland Security Committee Chair Race
The House Republican Steering Committee will meet this evening to select a new Chair for the Homeland Security Committee following Representative Mark Green’s resignation. Four candidates are under consideration: Representatives Andrew Garbarino, Michael Guest, Carlos Gimenez, and Clay Higgins.
Representative Garbarino is considered a leadership ally and currently chairs the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection. Representative Guest, a former prosecutor and Chair of the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement, is viewed as a strong contender. Representative Gimenez, a former public safety official, is Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security and is focusing his candidacy on emerging threats, including unmanned aerial systems. Representative Higgins, a Louisiana Republican with conservative backing, could benefit from the influence of Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, both from his home state.
Most insiders believe the race is between Representatives Garbarino and Gimenez, though Speaker Johnson’s preference is expected to heavily influence the outcome.
Key Hearings and Legislative Activity This Week
