CIGARETTE LEGISLATORS AND WORKING ON BILLS.

>> Mary: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, SENATOR.

WE'LL KEEP WATCHING THE BILL.

>> MARY: THIS WEEK'S FIRST-TERM LAWMAKER DECIDED TO RUN AFTER COVID AND RESTRICTIONS IMPACTED HER RESTAURANT.

TAKE A LOOK.

FIRST QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY IS WHY DID YOU WANT TO RUN?

>> WE'RE ASKED A LOT RIGHT NOW.

THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS INTERESTED TO RUN.

I'M A RESTAURANTS OWNER AND HOW COVID WAS HANDLED IN PARTICULAR WAS REALLY HARD FOR US, BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON FOR ME RUNNING IS MY CHILDREN.

I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM.

>> Mary: I AM ABSOLUTELY STUNNED HOW MANY FRESHMEN I'VE TALKED TO SAID IT WAS COVERED, IT WAS THE RESTRICTIONS THAT INSTEAD OF JUST COMPLAIN ABOUT IT AND BE FRUSTRATED ABOUT IT, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

ARE YOU SURPRISED HOW MANY OF YOU THERE ARE?

>> NOT, I'M NOT AT ALL, HONESTLY.

I THINK JUST THAT POWER GRAB AND HAT OVERREACH IN MY OPINION SHOOK A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THEIR CORE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN IN AMERICA.

YOU KNOW, WE WORKED FOR TEN YEARS TO CREATE OUR BUSINESS, TO CREATE OUR RESTAURANT AND IN ONE DAY THAT WAS CLOSED DOWN, TAKEN AWAY FROM US.

IT HIT SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS SO I'M NOT SURPRISED AND WHEN YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT AND IN OUR STATE, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAW THAT FRUSTRATION.

>> Mary: FOR YOU, THIS IS NOT YOUR FIRST TIME IN ELECTIVE OFFICE.

YOU'RE MAYOR, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> CORRECT, YEP.

[Overlapping Conversation] >> Mary: THIS DECISION AND HELPING YOUR ABILITY TO RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, YEP, I'LL PUT MY NAME ON THE BALLOT.

>> POLITICS HAS NEVER BEEN SOMETHING THAT I GREW UP THINKING, OH, I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT, AT ALL, ACTUALLY.

WHEN WE STARTED OUR RESTAURANT, I HAD GONE TO A FEW COUNCIL MEETINGS, CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS HERE IN LAKESHORE AND JUST TO LEARN LIQUOR LICENSING AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF AND AS I WAS SITTING THERE, I REALIZED YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE ARE NO WOMEN ON THIS COUNCIL.

THERE ARE NO MOTHERS ON THIS COUNCIL.

AND THERE WERE NO RESTAURANT OWNERS AND WE HAVE FIVE RESTAURANTS IN OUR LITTLE CITY HERE SO I JUST FELT THAT MAYBE THERE WAS A NEED FOR THAT PERSPECTIVE.

>> Mary: IN YOUR CAUCUS, THERE IS A NUMBER OF WOMEN, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF THE NEW SENATE MAJORITY ARE WOMEN.

THERE ARE A LOT OF WOMEN COMING TO THE CAPITOL.

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT?

>> I THINK THAT THAT'S FANTASTIC.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WOMEN AND MEN, I THINK WE BOTH HAVE JUST DIFFERENT UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES.

I THINK THAT WE BRING DIFFERENT THINGS TO THE TABLE AND RIGHT NOW, I KNOW A BIG CONCERN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR STATE IS EDUCATION, IS SCHOOLING, ISSUES RELATED TO CHILDREN, CHILD CARE.

>> Mary: YOU MENTIONED CHILD CARE, THAT IS EMERGING AS A REAL BIPARTISAN ISSUE, ONE OF THE ISSUES I'M HEARING THE MOST ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT, THAT STATEWIDE PARTIES THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET SOMETHING DONE.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DONE ON HELP ITH LIKE?

>> I THINK NUMBER ONE, YOU NEED TO DIAL BACK SOME OF THE VERY RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS.

I KNOW UP IN RURAL MINNESOTA WHERE WE'RE FROM, A LOT OF THE HOME DAY CARES HAVE JUST STOPPED DOING DAY CARE BECAUSE IT'S NOT PROFITABLE ANYMORE.

THEY'RE OVER-REGULATED.

IT REALLY DOES GO BACK TO ELIMINATING THE TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS, SO OUR SENIORS CAN STAY HERE, SO GRANDMA AND GRANDPA CAN STAY HERE SO WE HAVE THOSE FAMILY RESOURCES, AS WELL.

>> Mary: SO TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT.

I'VE BEEN LOOKING AND I THINK THERE ARE SOME LAKES UP THERE.

>> WE HAVE VERY RURAL FARMING LAND AND COMMUNITIES AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, LIKE, THE LAKES AREAS, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WHERE I'M FROM, GULL LAKE AREA, AND THEN PARK RAPIDS AND THE FRINGES OF DETROIT LAKE ARE VERY TOURISTY, SO WE HAVE SUMMERS ARE REALLY BIG UP HERE.

YOU KNOW, THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.

FARMING'S JUST HUGE UP HERE, CATTLE FARM, BEEF FARMS AND MEETING OUR FARMS ALONE.

THEY'RE THE BEST STEWARDS OF THE LAND, THEY WANT THEIR LAND TO BE THE BEST IT CAN BE, THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO PAY EXTRA TO OVER-FERTILIZE THEIR LANDS, THERE IS A FINE LINE THERE AND THEY KNOW THAT BEST, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE OVER-REGULATED.

>> Mary: SUDDENLY, ONCE YOU LIT THE LEGISLATURE YOU HAVE TO BE KIND OF AN EXPERT ON EVERYTHING.

>> EVERYTHING, AND RIGHT NOW IT'S LIKE DRINKING OUT OF A FIRE HOSE, YOU HAVE ALL THESE MEETINGS, MINNESOTA FARMERS' UNION, THE FARM BUREAU, JUST EVERYBODY AND