>> ERIC: IN THIS WEEK'S "ALMANAC RACE TO WATCH," IT COULD BE THE CONTEST THAT DECIDES CONTROL AT THE CAPITOL.

THIS HOUSE ELECTION WAS THE CLOSEST IN THE STATE LAST TIME, BUT MARY LAHAMMER SHOWS US IT'S NOW AN OPEN SEAT UP FOR GRABS.

>> Mary: WATER IS WHAT ORIGINALLY ATTRACTED PEOPLE TO COON RAPIDS AND T'S WHERE THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI STILL ROARS BY POPULAR PARKS AND TRAILS.

>> I TAUGHT PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR A LONG TIME, SCIENCE TEACHER.

CARE ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TAKE CARE.

WHEN I ASK, WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT LIVING HERE, IT'S OUR PARKS AND TRAILS, OUR QUIET STREETS, AND IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AROUND, NATURE'S BEAUTY IS EVERYWHERE AROUND US.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH ME, I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT.

>> Mary: ANDOVER'S SOUTHEAST SECTION IS ALSO IN THE DISTRICT, 35B, IN THE NORTH METRO, WHERE AN OPEN SEAT MAKES THIS A TOP TARGET.

>> IT'S A VERY PLEASANT MIXTURE OF BLUE COLLAR AND WHITE COLLAR, WHO DO WELL TOGETHER.

I RUN INTO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME RIGHT OUT AND SAY, I'M A LIBERTARIAN.

JUST POINT BLANK.

>> I'M CARRIE RAY BRAUER, I'M RUNNING FOR THE MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CLOSE RACES.

>> Mary: POLITICS MAY NOT BE TOP OF MIND YET FOR VOTERS, BUT IN WHAT COULD BE THE CLOSEST RACE IN THE STATE, THEY WILL BE MADE AWARE.

>> THE BIGGEST THING IS HITTING EVERY DOOR AND TALKING FACE TO FACE WITH PEOPLE.

I THINK HAT'S WHERE THEY GET A SENSE OF WHO YOU REALLY ARE.

WHEN YOU TALK TO FOLKS, THEY'RE VERY INDEPENDENT.

>> MY NAME IS STEVE PAP THE E, I'M RUNNING TO BE YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND I JUST WANTED TO STOP BY AND INTRODUCE MYSELF.

>> Mary: COVERING AS MUCH GROUND AS POSSIBLE IS IMPORTANT WHEN THE RESULTS COULD COME DOWN TO JUST ONE DAY'S WORTH OF INTERACTIONS.

>> I DO DO SOME HINGS DIFFERENTLY.

I MADE A COMMITMENT THAT WHEN YOU DO DOOR KNOCKING, I WASN'T GOING TO GO LOOK FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE LIKE-MINDED.

IN FACT, I MADE ONE COMMITMENT IN A PREEBLGHT, I'M GOING TO KNOCK EVERY DOOR REGARDLESS OF WHETHER A DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN, I'M GOING TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY'S STORY.

>> Mary: IN THIS DISTRICT, BOTH CANDIDATES ARE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT THE MIDDLE.

>> NOT A BIG PART F THE -- FAN OF THE PARTISANSHIP, SAW SO MANY THINGS ARE NOT EITHER/OR, BLACK OR WHITE, WE'RE IN BETWEEN.

SO MANY THINGS ARE "AND."

FOR EXAMPLE, WE NEED PUBLIC SAFETY, WE NEED SAFE STREETS AND POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY.

SO IT'S BOTH.

WE HAVE TO WELL FUND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, LIKE I HAVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

>> I'M A SOCIAL MODERATE, I'M A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE HELD TO A BUDGET.

AND THEY SHOULD BE PRUDENT WITH HOW THEY SPEND TAX DOLLARS.

MY JOB IS NOT TO VOTE FOR MY PARTY.

MY JOB IS TO REPRESENT MY CONSTITUENTS.

>> Mary: LAST TIME THE RACE HERE IN THE COON RAPIDS AREA WAS DECIDED BY JUST OVER 200 VOTES.

IT DOESN'T GET CLOSER THAN THAT IN MINNESOTA POLITICS.

>> FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, HE WON BY THE SLIMMEST MARGIN OF ANY CURRENT SITTING HOUSE MEMBER.

>> Mary: THAT'S A LOT.

FOR YOU TO TAKE ON, RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> Mary: IS IT SCARY TO HEAR THAT NUMBER?

>> YES, IT'S A LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATING, BUT ALSO IT'S MOTIVATING.

IT MOTIVATES YOU TO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE TALKED TO EVERY RESIDENT.

>> IT'S NOT SCARY TO ME.

IF IT WERE SCARY, I MIGHT BACK AWAY.

I LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY.

WELL, AT LEAST IT WASN'T 2,000 VOTES.

I BELIEVE THAT I CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WELL.

I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO MAKE REALLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE GOVERNMENT AND IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL LISTEN TO EACH OTHER, EVEN IF WE ISAGREE AND WE COLLABORATE AND DO WHAT WE CAN FOR OUR CITY.

>> Mary: THE DEMOCRAT IS RUNNING AS A MODERATE WITH EXPERIENCE IN CITY COUNCIL AND TEACHING IN HE CLASSROOM.

>> I WAS A TEACHER WITH A CAREER SPANNING 20 YEARS.

WHY I DECIDED TO RUN GOES BACK TO TEACHING.

WE HAD HAD 20% OF OUR STAFF CUT THE PREVIOUS SPRING.

AND IT REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS UNSAFE FOR OUR KIDS.

THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ADULTS IN THE BUILDING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR STUDENTS.

I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON EDUCATION AND FIND A WAY TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE USED TO BE.

20 YEARS OF UNDERFUNDING, 20 YEARS.

AND, SO, WE JUST HAD AN INCREASE AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR THAT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> EARLY VOTING STARTS SEPTEMBER 20th.

>> OKAY.

>> WE ENCOURAGE THAT.

>> Mary: THE REPUBLICAN IS RUNNING FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN, WHO'S AN ENGINEER AND VETERAN.

>> MY LIFE HAS TAKEN A TURN I DIDN'T EXPECT.

I NEVER HAD POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS.

BUT WHAT REALLY MOTIVATED E ARE MY SEVEN GRANDKIDS.

MY GREAT BELIEF IN THE AMERICAN DREAM WAS DIMMING.

I JOINED THE NAVY WHEN I WAS 17.

I SERVED IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

I SERVED IN VIETNAM.

I WORKED ON THE FLIGHT DECK OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

I REMEMBER WHEN I CAME HOME FROM VIETNAM, IT WAS NOT A VERY POPULAR THING TO SAY YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE.

AND NOW I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> Mary: LEADING ISSUES FOR THESE TWO IN THIS KEY RACE DEFINITELY DIFFER.

>> THE BIGGEST THINGS I HEAR FROM FOLKS ARE, ONE, THEY WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER.

THEY'RE TIRED OF DIVISIVENESS, WHY CAN'T WE MEET IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE?

ARE YOU A RESIDENT OF COON RAPIDS?

>> YEAH.

>> OH, WONDERFUL, NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> NICE TO MEET YOU TOO.

>> ENJOY YOUR WALK.

>> THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS TAXES.

PEOPLE ARE JUST MAD.

THEY SQUANDERED $18 BILLION.

>> THANK