Ryan Faircloth
Politics and government reporter
Higher EducationFaircloth previously covered higher education and breaking news, contributing to the Star Tribune’s Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the police killing of George Floyd. A 2018 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Faircloth started his career covering state politics for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and was named Minnesota’s Young Journalist of the Year by the state Society of Professional Journalists for his reporting at the Capitol. In his spare time, he enjoys practicing boxing and mixed martial arts – sports he once competed in – and searching the Twin Cities for barbecue and tacos that are even half as good as those he had growing up in Houston.
Latest from Ryan Faircloth
Letter to FBI from shooting suspect made wild claims about Klobuchar and Walz, sources say
People with direct knowledge of a letter Vance Boelter addressed to the FBI say it is rambling and conspiratorial.
June 20, 2025
Walz says Minnesota should reconsider allowing guns at State Capitol, in wake of shootings
The Minnesota governor also told reporters he hopes to have Melissa and Mark Hortman lie in state at the Capitol. He added that Yvette Hoffman may be released from the hospital.
June 20, 2025
Walz scrambled to alert lawmakers of threat while grieving loss of a close friend
The second-term DFL governor had managed a global pandemic and widespread civil unrest, but never faced a crisis this personal.
June 18, 2025
Suspect showed few signs of political extremism before lawmaker shootings
Friends and associates say Vance Boelter, who was apprehended late Sunday and charged with murdering a state lawmaker and her husband, was mild-mannered and did not appear to be fixated on politics.
June 16, 2025
Minnesota House leader assassinated, state senator shot in political violence that stuns nation
“We must all, Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,” a somber Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday.
June 15, 2025
State legislators sheltering in place, in touch with law enforcement
The Brooklyn Park Police Chief said the shooter’s vehicle contained a “manifesto” with names of other lawmakers and officials police believed were targets.
June 14, 2025
Walz defends ‘Gestapo’ comment, as he confronts thorny politics of immigration
In Washington, the former vice-presidential nominee found himself at the center of the debate over immigration enforcement. Striking the right balance is critical for Walz, who has left the door open to a national bid in 2028.
June 13, 2025
Trump, cabinet officials cite Mpls. riots, Walz’s response to justify troops in L.A.
Trump said Tuesday that in his first term he waited for governors to call in the military for riot response and “they didn’t want to do it.”
June 11, 2025
Legislators just wrapped a special session — but they could face another
A hard-fought budget may have to be reworked if Congress passes a federal spending bill that cuts funding to states.
June 11, 2025
How the most divided Legislature in state history passed the budget
Lawmakers had a tied House and one-vote margin in the Senate. It took weeks of negotiations after the regular session adjourned for legislative leaders to get members to fall in line.
June 10, 2025
Minnesota lawmakers finish work on $66 billion budget before deadline
Legislators started work at 10 a.m. Monday and wrapped up hours before a Tuesday morning deadline.
June 10, 2025
Gov. Tim Walz to give political speeches in South Carolina and California, fueling 2028 speculation
South Carolina was the first nominating state in the 2024 Democratic presidential primary, and California has the largest number of delegates at the party’s nominating convention.
May 30, 2025
