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PODCAST

Politics Friday

Minnesota Public Radio

Weekly updates from Brian Bakst and the Minnesota Public Radio newsroom staff covering politics in Minnesota.

government

All Episodes

00:50:26

High tensions at the Capitol as lawmakers tick down...

Politics Friday ·

2026/04/10

The pace will crank up at the Minnesota Capitol next week. With fewer than six weeks before the required legislative adjournment, packages of policy and spending measures will set the tone for the end-of-session negotiations that aren’t all that far off. What’s still in play and what has taken a back seat? How prickly will those floor debates get? MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst speaks with two leaders of the Minnesota House of Representatives to talk about session priorities. Later

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00:49:15

Politics Friday: 3 congressional candidates vying for...

Politics Friday ·

2026/04/03

Minnesota’s eight U.S. House seats don’t change hands all that often, but after November’s midterm election one seat certainly will. The state’s 2nd Congressional District will have a new representative come January 2027. Democratic incumbent, Rep. Angie Craig, is running for the open U.S. Senate and will leave the House after four terms. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst speaks with candidates about why they’re the best Democrat to serve the district that runs from the suburbs down into

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00:50:34

Politics Friday: Mike Lindell 'all in' for...

Politics Friday ·

2026/03/27

Local party conventions around Minnesota are shaping top political races. Delegates are being selected for the state endorsing conventions at the end of May. So candidates are making the rounds — especially for Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat and an open governor’s race. Democrats will be trying to hang onto the seats, while Republicans will be trying to break a statewide election dry spell. The GOP has a very competitive race for the governor spot on the ballot. House Speaker Lisa Demuth

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00:49:54

Politics Friday: Consumer safeguards gain bipartisan...

Politics Friday ·

2026/03/20

The first big deadline for action in the 2026 legislative session is quickly approaching at the Capitol. While committee hearings will be churning at full steam next week, a number of bills are delayed or stuck in the tied Minnesota House. But there’s an area where measures have fielded bipartisan support: consumer protection. Legislation is on the march that deals with the prices people pay, defenses against scams and recourses available if they’ve been ripped off. MPR News politics

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00:50:10

At the Capitol, a slate of immigration bills to...

Politics Friday ·

2026/03/13

It’s been about a month since White House Official Tom Homan announced a drawdown of federal immigration officers in Minnesota, but the news from a fearful public and growing concern for those impacted remains. Lawmakers at the state Capitol are responding to the fallout from “Operation Metro Surge” through a variety of bills. They’re also holding press conferences and speaking on the floor of the House and Senate about what happened during the surge, from federal agents using unmarked

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00:50:09

Tax debate picks up at Capitol as lawmakers discuss...

Politics Friday ·

2026/03/05

Federal law changes provided new breaks for income derived from overtime and tips. Other business tax cuts were approved last year, too.Now Minnesota lawmakers are debating how many of those ideas to incorporate into the state tax code. It would come at a hefty cost. Proposals to contain rising property taxes are also under review in the Legislature.MPR News host Brian Bakst and a pair of lawmakers talk taxes. Later, we’re off to Washington where Minnesota continues to be the focal point

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00:50:24

Lawmakers push for proposals to tackle fraud, receive...

Politics Friday ·

2026/02/26

There’s been a strong focus on an issue of ongoing concern in the state: Fraud, and what to do about it. Lots of fraud-fighting ideas are floating around the Capitol. Several have bipartisan support, but that doesn’t mean their travels through the Legislature will be smooth. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with a pair of lawmakers with a similar goal but competing visions for a proposed investigatory unit. Later in the hour, MPR News’ senior economics contributor Chris Farrell

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00:49:45

Politics Friday: First week of session opens with...

Politics Friday ·

2026/02/20

The Minnesota Legislature’s 2026 session started with reflection about the deadly shootings that killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Another lawmaker, state DFL Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, survived a connected shooting at their home. Hoffman was honored in the Senate chamber. It was the first time the Legislature had been in order since months of traumatic and tragic events left them and the state grieving and challenged to take action. The session will go

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00:52:12

Politics Friday: Lawmakers outline their priorities...

Politics Friday ·

2026/02/13

Minnesota lawmakers will face constituent pressure to take action on some potent issues from guns control, immigration, fraud, taxes and more as the convene the 2026 session on Tuesday.The Capitol also remains deeply split, with legislative seats almost evenly divided between the parties in the House and Senate. Progress will be a challenge in an election year when some key players are looking up the political ladder or worried about the political winds back home.MPR News politics editor

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00:50:18

Politics Friday: Thousands attend Minnesota caucuses...

Politics Friday ·

2026/02/05

Tens of thousands of voters across Minnesota convened at schools, community centers and other gathering places to pick their preferred candidates for governor. They also vented their concerns on immigration, fraud and other priorities for the state’s major political parties.MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst recaps the results from caucus night and where campaign 2026 goes from here. House Speaker Lisa Demuth finished atop the GOP straw poll and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar cemented her place

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00:39:14

Special episode: Sen. Hoffman reflects on a long...

