Wrap up your week (and month!) with Caught My Eye. I skip the fluff and get straight to the facts with a side of common sense. Here’s what’s on the menu today:

• Day of Solidarity Update
• The Montana Plan
• Government Shutdown
• Amy Klobuchar
• One More Thing

DAY OF SOLIDARITY UPDATE:

According to an email I received from Montana State Senator Cora Neumann with the Montana Democrats, over one hundred legislators from 27 states gathered in person and virtually on Thursday to stand with their colleagues in the Minnesota Legislature. The Day of Solidarity was to confront increasing federal overreach, the expanding presence of federal agents in American communities, and the escalation of violence.

MAGAs in Montana were upset about the trip by the Montana Democrats, with some saying their goal is to “turn Bozeman into Minneapolis.”

Some MAGAs asked who paid for the trip. Other MAGAs asked if “Montana taxpayers are paying for their junket to Minnesota?” 

It’s too bad the Montana MAGAs turned a blind eye when Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen spent $197,000 to mail 467,000 silly postcards to Montana voters. She still has not disclosed who paid for them. 

THE MONTANA PLAN:

Head’s up-

The Transparent Election Initiative is committed to ending the influence of corporate and dark money in our politics through the groundbreaking The Montana Plan. They have scheduled a community event in Billings this coming Saturday: 

The Montana Plan community event on Saturday, January 31st at 1PM at the Lincoln Auditorium. Scheduled to appear & speak are former Governor Marc Racicot, former Senator Jon Tester, and past Independent candidate Gary Buchanan. 

More information can be found HERE. 

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN:

The Hill and other sources reported that the U.S. Senate struck a deal to fund a large portion of the government on Thursday evening, just a day before a shutdown deadline. The Hill is reporting that the agreement will split the bill funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) off from a “minibus” package of five other major funding bills. The Senate will instead move a stopgap bill known as a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund DHS at current levels until Feb. 13. Passage of the bills in the Senate would put the ball in the House’s court in the coming days. 

The U.S. House is currently in recess and is scheduled to return on Monday, February 2, 2026. This means there could be a short partial government shutdown over the weekend. 

AMY KLOBUCHAR:

One of my favorite U.S. Senators, Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), announced her candidacy for Minnesota governor this week. (Website)

She has been in the U.S. Senate since January 2007, so by leaving the U.S. Senate, she is throwing away a lot of seniority. She was just reelected in 2024, and she has won her four elections with an average of 60%. 

Minnesota’s other U.S. Senator, Tina Smith, announced earlier that she would not be running for reelection in 2026. (Source)

Retired sportscaster Michele Tafoya last Wednesday announced she will run for Minnesota’s soon-to-be-vacated U.S. Senate seat as a Republican. Tafoya, who has teased a run for weeks, is seeking the seat held by Sen. Tina Smith, who is retiring at the end of the year. Tafoya was a sports broadcaster for 30 years, most notably with NBC Sunday Night Football, and retired in 2022. (Source)

ONE MORE THING:

Abraham Lincoln said watching “Melania” was the worst experience he’s ever had in a theatre. (Source)

## HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ##