Ana Radelat
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Washington correspondent for MinnPost. Loves politics.
Articles by Ana Radelat
D.C. Memo: As midterm election nears, corruption tops voter concerns, beating out inflation, healthcare
WASHINGTON – The home stretch of an election season is always nutty, but this one seems especially bizarre. Voters seem to be subjected to more attack ads, amplified by social media. This is also the year when deepfake campaign commercials have become prevalent and commonplace. Then there are the polls, so many that pollsters say they can’t keep up with demand as the number of tight races have proliferated.
Matt Little and Eric Pratt are offering clear choices in a quiet race for Congress
WASHINGTON â An open seat for Congress usually results in an expensive, combative and high-profile contest to fill it. But the race for Minnesotaâs 2nd Congressional District seat, which is up for grabs with the retirement of Rep. Angie Craig, has been muted, overshadowed by the race for an open U.S. Senate seat and governorâs office. Itâs a quiet contest between Main Street Republican state Sen.
The ‘swamp’ Trump promised to drain is thriving in D.C. – and Minnesota
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s signature campaign promise was to “drain the swamp” – that is, rid Washington, D.C., of special-interest lobbying and political insiders. Yet money spent on lobbying has reached historic heights, in both Minnesota and the nation, since Trump assumed office in January of last year.
Johnson tops Finstad in campaign cash as Flanagan and Tafoya run neck-and-neck in fundraising
WASHINGTON – He’s still the underdog but there are indications that Democrat Jake Johnson’s campaign against Rep. Brad Finstad surged over the summer. According to the latest reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Johnson, a high school math teacher who has never held political office, has outraised Finstad when it comes to political cash.
D.C. Memo: Is the Omar raid a Dem win?
WASHINGTON â The raid on Rep. Ilhan Omarâs D.C. home this week may be one of the best things that has happened lately to Minnesota Democrats. The midterm elections are seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump, and the raid is a reminder of how the president uses his authority to attack Minnesotans. “The impact of this raid is not necessarily helpful to Republicans,â said Steven Schier, a political science professor emeritus at Carleton College.
Federal raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home raises plenty of questions
WASHINGTON – The pre-dawn raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home in Washington, D.C., has raised legal, ethical and political questions. The Justice Department confirmed that it was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations unit, whose officers were armed with a judicially authorized search warrant, and concerns an unspecified criminal matter.
Why this midterm matters for Minnesota
A midterm shift in the balance of power in Washington, D.C. could impact Minnesota in a number of ways. My job as the Washington D.C. Correspondent for MinnPost is to track how actions in the nation’s capital impact Minnesota. In my midterm reporting this fall I hope to explain how the outcome of this pivotal election will produce policy changes affecting Minnesotans and identify the goals and ambitions of the new members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation.
D.C. Memo: High court won’t hear Native American adoption case
Overview: A Minnesota couple had challenged laws that prioritize tribes in Native American adoptions. Plus: GOP lawmakers say Minnesota's voting system is rife with fraud, with little evidence; campaign coverage from this week; and more. WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court’s new session began this week and the justices have already decided to hear a number of landmark cases.
Underdog Trina Swanson eyes Rep. Stauber’s seat in a race that’s coming into focus
WASHINGTON – Trina Swanson came to Washington, D.C., recently looking for help in reaching a formidable goal — the unseating of Republican Rep. Pete Stauber. Swanson, a Democrat and former federal employee, is the underdog for the Iron Range-based 8th District congressional seat. Swanson is campaigning hard in a race that is coming into focus, but she's hindered by limited campaign funds and by running in a former swing district that has shifted decisively towards the GOP.
Underdog Trina Swanson eyes Rep. Pete Stauber’s seat in a race that’s coming into focus
Democrat Trina Swanson seeks support in one of the many events she's held in the Iron Range.Source: Trina Swanson for Congress While Democrats running for the U.S. House have an advantage this year, Stauber has positioned himself well in the Iron Range district. WASHINGTON – Trina Swanson came to Washington, D.C., recently looking for help in reaching a formidable goal — the unseating of Republican Rep. Pete Stauber.
