Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.
Stay in touch
Sign up for The Flyover newsletter
Engen Trouble
It’s been a busy campaign season for former future of the Minnesota Republican Party, Elliott Engen (R-Lino Lakes), who, at various points this week alone has been running for lieutenant governor, auditor, and re-election to the state Legislature.
On Wednesday, following a poor showing at the Republican state convention, Engen dropped out of the auditor’s race and filed to run for the House seat that he now holds in District 36A. On Thursday he dropped out of that race as well. And then when Republican candidate Peggy Bennett dropped out of the governor’s race, she said it was because Engen, her choice for a running mate, had changed his mind about that position as well.
Complaining about “the echo-chamber in St. Paul,” Engen told Alpha News he was disappointed how “the priorities of special interests and the political class, far often, were put before those of the working class back in our districts.”
In 2023, at age 24, Engen was touted as “the first Gen Z Republican elected to the Minnesota Legislature,” a tag that, if anything, showed yet again that “generations” are marketing categories that rarely tell us anything useful about individuals.
The founder of Hamline’s Turning Point USA chapter, Engen predictably became among the Legislature’s more reactionary voices, whether advocating for militarized schools via the SHIELD Act, accusing trans DFL lawmaker Leigh Finke of “defending pedophilia,” or working to restrict abortion rights.
Engen made headlines this past March when he was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving with his pal Rep. Walter Hudson (R-Albertville) in the car. Gotta think that wasn’t good for his 2026 electoral chances.
Axios Remembers the ’90s
Riffing off that inescapable “what were you like in the ’90s” meme, Nick Halter has an interesting feature in Axios on Thursday comparing the Twin Cities past and present. His big takeaway: Many of the same issues that face us now also faced us then.
Crime? The New York Times called us “Murderapolis.” Struggling downtowns? Minneapolis was so desperate we built (another) downtown mall. (If anything, Halter goes easier on the folks who signed off on Block E than I would.)
One thing I would add to Halter’s piece is the tremendous population growth since the ’90s. Minneapolis has added nearly 50,000 people since the 2000 census, a 12.4% jump. Personally, when I look back on the Minneapolis I moved to in 1997, what I think of is the city’s comparative emptiness. This wasn’t exactly the sign of a healthy city, but it created a lot of possibilities for someone in their 20s—it was cheaper to live and easier to take risks. And yes, easier to park too.
What’s that? What was I like in the ’90s? Fine, cue up “Iris.”
You Can’t Spell “Angie” Without AI
“Today, you might see a TV ad starring something that... kind of looks like me,” Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan shared Wednesday via social media. “My opponent's super PAC is using an AI deepfake of me to mislead voters.”
Flanagan’s opponent, of course, is Rep. Angie Craig (DFL-MN). The political action committee is the North Star Dawn PAC, a pro-Craig political action committee, and the ad shows a doctored image of Flanagan with her hand stretched out as money from donors heads toward her.
Craig’s campaign accurately denied any role in making the ad—dodging responsibility is the whole point of PACs—and responded to KARE 11: “The Lt. Governor’s complaints are meant to distract from the fact she accepted millions of corporate dollars.”
Minnesota law bars the use of AI deepfakes to “influence” an election, but it’s currently unclear if that would apply here.
Tick, Tick, BEAR!
Ticks! If you live in perpetual fear of them as I do, you should (or maybe you shouldn’t) read Erica Zurek’s story for MPR News about how they’re meaner and bitier than ever. The story’s GIF of the little buggers bustling around voraciously inside a tube was enough to send me to the showers.
“This increase in tick-related bites suggests a possible shift in their behavior or habitat, raising concerns about public health during the outdoor season,” Zurek writes.
At least I can smush a tick, even if it's a little tricky. But Bring Me the News is reporting that more than 200 black bears have been spotted in the metro area so far this year. The latest was in Edina. (He was probably attracted by all the free parking.)
As the warmer weather begins, always remember: Nature means us harm.
