MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Minnesota’s Secretary of State about what’s being done to make sure the balloting and the counting goes smoothly, and when might we know who won races up and down the ballot.
Later, Minnesota DFL and Republican Party chairs share their closing takes on an unconventional campaign year, and seasoned political pros stop in for an election night preview. We’ll learn what they’re watching for and how the state Capitol might look when the dust settles.
Guests:
Steve Simon is the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Ken Martin is the Minnesota DFL Party chair.
David Hann is the chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota.
Chas Anderson is the CEO and senior principal at Park Street Public.
Todd Rapp is the CEO and President of Rapp Strategies Inc.
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]]>For Minnesota, the party that turns out its base — and connects with independents best — has the inside track to gain the gavels at the state’s Capitol.
The Senate majority will be decided by a single, winner-take-all race in the western suburbs. As for the House, key races in northern Minnesota and some in the south could determine if the DFL trifecta will live on into 2025.
MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Minnesota Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman, a Democrat and House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, a Republican, about their party’s prospects in next month’s election.
Later, a look at a northern Minnesota congressional race that features a rematch from two years ago.
Guests:
House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park
House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring
Jennifer Schultz, a DFL candidate for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District seat.
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]]>But judges are on the election ballot, too. Judicial candidates are running for judgeships in local District Courts, the Court of Appeals and even the Minnesota Supreme Court. There are 100 races, although fewer than a tenth of them have multiple candidates to choose from.
Most judges in Minnesota tend to be appointed by the governor, so why are those races on your ballot?
Friday at noon, MPR News politics editor and his guests discuss judicial elections, and why incumbent judges rarely face serious challenges.
Later, is the approaching election and partisan politics raising anxiety or straining your relationships? The creator of MPR’s Talking Sense initiative shares tips on how to weather the remaining weeks and the aftermath. Then, a sneak peek at the Walk a Mile in My News project.
Guests:
Samuel Edmunds is the president of the Minnesota State Bar Association and a partner at Sieben Edmunds Miller, focusing on criminal defense and injury law.
Douglas Keith is a senior counsel in the Brennan Center’s Judiciary Program and the founding editor of State Court Report, a publication focused on state courts and state constitutional law.
Catharine Richert is an MPR News reporter and Talking Sense lead correspondent.
As the war in the Middle East continues with no immediate cease-fire deal in sight, the situation will pose difficulties for the next U.S. president. Jon Alterman, author of the piece “Middle East Challenges Will Vex Not Only the First 100 Days but the First 1,000,” sums up the complex challenges that await. It’s part of a new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on the global impact of the 2024 election, where Alterman serves as the senior vice president. He also directs the Middle East Program.
MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Alterman about the dynamics in the Middle East and where the leading presidential candidates line up. Later, a peer-led, follow-up conversation with two Generation Z voters about their feelings toward the election after a summer of unprecedented political events.
]]>Three-term Democratic Rep. Angie Craig is trying to retain the seat. She’ll face former federal prosecutor and Republican nominee Joe Teirab on November’s ballot.
MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst moderated a debate between Craig and Teirab held live at MPR’s St. Paul studios.
Video of the debate is available on MPR’s YouTube and Facebook page.
Guests:
Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), incumbent congresswoman in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District. She was elected in 2018.
Joe Teirab, Republican challenger in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District.
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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Secretary of State Steve Simon about the early voting process and the safeguards being taken to make sure the 2024 election runs smoothly and fairly across the state.
Later in the hour, plugged-in members of the Minnesota’s DFL and Republican parties share their perspectives on how they see this election shaking out from the presidential race on down the ticket.
Guests:
Steve Simon is Minnesota’s Secretary of State.
Ak Kamara is the Republican National Committeeman for Minnesota.
Ryan Winkler is a former DFL majority leader in the Minnesota House.
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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
]]>Bohman, a lawyer and former local board official who has a background in election administration, is looking to flip a seat that has been held by Republicans since 2019.
What does she stand for and why should voters go in a new direction? MPR News politics editor and host Brian Bakst talks with Bohman about her campaign. Finstad declined an invitation to appear.
Later, we’ll discuss campaign ads with associate professor Dan Myers of the University of Minnesota’s Department of Political Science.
Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent nationally between now and Election Day on television and digital commercials, although Minnesota has had a light dose so far.
Guests:
Rachel Bohman is the DFL candidate for the Congressional District 1
Dan Myers is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota.
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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
]]>There have been 44 people in Minnesota who have held the title of U.S. senator since statehood, but only seven have been elected to three or more terms. Minnesota has a U.S. Senate election now just a couple of months away, and Democrat Amy Klobuchar is after a fourth term.
