The Sunday Take

Blois opens the show describing a recent announcement from State A.G. Keith Ellison.  After that, we hear from the following guests:

• Judge Martha Holton Dimick explains her campaign to become the new Hennepin County Attorney.
• Marcus Starr (Campaigns Director for Conservation Minnesota) and Amelia Cerling Hennes (Director of Communications & Public Affairs at Clean Energy Economy Minnesota) join the program to discuss where Clean Energy issues sit in this election cycle.
• KARE-TV political reporter John Croman tells us about the stories he's looking into as the Midterm elections draw closer.

On this anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Blois take a moment to reflect on that day's infamy.  Then, he gets back into the realm of politics:

• Blois focuses in on one of the more obscure legislative races in this Midterm cycle.  He speaks with MN Rep. Donald Raleigh and opposing candidate Matt Norris as they vie for MN House's District 32B seat.
• MinnPost reoprter Peter Callaghan provides his expertise on the Met Council, especially when it comes to the growing boondoggle known as the metro's Southwest LRT line.

Due to some technical glitches, Blois had to change the show around this week.  He leans on listener questions to guide part of the conversation.  He also shares his thoughts on this year's State Fair foods.

MN State Rep. Kaohly Vang Her and MN State Sen. Roger Chamberlain come on the program to discuss the issues their parties are more concerned with as the Midterm elections draw closer.

Blois takes the show out to the Minnesota State Fair as we start the home stretch to the Midterm elections.  This week, he hosts a debate between State Auditor Julie Blaha (D) and challenger Ryan Wilson (R) from the porch of our Fair booth.

This week, Blois is shifting toward topics that effect the Fall season and forward.  He tells us about some items around education.  Plus, he speaks with the following guests:

• St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter goes over some of the more significant points of the city budget he proposed earlier in the week.
• State Rep. Ron Kresha discusses some of his concerns with issues plaguing education, including if there's too much politicization in the classroom and the ongoing shortage of teachers for the classrooms.

In a rare and wide-ranging interview with WCCO Political Analyst Blois Olson, former MN Rep. John Thompson (D) opened up about his controversies, his view of racial inequities in Minnesota politics, and the lack of resources for people in the diverse neighborhood he represented and where he still lives. Thompson was defeated in Tuesday night's primary by Liz Lee. (Warning: Contains graphic language)

The first significant vote of the 2022 Midterm cycle is here.  Blois highlights some points ahead of Tuesday's state primaries.  After that, he catches up with the following guests:

• Former MN DFL Party chair Mike Erlandson digs into the current divide in the Democratic Party and whether it will have an effect at the polls.
• Dana Ferguson, Capitol reporter for the Forum Communications Group, provides a recap of this week's Governor's debate.  And what are folks in Greater Minnesota thinking about the issues that are most prevalent in this election cycle.

This week, Blois turns his focus to the rural communities of the state ahead of next week's Farmfest.  After talking about the importance of this event, our host chats with State Agricultural Commissioner Tom Peterson and CHS Director of Produce Brokerage Kent Beadle about many of the issues concerning areas of Outstate Minnesota.

After Blois previews an upcoming pivot point in the 2022 election cycle, he chats with the following guests:

• Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Domestic Policy Advisor Stefanie Feldman digs into how the Biden Administration is trying to get a handle on the growing issue of crime across the country.
• Former State Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch dives into how the MN GOP is gearing up for an eventful election cycle for several statewide positions.

This week on Blois Olson's Sunday Take, he looks back on what seemed to be a rough week for the GOP's ticket for Governor, Scott Jensen and Matt Birk, who are under fire for Birk's comments on abortion and women's rights. Can you win or lose a campaign in July?

Olson then talks to Stef Feldman, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Domestic Policy Council about public safety, and looks at how the Midterm Election is shaping up for Republicans with former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch.