CONSULTATION.

>> Eric: VERY EXCITING PROJECT.

GOOD LUCK WITH IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU.

>> Eric: LEGISLATIVE SESSION CAME TO A SURPRISINGLY PRODUCTIVE CLOSE THIS WEEK WITH BONDING BILL, TAX RELIEF, FIGHTING FRAUD AND ORE.

BUT NO ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE BROUGHT MANY TO THE CAPITOL INCLUDING ONE VERY INTERESTING ADVOCATE.

MARY LAHAMMER HAS A LOOK.

>> THE HOUSE STANDS ADJOURNED SINE DIE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> THE EVENLY DIVIDED HOUSE CELEBRATED THE END ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

>> WE STILL GOT THE WORK DONE WELL AND WE -- >> CROWD CHANTING: HOLD THE VOTE!

HOLD THE VOTE!

>> DEMOCRATS WILL REMEMBER WHAT DIDN'T GET DONE AFTER A SCHOOL SHOOTING IN MINNEAPOLIS.

>> SPEAKER DEMUTH, OPEN THE DRAWER, TAKE OUT THE BILL, AND HOLD THE VOTE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> EVEN THE SPEAKER'S DAUGHTER SHOWED UP TO URGE ACTION ON GUN CONTROL.

>> I WAS HERE FOR MY MOM'S SWEARING IN THE FIRST TIME.

>> MIXED EMOTIONS TODAY?

>> MIXED EMOTIONS OF COURSE, I MYSELF AM A SCHOOL SHOOTING SURVIVOR.

WE'D LOVE TO SEE A VOTE BUT I RECOGNIZE HOW CHALLENGING THAT IS.

>> KNOWING THAT I AM AKING HISTORY ON TWO FRONTS BY BEING A WOMAN, THE FIRST TO HOLD THIS POSITION, AND THEN ALSO THE FIRST REPUBLICAN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

>> YOU'RE PROUD OF YOUR MOM.

SHE'S MADE HISTORY, SHE'S THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

THIS IS A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP, WERE ES >> IT IS A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP.

AND I'M IMMENSELY PROUD OF HER DESPITE US FALLING ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE AISLE.

[ CHANTING ] >> DID YOU PERSONALLY APPEAL TO HER TO TAKE THIS BILL UP?

>> IN OUR OWN WAY, YES, WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES.

A LOT F PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN OUR INTERACTIONS ON THE INTERNET OVER THE LAST YEAR, FEW YEARS SHE'S HELD THIS ROLE A LOT OF PEOPLE ASSUME WE'RE AT ODDS OR WE'RE NO-CONTACT THAT A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE DIFFERENCES ARE, WE'RE NOT.

WE'VE WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD TO HAVE MUTUAL RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER AND SO I RESPECT HER POLITICAL RISE, FASTEN WE ARE AT DIFFERENT OUTCOMES.

AND SHE RESPECTS THE CAREER THAT I HAVE IN COMMUNICATIONS.

AND SO WE'VE HAD OPPORTUNITIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF HOW SHE COMMUNICATES.

>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME BACK ON THE FLOOR.

>> SO WHAT'S THE INITIAL IMPRESSION?

>> IT ALWAYS IS A PLACE THAT TAKES MY BREATH AWAY.

>> SHELISA DEMUTH'S JOB TITLE IS NARRATIVE STRATEGIST AND SHE'S ALSO FOUNDER OF A MEDIA LAB.

>> YOU'RE BOTH INCREDIBLY SKILLED COMMUNICATORS REGARDLESS OF YOUR DIFFERENCE ON POLITICS YOU SHARED THAT GENETICS FOR SURE.

>> THANKS FOR THAT.

YEAH, SHE'S PROBABLY WHY I WAS INTERESTED IN IT, SHE ALWAYS ASKED GREAT QUESTIONS.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP SHE WAS A STAY-AT-HOME MOM AND EACH DAY SHE WOULD ASK NOT JUST HOW WAS YOUR DAY BUT WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF YOUR DAY.

AND I THINK THAT'S JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE OF HOW SHE REALLY CARES ABOUT THE PEOPLE.

THAT CHILDREN -- OR THE STATE.

>> PUBLICLY SAY THAT SHE'S THE FIRST SPEAKER TO BE A PARENT OF A SCHOOL SHOOTING SURVIVOR AND THE IRONY OF THIS.

HOW DID THAT HIT?

>> NOT THE FIRST TIME ONE OF MY COMMENTS CAUGHT FIRE PUBLICLY.

AND THE RESPONSE OF COURSE IS NOTHING THAT SHE HOPES FOR BUT IT'S DEFINITELY WHAT SHE EXPECTS WHY OUR DEMOCRACY IS WORKING, DIFFERENCES ARE HEARD.

THAT'S THE POINT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND ME RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S THE POINT OF RAISING OUR VOICES.

OF COURSE IT'S NEVER WELL RECEIVED WHEN I SAY THINGS PUBLICLY THAT MIGHT CHALLENGE HER TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY SHE RAISED ME I THINK SHE EXPECTS IT.

>> CHANTING: HOLD THE VOTE!

HOLD THE VOTE!

>> SHE'S UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE RIGHT NOW.

YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THAT, YOU KNOW HER MAYBE BETTER THAN ANYONE.

HOW IS SHE HOLDING UP UNDER ALL THIS PRESSURE?

>> IN OUR CONVERSATION A FEW DAYS AGO ABOUT THE COMMENT I MADE ON THREADS, SHE TEXTED AND SAID I'D RATHER NOT HAVE YOU SPEAK TOO LOUDLY ABOUT THIS.

[ Banging Gavel ] >> MEMBERS.

>> CHANTING: HOLD THE VOTE!

>> I KNOW SHE HAS GREAT PEOPLE IN HER CORNER WHO ARE COACHING HER TO WIN.

I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT SHE FACES RIGHT NOW AS NOT JUST AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN OUR STATE BUT REALLY THE LEADER OF THIS BODY, THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY, IS CONSIDERING THE SHARED VALUES AND CONSIDERING THE LOSS, AND CONSIDERING THE MAGNITUDE OF THE MOMENT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW WITH SO MUCH GUN VIOLENCE HAVING TAKEN PLACE IN OUR STATE IN JUST THE LAST YEAR.

SOME OF THAT WAS IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HER.

OF COURSE BEING THE PARENT OF SCHOOL SHOOTING SURVIVORS AND BEING THE MENTEE OF SPEAKER HORTMAN.

>> AND A WHOLE 'NOTHER LAYER OF THIS, SHE'S NOT ONLY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BUT LEADING CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR.

>> YEAH.

>> DO YOU WANT HER TO WIN?

[ LAUGHTER ] >> MARY!

>> I AM NOW RUNNING TO SERVE OUR STATE OF MINNESOTA AS GOVERNOR.

>> WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, HER EXPERIENCE -- IS WHAT I'LL BE HAPPY WITH.