iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 30/09/2026

Anders Folk joins me on WCCO Radio at 4:35p today - we had Cedrick Frazier on a couple weeks ago. What would you ask Anders? #mnpolitics

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 09/09/2026

Fair feedback! I feel that the anti-fraud talk from her is more about blaming her opponent for failing and not deserving a promotion than what she’d do as a senator but a good line of questioning if I get another shot!

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 04/09/2026

Michele Tafoya joins me for the first time from the State Fair at 3:35p - what would you ask her?

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 24/08/2026

Saffron is opening soon. In between staff trainings, I talked with new partner Robb Jones about imposter syndrome, the critical role the OG Saffron played in his life, and his martini obsession. www.minnesotamonthly.com/general/robb...

minnesotamonthly.com

Robb Jones Comes Full Circle at the New Saffron

Bartender Robb Jones returns to Saffron as a partner, creating a culinary-driven cocktail and wine program for the restaurant’s new Northeast Minneapolis home.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 22/08/2026

I've organized the Minnesota State Fair's new foods guide by location, and I added in the new vendors too, plus a few "unofficial" new foods. Jump in wherever you start at the fair, and you'll see stuff in the area. www.minnesotamonthly.com/general/eat-...

minnesotamonthly.com

Eat Your Way Through the 2026 Minnesota State Fair

We’ve turned this year’s new-food list into a walking tour, starting at the West End and winding through the heart of the Fairgrounds, the International Bazaar, and Food Building before heading north....

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

the fact is - polling indicates that a large % of Minnesotans (DFL and GOP) are concerned about fraud and the way we've handled it, so this is a very bsky argument and probably not a way to talk to voters.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

we are not in that different places. The $9 billion nonsense is ridiculous. I do think there's a fundamental issue - does it makes sense to out-source all these programs without an increase in auditing efforts//funding? If they're important, should the state just do it?

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

i'm a little envious but this would be a very weird news/talk show to host if i didn't know

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

lol maybe! I mean i talked to a suburban GM of a business who didn’t really know there was a primary this week so people live in their own worlds

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

Not sure that all the money in the world could overcome the Laken Riley vote after Metro surge

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I get it! I don't disagree! But when I talk to people, they experienced it in ways that ranged from intensely to zero.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

It's hard to paint her as scary DSA I think, for reasons you state

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

don't think AIPAC is a general election issue, but there's no doubt that Israel/Palestine is a motivator to a segment of the DFL base. I'd think the same group that's motivated by AIPAC is even more motivated by ICE, so I'm not convinced of it's import. I could be wrong!

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I've brought this up with many Republicans... this type of fraud wouldn't exist if we didn't outsource so many services. Too many middlemen orgs, you either hire a ton of oversight people or bring it in house.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I think most thought Flanagan was going to win: the margin was underestimated, I'd say

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Reposted by Jason DeRusha

Elle Ess @viamarsala18.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

People think that the raw emotion and organizing went away just because we aren’t getting brutalized by ICE in the streets every day. We remember every stop, every confrontation, every single scared neighbor, and we will for a long time. And we are organizing around that.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

That’s just wrong - the coverage of MN GOP has been framed around disarray for at least a decade. No money, no organization, no ground game. The trump endorsement was totally framed as throwing the whole thing into chaos.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

Of course lots of people were engaged! And a high percentage of DFL primary voters were engaged. Which leaves a much higher percentage who were not. I talked about ICE as a factor on my show a lot - callers + many of my real life friends didn’t experience it/didn’t get the depth of anger

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

Where it was hot it was magma level heat. A lot of people live in their bubbles though.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

The reporting was usually good but the headlines usually say toss-up when maybe we should talk about polls being uncertain or inconclusive. So many undecideds!

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I do think a U.S. Rep is not as known widely as reporters assumed they would be

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

The general election message of “we’re as bad as anyone else” would not be a winner. I do think MN is an outlier but not by the degree that is being pushed. I’m more concerned about our outsourcing services to middlemen who outsource to agencies. Either spend on oversight or do this stuff publicly

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

There were 15% undecided in a poll with +/- 5% so assuming undecided went Peggy at the end, which is certainly a logical guess, they weren’t that far off. Same with GOP - undecideds went to Demuth

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I’m curious how much that resonates outside the central cities - but it’s another thing to watch for sure

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

totally get it! None of us ever feel our people get a fair shot! it's normal

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

it was pretty obvious to methat ICE was the #1 issue - if you live in the suburbs or exurbs or you didn't see the impact, you may not get it.

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Reposted by Jason DeRusha

Dan Weinand @danweinand.com · 12/08/2026

The media kept trying to force this race into the national DSA outsider vs centrist insider lense, but that was always a misread. Peggy’s a mainstream progressive who’s been in and around DFL politics for over 20 years. That plus all the anti ice energy and mobilization many folks discounted.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I think this is very interesting: today's DFL is mainstream progressive. Not DSA, but not center/left either.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I think our fraud is certainly not as large as Tafoya/Trump have been alleging, but it's also certainly not as small as the total $ that's been prosecuted.

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Reposted by Jason DeRusha

David Brauer @dbrauer.net · 12/08/2026

At the risk of dumbing down yesterday’s result, when we talk about elections through lived experience, it’s usually the worker at the plant or the person who can’t buy groceries, but ICE was that face-punch here and people just weren’t having any other bullshit.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I think yes, MN was worse than other states because of some of our unique programs and underspending on oversight. Her best defense is: I was LG, had no power, when I found out I supported our administration’s effort to prosecute. And we did

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

Maybe: where did you see coverage that was more centrist or more Craig-focused? Outside of poll results I didn’t see much difference

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

To win with 410k votes, with such a huge margin - i think Flanagan’s broad appeal is also being under-read. She nice, she connects, she’s real. She’s a lifelong DFLer too.

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

Why do you think people so severely underestimated Peggy Flanagan and the strength of her support?

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

One of my faults as a mainstream media guy is that I love a close race so I’m as happy as you are

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

I only find it meaningful in that 400k primary votes is a lot - and dispels the Peggy isn’t mainstream electable. It’ll be a fun race. (also the DFL is prob cooked in 1 & 8)

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Jason DeRusha @jasonderusha.com · 12/08/2026

Peggy Flanagan is going to have around 400,000 votes. Michelle Tafoya got around 200,000 tonight. Obviously it’s hard to compare the different party primaries to each other - just interesting to me

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