Control of the Minnesota Senate could be up for grabs following Democratic state Sen. Nicole Mitchell's conviction on felony burglary charges.

The latest: The first-term senator from Woodbury is facing growing pressure to resign in the wake of Friday's guilty verdict, with top DFL leaders saying that they expect her to follow through on private promises to step aside if convicted.

• Mitchell hasn't commented on her plans, though her attorney says she plans to file an appeal in the criminal case.

Why it matters: Fallout over the legal drama could again upend the balance of power at the narrowly divided Capitol, putting Democrats' 34-33 majority in the Senate in play.

• If Mitchell steps down — or is eventually removed from office via a vote of her Senate peers — it will trigger a high-stakes special election that will determine which side clinches control.

State of play: Democrats have carried the suburban Senate District 47 by comfortable margins in recent elections. Mitchell secured a four-year term with about 58% of the vote in 2022.

• She wasn't up for reelection in 2024, but the two Democrats who won the nested House seats— Reps. Ethan Cha and Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger — won by 9 and 21 percentage points respectively.

Yes, but: The chance to flip the seat in a low-turnout, off-year special election would fuel a hotly contested race and serious spending from both sides.

Between the lines: A vacancy this summer or fall would allow Mitchell's seat to be filled before the Legislature reconvenes in February.

• Waiting until the next year could leave the chamber deadlocked 33-33 for weeks of the already short legislative session.

What we're watching: What Democrats do if Mitchell stays put.

• An expulsion vote would require support of two-thirds of the Senate to pass.

Who could run and what it would mean for the tied House...

The Minneapolis DFL Party convention ended Saturday night in a chaotic flurry of activity that saw state Sen. Omar Fateh claim the party's endorsement for mayor.

Why it matters: The young democratic socialist lawmaker's victory over two-term sitting mayor Mayor Jacob Frey is a major coup for left-wing critics hoping to unseat the well-funded incumbent.

What they're saying: "Today, we witnessed a rejection of politics as usual," Fateh said in his victory speech on the Target Center floor just before 10pm.

• "We know the status quo are going to do anything and everything to maintain power," he told his supporters. "They'll have all the money in the world … But they don't have you."

Friction point: The result came after Frey supporters abandoned the convention around 9pm, with campaign officials alleging the party's online delegate voting system had completely broken down.

• Frey's campaign intends to appeal with the state-level DFL Party, a spokesperson told Axios.

The other side: "This election should be decided by the entire city rather than the small group of people who became delegates, particularly in light of the extremely flawed and irregular conduct of this convention," Frey campaign manager Sam Schulenberg said in a statement.

Minneapolis DFL Party official Briana Rose Lee disputed those claims, telling Axios that the system worked, but was bogged down by slow devices and internet connections at Target Center.

Reality check: The convention setback for Frey does not necessarily foretell his defeat in November.

• Frey also finished second at the 2017 and 2021 DFL conventions before winning in Minneapolis' ranked-choice general election.

What we're watching: A candidate for Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board — whose endorsement process was upended by the delays — has already filed a protest with the state party.

How it all went down

🥯 Sun Street Breads will close in March 2026 after a 15-year run at 46th and Nicollet in Minneapolis. The owners are planning a Grand Marais sandwich cart and barbecue trailer. (Mpls. St.Paul Magazine)

📚 St. Paul Public Schools approved a ballot referendum asking voters to fill a $37 million budget gap that would increase taxes on a typical home by $309 a year. (KSTP)

🏀 Lynx forward Napheesa Collier scored a record 36 points Saturday to power her team to a WNBA All-Star Game victory. (Star Tribune)

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Congress delivered a devastating blow to public media outlets last week when it voted to slash federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The big picture: The move cuts off $17 million to Minnesota broadcasters and makes good on decades of threats from conservatives who argued the government shouldn't subsidize outlets they see as biased.

Threat level: While 6% of MPR's budget and 7% of TPT's revenue came from federal funds, the cuts will hollow out Minnesota's smaller and rural public broadcasters.

• Pioneer PBS in Granite Falls faces an "irreplaceable" loss of one-third of its budget, MPR News reported.
• Similar losses are expected at PBS stations in Bemidji and Austin.

Plus: Minneapolis-based Jazz88 faces a loss of around 10% of its budget — enough to "make it very difficult to continue running [the station] at its current level," station manager Johnny Lee Walker told the Pioneer Press.

Go deeper via MPR News

Lisa Ann Stortz, the woman behind a Minneapolis tulip garden that attracted crowds in the hundreds during each spring bloom, died last month, according to an obituary.

Catch up quick: Stortz planted 20,000 bulbs in the yard of her "Tulip House," located near Lake of the Isles at 25th and Humboldt.

What they're saying: "Every time she walked through the door, it was like you had to put on your party pants, strap on your Energizer Bunny backpack, and open your spirit to joy and fun," her family wrote.