Politics Friday ·

2026/01/20

For the first time, we’re hearing a detailed account of the shooting that seriously wounded State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, last summer. It was the same night that authorities say the attacker killed his colleague, Rep. Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark Hortman. On this special episode of Politics Friday, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Sen. Hoffman about the attack on his life, the healing process and his new sense of purpose.Use the audio player above to

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00:23:24

Politics Friday: Tim Walz exit, ICE shooting puts...

Politics Friday ·

2026/01/09

In any other week, at any other time, the abrupt end of a governor’s reelection campaign would be the kind of momentous story that dominates the headlines for many days — but this isn’t one of those weeks. Minnesota is under tremendous pressure from internal and external forces. Any sense of civic cohesion is being strained. On this special episode of Politics Friday, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with All Things Considered host Clay Masters and Capitol correspondent Dana

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00:31:42

Politics Friday Special: Walz gives deeper...

Politics Friday ·

2026/01/06

In a momentous start to the 2026 election year, Gov. Tim Walz announced he would end his reelection campaign. The announcement itself was scripted and restrained. The next day, Walz took questions about the decision and the gloves came off. On this special broadcast of Politics Friday, MPR News host Clay Masters and politics editor Brian Bakst cover Walz’s first press conference since dropping out of the race. In it, Walz described the change of course as a personal one rather than a

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00:05:14

Minneapolis council member pushes for more public...

Politics Friday ·

2025/12/09

Downtown Minneapolis is short on public restrooms, and City Council Member Katie Cashman is hoping to leverage a languishing streetcar fund to boost the toilet tally. The council votes on the 2026 city budget Tuesday night, and money is tight; Cashman’s proposal carries a $700,000 price tag. Cashman, who represents Ward 7, joined Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition Tuesday to talk about the pros, cons and concerns of her bathroom proposal for the Nicollet Avenue transit corridor. Back in 2019,

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00:49:41

Politics Friday: With Election 2025 in rearview...

Politics Friday ·

2025/11/07

It was an eventful off-year election across the country. In Minnesota, St. Paul elected a new mayor, state Rep. Kaohly Her. It was in a surprise repudiation of the incumbent, Mayor Melvin Carter. Across the river, Minneapolis voters gave their mayor, Jacob Frey, another term. As the dust settles from the the 2025 election, momentum for the 2026 midterms is picking up. Minnesota will see an election as big as they come as voters will elect a governor, a new U.S. senator, key positions from

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00:54:30

Minneapolis mayoral candidates make their cases to...

Politics Friday ·

2025/10/31

Voters in Minneapolis are electing a mayor this fall, and it's a crowded race with 15 names on the ballot. Four of the leading candidates for Minneapolis mayor address key issues and how they intend to lead their city in a MPR News/Minnesota Star Tribune debate. The candidates were selected because they’ve been the most active in their contacts with voters and in putting resources into the race.Incumbent Jacob Frey, state Sen. Omar Fateh, business owner and attorney Jazz Hampton and

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00:51:48

Politics Friday Special: Rochester's growth spurt is...

Politics Friday ·

2025/10/24

Rochester is changing in many ways. City blocks are filled with construction work zones. Streets are littered with detours. Cranes tower over the skyline as a massive makeover plays out.Much of it is tied to a major medical expansion associated with the largest employer around — Mayo Clinic. There have also been political shifts. Rochester is one of the shrinking number of places outside of the Twin Cities-area where Democrats seem to have an upper hand. It wasn’t always that way.On this

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00:57:00

Politics Friday: St. Paul mayoral candidates lay out...

Politics Friday ·

2025/10/17

Three candidates for St. Paul mayor addressed key issues and how they intend to lead the capital city in a MPR News/Pioneer Press debate. Incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter, DFL state Rep. Kaohly Her and scientist and business owner Yan Chen talked about their plans for addressing economic development, taxes, crime, homelessness and rising city costs. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and Pioneer Press reporter Fred Melo moderated the St. Paul mayoral candidate debate from the UBS Forum in

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00:43:48

Republican Jensen makes another try for Minnesota...

Politics Friday ·

2025/10/10

Former state Sen. Scott Jensen maneuvered his way through a crowded governor’s race field to gain the Republican Party’s backing in 2022. Now, he’s hoping to do it again. Jensen, a family physician, won the Minnesota Republican Party endorsement in 2022 but lost in November to Gov. Tim Walz by more than 7 percentage points. He says he’s running again to “restore the values, safety and opportunity that once made Minnesota a national model for prosperity and fairness,” he said in July as he

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00:50:01

A Minnesota lawmaker with focus on fraud tries to...

Politics Friday ·

2025/10/03

Minnesota Republicans feel good about their chances in 2026. They’ve got lots of opportunities to break through on the statewide map — with several key offices on the line. None is more tantalizing than the governor’s office. DFL Gov. Tim Walz is after a third term, and Republicans are out to convince voters he’s worn out his welcome. One of the candidates working to make that case is GOP state Rep. Kristin Robbins, who has made fraud a campaign focus from her position as chair of the House

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