Patricia Lopez

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Patricia Lopez

Political Editor | State and national politics

Phone: 651-2673-7028, cell: 612-599-2654

Email: patricia.lopez@startribune.com

Patricia Lopez is the Star Tribune’s political editor, supervising coverage for state and national politics. Lopez started at the Star Tribune in 1992, as Minneapolis City Hall reporter. She moved to the state Capitol in 1994. Before becoming political editor, Lopez was the Star Tribune’s chief political reporter, covering the governor, U.S. Senate races and the state budget.
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Minnesota must get creative and frugal -- fast

The depth of Minnesota's budget problem is daunting, and Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Legislature are "up against the wall."

Updated: December 07, 2008, - 10:09 AM

Minnesota is $5.2 billion in the hole

Painful cuts and even a governmental overhaul are in the offing. Friday morning, Gov. Pawlenty and legislators will begin to take on the staggering deficit.

Updated: December 04, 2008, - 11:27 PM

How bad is Minnesota's budget deficit? Mega-bad

Today's two-year projection could be as high as $6 billion; "every spending program, every tax has to be on the table." The news will be delivered at an 11:15 a.m. press conference.

Updated: December 04, 2008, - 08:33 AM

Rejected absentee votes may decide it

Even as the U.S. Senate race recount forged ahead, both sides are massing their troops in the next battle over piles of disputed ballots.

Updated: November 23, 2008, - 07:50 PM

How many ways can voting go wrong?

Some voters whose absentee ballots were rejected are stunned to find out what happened.

Updated: November 20, 2008, - 11:16 PM

Recount: Norm Coleman's lead over Al Franken shrinks

With about 18% of the vote recounted, Coleman still leads Franken -- but by only 174 votes. Franken's gain owed much to a swing of 23 votes in the Democratic stronghold of St. Louis County.

Updated: November 20, 2008, - 04:55 PM

Ready, set...recount

Local officials will be working in the 87 counties under the scrutiny of top lawyers brought in by candidates Norm Coleman and Al Franken.

Updated: November 19, 2008, - 08:04 AM

Franken seeks names of rejected voters

The DFLer hopes to force counties across the state to turn over the lists of rejected absentee voters who, if later found eligible, could tip the balance in the closest Senate race in the country.

Updated: November 13, 2008, - 11:49 PM

Recount to stretch into mid-December

The secretary of state appointed four judges to certify Senate election and rule on any disputes; the recount starts Wednesday.

Updated: November 12, 2008, - 11:15 PM

Coleman leads Franken by 206 votes

The Coleman and Franken campaigns traded shots Monday as counties completed the process of certifying their vote tallies and officials prepared to start recounting nearly 3 million ballots in the U.S. Senate race.

Updated: November 11, 2008, - 05:29 PM