Underdog Trina Swanson eyes Rep. Pete Stauber’s seat in a race that’s coming into focus
WASHINGTON – Trina Swanson came to Washington, D.C., recently looking for help in reaching a formidable goal — the unseating of Republican Rep. Pete Stauber. Swanson, a Democrat and former federal employee, is the underdog for the Iron Range-based 8th District congressional seat. Swanson is campaigning hard in a race that is coming into focus, but she’s hindered by limited campaign funds and by running in a former swing district that has shifted decisively towards the GOP.
A Minnesota rape case that echoes Cornell scandal led to the closing of a legal ‘loophole’
Minnesota law once had the same loophole that helped shield fraternity members who are alleged to have raped a Cornell University student from prosecution. But Minnesota closed that loophole after a notorious sexual assault case that shares similarities with the Cornell case sparked public outrage.
D.C. Memo: Reining in college sports ‘chaos’
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate approved a bill to regulate college sports this week that was a year in the making. The Protect College Sports Act was approved on a lopsided 77-22 vote, with both Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith supportive of the legislation. Supporters of the legislation say it is needed to sort out the “chaos” in college sports.
As Senate race tightens, Flanagan and Tafoya make their final pitches
WASHINGTON – Democrats running for U.S. Senate across the nation seem to have the wind at their backs in this pivotal midterm election, but not in Minnesota. The race between Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, a Republican, seems to have tightened in a state where the seat of retiring Sen. Tina Smith was once considered safely Democratic.
D.C. Memo: Duels over diesel fuel
WASHINGTON — While President Donald Trump was saber-rattling against Iran at the United Nations and hosting China’s leader at the White House this week, members of Congress were wrestling with what some may consider a more mundane issue — the sharp rise in the cost of diesel. The cost of diesel has shaken farmers, especially in states like Minnesota and Iowa that are in the midst of their fall harvest. So, Sen.
Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens are collateral damage in federal crackdown on Medicaid program
WASHINGTON – The state’s attempts to address allegations of fraud has created financial turbulence for thousands of Medicaid providers in Minnesota, some of whom have had to dig into savings or take out loans to keep their companies going. But the people who depend on the programs — low-income seniors and disabled Minnesotans, autistic children and people in dire need of mental health and other services — are the overlooked casualties of the Minnesota Department of Human Service’s war on fraud.
D.C. Memo: AI doomers, Minnesota farmers lobby Congress
WASHINGTON — A slew of warnings from tech leaders about potential dangers of unfettered artificial intelligence renewed efforts in Congress this week to try to put guardrails on AI. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is behind one of those efforts. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, said the panel will likely consider legislation Klobuchar drafted with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., that addresses AI threats.
The Challengers: Why it will be hard, in a midterm likely to herald change, to oust a congressional incumbent in Minnesota
WASHINGTON — An election in November that will cap a tumultuous campaign season is expected to bring about change with the possibility of Democrats wresting control of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate from the GOP. In Minnesota, voters could very well send most of the same people to represent them in the House and the makeup of its congressional delegation could continue to be evenly split, with four Democrats and four Republicans headed to Washington, D.C., next year.
D.C. Memo: Trump promises money to court voter loyalty, again
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s plan to help Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate in the midterm election is to promise to give money to potential voters. At a midterm party convention in Dallas this week, Trump pledged a $5,000 dividend to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress in the November election. Federal law prohibits payouts to influence voting.
Trying to mend fences with ranchers, Trump goes after Cargill and the gray wolf
WASHINGTON – The nation’s ranchers were livid that President Donald Trump decided to import beef from Argentina and Brazil in order to lower prices. So, to calm the waters, Trump has gone after the gray wolf and Cargill. The gray wolf, which is considered endangered in most states, has always been a foe to cattlemen because the predator has a fondness for beef and especially veal, since calves are considered easy prey. Trump’s order could roll back federal protections for the animal.
