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 in the program, we continue our conversations with candidates running for Congress in Minnesota’s 2nd District. Republican Eric Pratt will discuss his bid in that congressional district.

Guests:

• DFL Rep. Jamie Long of Minneapolis.
• Republican Rep. Harry Niska of Ramsey.
• Eric Pratt is a Republican senator for Prior Lake and a candidate for 2nd Congressional District.
• Dana Ferguson, political correspondent for MPR News
• Peter Cox, correspondent for MPR News

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

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 southern Minnesota farm towns.

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 and businessman Kendall Qualls are part of a top tier of hopefuls. But MyPillow founder Mike Lindell contends he is too.

MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with Lindell about his governor campaign.

Also, the Senate made a significant rule change this week that could make public service more attractive to candidates with young families. We’ll hear from the lawmakers who pushed for change in the Senate.

Plus, a recap from this week at the Capitol as the Legislature adjourns for a week-long recess.

Guests:

• Mike Lindell is the founder of MyPillow and a Republican candidate running for Minnesota governor.
• Clay Masters is the host All Things Considered for MPR News.
• Dana Ferguson is a political correspondent for MPR News.
• Peter Cox is a correspondent for MPR News.

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 editor Brian Bakst and his guests assess what consumer protection bills might make it into law this year. 

Later in the program, a check-in with the top state economic development official about paid leave, artificial intelligence and all that’s changing our interactions with the workplace. 

Guests:

• DFL Rep. Erin Koegel of Spring Lake Park
• Republican Sen. Jordan Rasmusson of Fergus Falls
• Matt Varilek, commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.  
• Dana Ferguson, political correspondent for MPR News
• Peter Cox, correspondent for MPR News

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

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 vehicles and wearing masks, to whether the state should provide rental assistance for those afraid to leave their homes. 

MPR News host Catharine Richert talks with two lawmakers about the immigration legislation at the state Capitol, and what may or may not get done with a tied House.  

Later, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith has been outspoken on Capitol Hill. In the year from her announcement to not run for reelection, Smith has been quick to criticize the White House from the ICE surge to the war in Iran. Smith details those events and how she plans to close out her term with MPR News political correspondent Dana Ferguson.

Guests:

• DFL Sen. Zaynab Mohamed of Minneapolis
• Republican Rep. Max Rymer of North Branch
• Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith
• Dana Ferguson, political correspondent for MPR News
• Peter Cox, correspondent for MPR News

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

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 for multiple reasons. The continuing fight to contain public program fraud had the attention of a U.S. House committee, which summoned Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison to testify. Two congressional committees put now-removed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on the hot seat over problems in the Minnesota immigration enforcement campaign.

Guests:

• Republican Sen. Bill Weber, of Luverne
• DFL Rep. Aisha Gomez, of Minneapolis
• Dana Ferguson is a political correspondent for MPR News
• Peter Cox is a politics reporter for MPR News
• Caroline Cummings is a politics reporter for WCCO-TV

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

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 breaks down the state’s new budget and economic forecast.  

Guests:

• DFL state Rep. Matt Norris, of Blaine.  
• Republican state Rep. Patti Anderson, of Dellwood.  
• Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.

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 fast, with just about three months to squeeze everything in. There will be debates about fraud, immigration, guns, taxes, work requirements for benefit recipients, social media guardrails, data center regulations — just to name a few.

Another thing worth keeping an eye on this year: The tone lawmakers take with each other. 

We’ll have a recap of the first week of session and committee hearings. We’ll also hear from Colin Hortman, the son of Melissa and Mark Hortman, about grief and finding ways to honor his parents.  

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 Brian Bakst talks with the Minnesota’s four caucus leaders about what’s in store for the session and what could get accomplished.

Guests:

• Republican Speaker of the Minnesota House Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring.
• House DFL Caucus Leader Rep. Zack Stephenson, of Coon Rapids.
• DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, of St. Paul.
• Republican Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, of East Grand Forks.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.

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 as the DFL Party’s frontrunner for governor. Both declined to come on the show, either taped or live, to discuss the results.

But Kendall Qualls, whose second place showing improved on his first run for governor, is a guest. Independent candidate Mike Newcome, who could be a November factor, also joins the show.

Later, political analysis from caucus results and the broader electoral landscape, and we’ll hear from the voters themselves.

Guests:

• Kendall Qualls is an Army veteran, think tank founder and a Republican candidate running for Minnesota’s 2026 governor’s race. 
• Mike Newcome is a business owner and a Forward Independence Party candidate for governor.
• Todd Rapp is the president and CEO at Rapp Strategies and a veteran DFL strategist.
• Preya Samsundar is a GOP political analyst and a campaign consultant.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation or subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.