MPR News host Brian Bakst talks with Sen. Klobuchar at the State Fair. She shares what she’s been up to in Washington and what she would do if given another six years.
Later, we’ll hear from Republican nominee Royce White, who is running on the slogan “the people are coming.” White talks about his path to politics after time spent in professional basketball — in the U.S. and abroad — and his conservative ideology.
Guests:
DFL U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar
U.S. Senate Republican nominee Royce White
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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
]]>We hear from Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Michelle Fischbach who both fended off primary challenges.
The match up is set in Minnesota’s most competitive U.S. House district. We talk to Republican Joe Teirab who will be facing Democratic Congresswoman Angie Craig.
Plus, we hear from party leaders at the state capitol about their priorities and break down one key race in the state senate that could decide party control.
The politics don’t stop with primary night. In fact, the Democratic National Convention is in just a few days. We share a preview of what to expect from Gov. Tim Walz.
]]>Supporters of Gov. Walz say the ex-Army National Guard leader, former teacher and past congressman could help Harris in the Midwest. But he also comes with baggage from nearly two decades in political office.
Listen to special coverage live from MPR News with host Cathy Wurzer and political editor Brian Bakst.
Clifford Bentley served as technical director for this special coverage.
Find more coverage on the MPR News website.
Kamala Harris taps Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as Democratic running mate
Gov. Tim Walz is Kamala Harris’ running mate. What happens now in Minnesota politics?
]]>There’s been development after riveting development, with each eclipsing the last. And yet, with still 100 days to go till Election Day, this could be just a taste of what’s ahead.
MPR News host Brian Bakst talks with MPR political reporters Mark Zdechlik and Clay Masters about the last four weeks in politics and breaks down what the country has experienced.
Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
The presumed presidential rematch has been set for months — with both candidates earning the necessary primary wins to gain their party nominations, which they’ll formally accept at conventions later this summer.
MPR News host Brian Bakst talks with presidential scholars and a former presidential candidate about the work it takes to prepare for a presidential debate and how Thursday’s debate could impact both campaigns over the next few months.
Politics Friday will return to the airwaves later this fall for our weekly coverage of the 2024 Election. Until then, we’re coming straight to your podcast feeds — occasionally — throughout the summer.
Guests:
Tim Pawlenty is the former governor of Minnesota. He served from 2003 to 2011 and sought the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.
Tammy Vigil is the senior associate dean and associate professor of media science at Boston University. Previously, she has done work for the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Timothy Naftali is a presidential historian and former director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. He’s a senior research scholar at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
]]>The Minnesota Poll also offered a glimpse at top issues for voters and showed the unease many have about Biden and Trump.
In this Politics Friday podcast, MPR News host and politics editor Brian Bakst and his guests talk about the poll results and what they suggest about where this election year is headed.
Politics Friday will return to the airwaves later this fall for our weekly coverage of the 2024 Election. Until then, we’re coming straight to your podcast feeds — occasionally — throughout the summer.
Guests:
Craig Helmstetter is the managing partner of the APM Research Lab at Minnesota Public Radio.
Briana Bierschbach is a politics and government reporter with the Star Tribune.
John Croman is a politics reporter for KARE 11.
Coming up Friday at noon, a special edition of Politics Friday with a preview of the DFL convention. MPR News host Brian Bakst will talk with DFL Chairman Ken Martin and state Sen. Kelly Morrison, the endorsed candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District.
Later, a roundtable conversation with DFL delegates as they get ready to gather for their party’s convention.
]]>Over the last four months, the DFL passed a rideshare ordinance, a bill on gun restrictions with a tougher penalty for “straw purchasers” and various cannabis resolutions. But there’s also a list of bills that didn’t pass from an equal rights amendment to sports betting bill and a construction projects plan.
MPR News host Brian Bakst talked to Gov. Tim Walz about his take on the 2024 legislative Session. Later, the Republican perspective on this year’s session with Sen. Julia Coleman of Waconia and the assistant minority leader in the Minnesota Senate.
Plus, MPR Capitol reporters Dana Ferguson and Clay Masters told us more about what got done at the Capitol this year, what got left behind and what it means for the campaign already under way.
]]>Coming up Friday at noon, a special edition of Politics Friday from the 2024 State Convention for Minnesota Republicans. MPR News host Brian Bakst and the MPR politics team conduct interviews and a look at the scenes at the convention.
Later, a recap of the session-ending sprint at the state Capitol with MPR News senior politics reporters Dana Ferguson and Clay Masters.