D.C. Memo: U.S. House approves intoxicating hemp ban delay
WASHINGTON – Returning from an August break, the U.S. House scrapped plans to work through September, with GOP leaders deciding instead to stay in session for another week and not return until mid-November after the midterm elections. That means many GOP and President Donald Trump priorities — including more help for U.S. farmers battered by tariff policy, low commodity prices and increases in farm input costs by the closing of the Strait of Hormuz — will have to wait.
Minnesota GOPers grapple with falling support for data centers
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s derision of communities that oppose the construction of data centers as wanting to be “backwards and poor” has put some Minnesota Republicans in a tough spot. Data centers have rapidly become one of the defining issues in this year’s midterm elections, with polls showing both Republican and Democratic voters rejecting these facilities that Trump maintains are job-producing boons.
Minnesota GOP lawmakers grapple with data centers as Republican voters turn against the projects
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s derision of communities that oppose the construction of data centers as wanting to be “backwards and poor” has put some Minnesota Republicans in a tough spot. Data centers have rapidly become one of the defining issues in this year’s midterm elections, with polls showing both Republican and Democratic voters rejecting these facilities that Trump maintains are job-producing boons.
U.S.-Canada trade war looms as issue in Minnesota midterm elections
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s decision to impose steep tariffs on a long list of goods from Canada is having an impact on the midterm elections, especially in northern border states. In Minnesota, the new trade war has not turned into a political brawl. But the potential is there for Trump’s tariff policy to become a key campaign issue. Canada is Minnesota’s largest overseas trading partner and the trade impasse is likely to have a negative impact on the state.
D.C. Memo: Canada goes elbows up in trade war
WASHINGTON – One item frequently cited as being impacted by the trade war that broke out this week between Canada and the United States is the hockey stick. Hockey sticks are listed among the products imported from Canada subject to a 50% tariff. Canada has retaliated with its own 50% tariff on hockey sticks made in the United States. But those levies are largely symbolic.
Minnesota cattle producers have a beef with Trump over foreign imports
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s decision to allow the import of cheap beef has resulted in a plunge in the price of domestic cattle, prompting Minnesota ranchers who are strong supporters of the president to say they’ve been betrayed. “It’s kind of a big shot in the gut,” said Don Schiefelbein, whose farm near Kimball breeds and feeds about 5,000 heads of cattle, most of them Black Angus.
D.C. Memo: THC drink makers hoping for a save
WASHINGTON – For Nick Kosevich, co-owner of a drinks “emporium” in Minneapolis, it’s the best of times and also the worst of times. That’s because the fate of the hemp-derived THC intoxicating drinks that have become increasingly popular at the Earl Giles Drink Emporium is unclear. The emporium is a vast establishment with a restaurant and event space that sells all types of beverages.
Stripping TPS from Haitians, Salvadorans and others is the newest phase of Trump’s enforcement strategy
WASHINGTON – Many members of Minnesota’s Haitian community are facing a grim choice – abandon the life they’ve built in the United States and return to a dangerous, strife-torn country or go underground and risk deportation. And many Salvadorans living in the state will face the same fate soon.
Walz order halts state action on mine near Boundary Waters, but federal process stays on track
Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to use his authority to halt all state permitting of a proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine in the Boundary Waters will not stop the federal government from considering new permits for the project. That’s because the proposed mine site is on federal land in Superior National Forest and Congress in April lifted a federal moratorium on any sulfide mining in that area.
Walz order halts state action on mine near Boundary Waters, but federal process stays on track
Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to use his authority to halt all state permitting of a proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine in the Boundary Waters will not stop the federal government from considering new permits for the project. That’s because the proposed mine site is on federal land in Superior National Forest and Congress in April lifted a federal moratorium on any sulfide mining in that area.
