Former Minnesota House Speaker Steve Sviggum is the new communications chief for the Senate GOP. Sviggum's folksy style will contrast with his predecessor, the more combative Michael Brodkorb. Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem says the caucus values Sviggum's experience and knowledge of the press.

Mike Jungbauer is the first Senate Republican to call himself a candidate for the Majority Leader's post that Amy Koch held until last week. But by the time the caucus votes on Tuesday, he'll likely be joined by others. Julianne Ortman, Dave Senjem, David Hann, and Geoff Michel are among those mentioned as possibilities.

After more than 11 hours of debate at a hotel in Roseville, Minnesota Republicans chose Sen. David Senjem, of Rochester, to represent them as majority leader in the state senate. Senjem will replace Amy Koch, who resigned earlier this month after admitting to an inappropriate relationship with a senate staffer.

Politics In Minnesota quotes sources saying the Minnesota Republican Party's debts reach to about $2 million. That's almost double a previous estimate. The debt comes from unpaid legal fees, an FEC fine and recent invoices that have ballooned the party's financial woes. The revelation comes on the eve of the state GOP electing a new chairman.

Just hours after Republican officials declared the party $2 million in debt, former party leader Tony Sutton released a statement on his Facebook page saying the numbers reflect a hard fought election and campaign cycle, but that Minnesota is better off because of it.