]]>MPR News host Brian Bakst spoke with two leaders of the Minnesota House about the authorization of construction projects, a touch-up of the state budget, updates to Minnesota’s new cannabis law and a possible plan to set minimum pay and protections for rideshare drivers — all still up in the air.
And May 11 not only marks Minnesota Statehood Day, but a new state flag goes up the pole and a new state seal will replace the old. We got a look at the redesign process that spurred thousands of submissions — and months of debate — and what transition means for Minnesota.
Plus, two members of MPR Capitol reporting team, Dana Ferguson and Clay Masters, huddled up for a weekly check-in on Minnesota politics.
]]>One key piece of unfinished business is the bonding bill — the slate of publicly financed construction projects that need state signoff to move ahead.
MPR News host Brian Bakst talks with the chair of the House Capital Investment Committee about the construction financing plan as it comes together.
Also, what might an upcoming Senate Ethics Committee hearing look like? The conduct of two members in the closely divided chamber is under review.
Plus, the latest in MPR News’ peer-led conversations with Gen. Z voters about how they’re approaching the coming election.
Later, a check-in with a pair of Capitol reporters as the legislative session reaches its home stretch. MPR’s Dana Ferguson and Peter Callaghan from the MinnPost join the conversation.
Guests:
Rep. Fue Lee is the Chair of the House Capital Investment Committee.
Ember Reichgott Junge is a former senator, DFL-Robbinsdale, and served as the committee chair for the Rules and Administration - Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct Committee in the Minnesota Senate.
Marko Mirkovic is a student at the University of Minnesota.
Jack Christensen is a student at the University of Minnesota.
Charlie Eggers is a student at the University of Minnesota.
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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
]]>Anderson is the longest-tenured current justice and the last to have gained his seat through the appointment of a Republican governor.
MPR News host Brian Bakst talks with Anderson about his time in the Minnesota Supreme Court, his career in the courtroom and his view on political pressures on the judiciary.
Later, a look at how the nation’s finances will factor into the 2024 election campaign with MPR News senior economics contributor Chris Farrell.
We also heard some sounds and voices from the Capitol this week, and some insight from members of our MPR News politics team.
Guests:
Justice G. Barry Anderson is a member of the Minnesota Supreme Court. His term will end on May 10.
Chris Farrell is senior economics contributor at Marketplace, American Public Media’s nationally syndicated public radio business and economic programs. He’s also senior economics contributor at Minnesota Public Radio.
Ethan Struby is an assistant professor in the Department of Economics at Carleton College.
Chris Towner is the policy director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget in Washington D.C.
]]>But will there be enough supply to meet demand — and keep prices from rising too high? And what’s going on with the effort to clear records of people who had past marijuana convictions?
MPR News host Brian Bakst talked with a couple of experts about keeping tabs on expungement of certain prior cannabis-related records and the growing business of cannabis sales.
Then, a peer-led conversation with a three Generation Z voters about how they’re approaching the coming election.
Later, a taste of sounds and voices from the Capitol and some insight from members of our MPR News politics team.
Guests:
Bryant Jones is a plant scientist and a subject matter expert in cannabis cultivation for Minnesota’s Cannabis Advisory Council.
Jim Rowader is the executive director for the Cannabis Expungement Board Minnesota Department of Corrections and a board member of the Minnesota Justice Research Center.
Samia Abdulle is a student at the University of Minnesota.
Jack McGregor is a student at the University of Minnesota.
Thomas Knutson is a student at the University of Minnesota.
]]>But many districts say they’re still feeling a strain. How come? What is being done to improve literacy, student nutrition, school safety and cultural competency?
MPR News host Brian Bakst talked with two leading senators on education issues: DFL Sen. Mary Kunesh, chair of the Senate Education Finance Committee, and Republican Sen. Zach Duckworth.
Later, there could be movement around streamlining the permitting process for business expansion projects and clean energy developments. Minnesota Chamber of Commerce president Doug Loon talks about permitting changes under discussion and why he wants them to happen.
Guests:
Sen. Mary Kunesh, DFL-New Brighton, is the Chair of the Education Finance Committee.
Sen. Zach Duckworth, R-Lakeville.
Doug Loon is president and CEO of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
MPR News host Brian Bakst talks with Rep. Craig about her work in Congress and her upcoming campaign.
Later, rural EMS providers are banking on state lawmakers to help keep them afloat. Sen. Jordan Rasmusson, R-Fergus Falls, joins the conversation to talk about what lawmakers could do to assist emergency services under financial strain.
Guests:
Minnesota U.S. Representative Angie Craig
Minnesota State Sen. Jordan Rasmusson, R-Fergus Falls
Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
Anti-trust cases, consumer protection actions, defense of newly passed state laws and ramped-up criminal prosecutions — it’s all on the plate of Minnesota’s attorney general.