D.C. Memo: Trump’s $1B White House makeover
WASHINGTON — If you live in Washington, D.C. — and maybe even if you don’t — you know the White House is a massive construction site, the ailing Reflecting Pool is hidden behind fencing and the Kennedy Center is no longer hosting the best of the arts. What’s new is that the cost of these projects continues to climb. President Donald Trump’s reshaping of the U.S. Capital, which also includes gilding bronze statues and plans for a massive arch, has already caused consternation here.
How Peggy Flanagan won a chance to succeed Sen. Tina Smith
WASHINGTON – Both national trends and very local reasons help to explain Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan’s overwhelming victory over Rep. Angie Craig in the bitter contest for a U.S. Senate seat. Craig, a moderate who has represented the 2nd Congressional District since 2019, decided to run for a statewide seat in a bad year for centrist Democrats in primaries. Flanagan beat her with 59% of the vote to Craig’s 39%.
Matt Little prevails in the 2nd District, expanding progressive wins in Democratic primaries
Matt Little handily defeated his DFL rivals in the 2nd Congressional District and notched another victory for progressives aiming to increase their influence by winning Democratic primaries this year. Now his challenge is trying to keep Minnesota’s most “purple” congressional district in DFL hands. “You can win an election telling the truth,” Little said in his victory speech Tuesday night at his campaign party in this Twin Cities suburb. “You can win an election doing what’s right.
After hard-fought primaries, it’s Peggy Flanagan vs. Michele Tafoya for U.S. Senate
MINNEAPOLIS – Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig to run as the DFL Party’s candidate for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s seat, giving progressives in the party another primary win. Flanagan distanced herself from her former running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, who has been singed by allegations of fraud in state offices and ran a campaign stressing affordability, universal child care and a stronger social safety net.
After hard-fought primaries, it’s Peggy Flanagan vs. Michele Tafoya for U.S. Senate
MINNEAPOLIS – Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig to run as the DFL Party’s candidate for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s seat, giving progressives in the party another primary win. “For months now, I’ve been telling you this campaign was about the many versus the money,” Flanagan told supporters at the First Avenue music venue. “Guess what: The many just won.” Flanagan distanced herself from her former running mate, Gov.
Matt Little prevails in the 2nd District, expanding progressive wins in Democratic primaries
LAKEVILLE, Minn. – Matt Little handily defeated his DFL rivals in the 2nd Congressional District and notched another victory for progressives aiming to increase their influence by winning Democratic primaries this year. Now his challenge is trying to keep Minnesota’s most “purple” congressional district in GOP hands. The race to replace Rep. Angie Craig attracted two progressives, Little and state Rep. Kaela Berg, and a more moderate candidate, state Sen. Matt Klein.
Outside groups fuel bitter Senate race between Peggy Flanagan and Angie Craig
WASHINGTON – Millions in spending by outside groups to influence the hotly contested U.S. Senate primary race between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig is filling the airwaves with attack ads and demonstrating the power of money in politics. Television ads and other appeals will reach a crescendo as next Tuesday’s primary election draws near because the political action groups funding them have ramped up their last-minute spending.
D.C. Memo: A Schwarze schism in the GOP
WASHINGTON – A rift over the best candidate to run for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s seat involving the national Republican Party and far-right political activist Laura Loomer was on display this week at Farmfest. Adam Schwarze, a former Navy Seal, and Navy vet Tom Weiler, who are both running to replace Smith, were both advised by Farmfest organizers that they did not have sufficient support in recent public opinion polls to attend Wednesday’s U.S. Senate candidate forum.
It’s Official: A Dormant Prison in Rural Minnesota Will Become an ICE Detention Center
FILE – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents make an arrest during an early morning operation in Park Ridge, Ill., Sept. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File) A long-rumored Trump administration plan to repurpose a private prison in rural western Minnesota for use as a detention center for undocumented immigrants has come to fruition.
