Minnesota’s sleepy Senate race gets a burst of activity

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After a quieter phase, the final month in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race has both candidates on the road. Michele Tafoya and Peggy Flanagan both held events in greater Minnesota in recent days.

Overshadowed by U.S. Senate races elsewhere, Minnesota’s contest for a seat now held by a Democrat attracted a big-name Republican visitor on Monday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota ventured into southern Minnesota to campaign with Republican nominee Michele Tafoya. The two visited a farm in Le Sueur and made the case that the former sports broadcaster should succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.

Tafoya held a private roundtable with some farmers and farm group leaders along with Thune. They then stood in front of a giant farm implement to talk about what they want in the next farm bill.

Year-round E15 is one of them. That's an ethanol blend. Tafoya says she'd be a vote for that in the ...