MPR News host Brian Bakst talks with Attorney General Keith Ellison about proposed changes to Minnesota’s gun laws, an upcoming hearing on voting rights, online scams and more.
Later, we’ll meet a Republican vying for his party’s nomination in Minnesota’s most closely watched congressional race. Joe Teirab makes his case for why he should represent Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District.
Guests:
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
Joe Teirab is a Republican candidate for Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District seat
Gov. Tim Walz last week said a donor had inquired about placing a space shuttle in central Minnesota. Walz told MPR News’ Politics Friday about the offer but gave few details about the project.
“Someone wants to give us a space shuttle — the space shuttle, a real space shuttle — to move to Minnesota,” he said.
State Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, on social media, said the shuttle could be showcased next to a new children’s museum in downtown St. Cloud. The proposed site is currently a parking lot.
In an interview with MPR News, Putnam said Felicity-John Pederson, a graduate of St. Cloud’s Apollo High School and founder of a technology company called LVX System, owns the shuttle and is interested in bringing it to St. Cloud.
The full-scale mockup of a shuttle orbiter, known as Inspiration, is currently housed near the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but needs to be moved.
“It was primarily for training,” Putnam said. “It’s the real thing. The toilets even flush. It just never went to space.”
Pederson said the shuttle was at the end of its life cycle and scheduled to be destroyed when his company acquired it for research it was doing with NASA. NASA wanted the shuttle donated for education, he said, possibly to St. Cloud, near the Mall of America in Bloomington or another location.
“The most likely seems to be St. Cloud, but that decision is not made,” Pederson said.
Cassie Miles, executive director of the Great River Children’s Museum, said Pederson is a strong supporter of the museum and efforts to boost the economy and quality of life in St. Cloud.
“We both believe that growth is ripe right now. We’re ready to make some big changes,” she said. “Why not have the effort to bring it here?”
But the logistics of moving a space shuttle are daunting. It would need to be disassembled, transported by truck or barge and reassembled using cranes, Miles said. Finding partners willing to help will be key, she said.
Putnam said he’s had conversations with people in several industries who might be able to help make it happen, including a local trucking company.
Miles said she’s had some preliminary conversations with St. Cloud city officials about the idea. But for the most part, she and others have intentionally kept quiet about the prospect, knowing it’s likely to be met with incredulity.
“It’s really hard to bring up something as grand as an orbiter being parked in St. Cloud, Minnesota, without people going, ‘What?’” she said. “It’s hard to wrap your head around.”
Miles and Putnam were both surprised that Gov. Walz mentioned the shuttle during Friday’s interview, but Putnam said he hopes the attention helps the effort.
“Maybe this is something that helps us make it real,” he said.
]]>Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz released a package of budget revisions this week and continues to make the case for other items on his agenda.
MPR News host Brian Bakst sits down with Walz to talk about how he’s juggling priorities for the legislative session with demands from outside of the Capitol.
Later, Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, joins the show to talk about the GOP agenda for the remainder of the session.
Guests:
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson
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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
]]>Minnesota is in the minority of states where sports betting isn’t a sanctioned business enterprise. Stephenson is a leading voice in the push to change that, but Maye Quade is among those with concerns about the bill.
Then, a conversation with Rep. Dean Phillips and Rep. Ilhan Omar about a bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. that passed in the House this week. While six of the eight House members in Minnesota voted to ban the app if it doesn’t change ownership, Phillips and Omar voted against it.
The app is used daily by millions of Americans. But TikTok has a Chinese parent company, which has fueled concerns about user data privacy and possible foreign influence over the type of content that winds up in front of people. Omar and Phillips, who were among only 65 to oppose the bill, shared their reasons why.
Guests:
Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids
Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley
U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips (D)
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D)
Briana Bierschbach, politics and government reporter for the Star Tribune
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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
]]>They’ll have big roles in shaping this year’s construction projects package known as the bonding bill. Minnesota lawmakers are sorting through billions of dollars in requests this year for publicly financed construction projects, but only a small fraction will make the cut.
The package requires bipartisan cooperation between DFLers and Republicans.
It was a big political week with Super Tuesday, where results from 17 states and territories all but set up the fall race between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
They won in Minnesota, but there was a significant turnout for the “uncommitted” vote, a campaign where Democrats voted uncommitted to show their dissatisfaction with the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict in the Middle East.
Republican Nikki Haley and Democratic U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota left the presidential race.
And later, we talk with University of Minnesota political science professor Michael Minta about his takeaways and the grueling campaign to come.
]]>