Steve Hallstrom dives into a high-stakes Wednesday edition where the battle for election integrity takes center stage. As a partial government shutdown looms, a group of House Republicans is drawing a line in the sand, refusing to reopen the government unless mandatory voter ID—via the SAVE Act—becomes the law of the land. Steve also breaks down the fallout from the Minnesota Republican caucuses, the "staggering" drop in the U.S. murder rate, and a new property tax playbook being written by a local favorite, Sandy’s Donuts. Plus, a crucial conversation with Captain Brian Niewind on North Dakota roadway safety and a look at why 80 out of 87 Minnesota counties may be "shielding" individuals from federal authorities.
Key Moments
-
The SAVE Act Standoff: Steve discusses the bold move by Representative Anna Paulina Luna and other conservatives to tie government funding to the SAVE Act. He argues that nationwide voter ID is not a "Jim Crow" law but a common-sense measure that, according to a recent CNN poll, is supported by 85% of whites, 82% of Latinos, and 76% of Black Americans.
-
Minnesota Caucus Results: With 72% of the state reporting, House Speaker Lisa Daymuth has taken an early lead in the GOP gubernatorial straw poll, followed by Kendall Qualls and Mike Lindell. Steve analyzes whether Daymuth’s momentum can overcome the "moderate" image of Amy Klobuchar.
-
Historic Drop in Crime: Steve highlights reporting from Alpha News showing a 21% decline in the murder rate across 35 major cities in 2025—the largest one-year drop in history, bringing rates to a 100-year low.
-
The Sandy’s Donuts Strategy: Steve explores how Sandy’s Donuts is expanding in West Fargo while utilizing a five-year property tax abatement. He argues this is the "playbook" for how cities should incentivize growth without running into bankruptcy.
-
Fulton County Fallout: Attorney and legal analyst John Gordon joins the show to provide an update on the FBI's recent seizure of 700 boxes of election records in Georgia. Gordon details findings of sequential voter IDs and duplicate ballots that he claims involve hundreds of thousands of illegal votes.
-
Roadway Safety with Captain Niewind: Captain Brian Niewind of the North Dakota Highway Patrol reports a 20% reduction in traffic fatalities in 2025, a shift he attributes largely to the state’s primary seatbelt law. He also warns drivers to watch out for "red tabs" on their license plates, signaling expired registrations.
-
Minnesota's "Shielding" Counties: Steve reacts to claims from former police union president Bob Kroll that 80 of Minnesota’s 87 counties do not cooperate with ICE on detainers, a number Steve calls "staggering".
-
The Emergency Food Pantry: Stacey Loegeing explains how the Fargo-Moorhead Emergency Food Pantry distributed 1.5 million pounds of food to over 23,000 unique people last year and details a $75,000 match available for Giving Hearts Day.