Essential Minnesota is a weekly podcast from the Minnesota Star Tribune where reporters go beyond the headlines. No AI, no spin, just real journalists with real access to the stories that matter most to Minnesotans. We’re the biggest newsroom in the upper Midwest and deep reporting on the ground is the thing we do the best. Democrats won big in Minnesota’s 2026 midterm elections, delivering ...

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here. ••• Minutes before she was declared Minnesota’s next governor, DFL U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar spoke to reporters for a few minutes, underscoring her goals and expectations. At that moment, the four-term senator was on the verge of trouncing her GOP opponent, House Speaker ...

Minnesotans overwhelmingly voted in favor of a constitutional amendment that will provide millions more dollars for K-12 schools in the state.

Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan has been projected to win the Minnesota U.S. Senate race.

Sayed, New Hampshire’s Chris Pappas and Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan each made history Tuesday, CBS News’ Jarred Hill reports. Analysts say voters wanted affordability, anti-corruption messages and candidates from outside the mainstream.

Ilhan Omar breaks into a victory dance after securing a fifth term in Congress. The Minnesota Democrat celebrates alongside her husband and enthusiastic supporters at Karmel Mall in Minneapolis.

Iowa is a pivotal state this year, with competitive Senate, governor and House races. In Minnesota, Democrats are trying to hang onto an open Senate seat. New York hosts a number of tight House contests,

The longtime Democrat defeated Republican Paul Wikstrom, an engineer with no political experience, in the district that includes St. Paul and suburbs in Ramsey and Washington counties.