Es oficial: una prisión inactiva en zona rural de Minnesota será centro de detención del ICE Original
Un plan largamente rumoreado del gobierno del presidente Donald Trump para reconvertir una prisión privada en una zona rural del oeste de Minnesota para usarla como centro de detención de inmigrantes indocumentados finalmente se ha concretado. CoreCivic, el gigante de la industria penitenciaria, anunció el martes la firma de un contrato federal de cinco años para reabrir una prisión en Appleton que llevaba mucho tiempo cerrada y que ahora albergará a inmigrantes detenidos.
A dormant prison in rural Minnesota will become an ICE detention center
By BRIAN AROLA and ANA RADELAT/MinnPost - MinnPost A long-rumored Trump administration plan to repurpose a private prison in rural western Minnesota for use as a detention center for undocumented immigrants has come to fruition. Prison industry giant CoreCivic announced Tuesday that it has finalized a five-year federal contract to reopen a long-shuttered prison in Appleton that will now hold immigrant detainees. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, MinnPost.
It’s official: A dormant prison in rural Minnesota will become an ICE detention center
A long-rumored Trump administration plan to repurpose a private prison in rural western Minnesota for use as a detention center for undocumented immigrants has come to fruition. Prison industry giant CoreCivic announced Tuesday that it has finalized a five-year federal contract to reopen a long-shuttered prison in Appleton that will now hold immigrant detainees. kAm%96 4@>A2?J 6DE:>2E65 :ED ?6H 4@?EC24E H:E9 x>>:8C2E:@? 2?5 rFDE@>D t?7@C46>6?E WxrtX H@F=5 3C:?8 :? Sfd >:==:@?
It's official: A dormant prison in rural Minnesota will become an ICE detention center
A long-rumored Trump administration plan to repurpose a private prison in rural western Minnesota for use as a detention center for undocumented immigrants has come to fruition. Prison industry giant CoreCivic announced Tuesday that it has finalized a five-year federal contract to reopen a long-shuttered prison in Appleton that will now hold immigrant detainees. The company estimated its new contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would bring in $75 million a year.
It’s official: A dormant prison in rural Minnesota will become an ICE detention center
A long-rumored Trump administration plan to repurpose a private prison in rural western Minnesota for use as a detention center for undocumented immigrants has come to fruition. Prison industry giant CoreCivic announced Tuesday that it has finalized a five-year federal contract to reopen a long-shuttered prison in Appleton that will now hold immigrant detainees. kAm%96 4@>A2?J 6DE:>2E65 :ED ?6H 4@?EC24E H:E9 x>>:8C2E:@? 2?5 rFDE@>D t?7@C46>6?E WxrtX H@F=5 3C:?8 :? Sfd >:==:@?
It’s official: A dormant prison in rural Minnesota will become an ICE detention center
A long-rumored Trump administration plan to repurpose a private prison in rural western Minnesota for use as a detention center for undocumented immigrants has come to fruition. Prison industry giant CoreCivic announced Tuesday that it has finalized a five-year federal contract to reopen a long-shuttered prison in Appleton that will now hold immigrant detainees. kAm%96 4@>A2?J 6DE:>2E65 :ED ?6H 4@?EC24E H:E9 x>>:8C2E:@? 2?5 rFDE@>D t?7@C46>6?E WxrtX H@F=5 3C:?8 :? Sfd >:==:@?
US Senate throws Minnesota’s hemp-based THC industry a lifeline Original
WASHINGTON — Minnesota’s robust industry of drinks and edibles made from THC in hemp got a reprieve late Monday, Aug. 3, from a looming federal ban on those products. The reprieve was included in a bill the U.S. Senate passed on a procedural vote. It allows consideration of a short-term bill that would fund the federal government until Dec. 11 and would also delay the implementation of new federal regulation on intoxicating hemp products.
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