STEERED LOBBYIST -- >> Mary: BUT HE BROUGHT ONE TONIGHT IN THE WINGS.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

YES.

>> MARY: OUR FIRST-TERM LAWMAKER THIS WEEK WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY AND IS A REMINDER OF THE FARMER IN DFL, REPRESENTATIVE KRISTI PURSELL.

REPRESENTATIVE THE FIRST QUESTION WE ASK EVERY FRESHMAN, WHY DO YOU WANT TOE RUN IN THE FIRST PLACE?

>> I DIDN'T SIGH A LOT OF RURAL REPRESENTATION ON MY SIDE OF THE AISLE.

I HAVE A FARMING BACKGROUNDS, I FARMED FOR TEN YEARS AND THEN IN MY WORK WITH THE CLEAN WATER NONPROFIT BEFORE THIS, IN RURAL MINNESOTA, WE WORKED A LOT WITH THE AG COMMUNITY AND REALLY SEEING THAT THERE WAS A DEFICIT OF THAT POINT OF VIEW FROM THE MAJORITY AND KNOWING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR STATE AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT VOICE AND THAT PERSPECTIVE IN THE LAWMAKING.

>> Mary: THE DFL PARTY STILL HAS AN "F" IN IT FOR FARMERS SO HOW DID YOU DO IT?

HOW DID YOU WIN IN AN AREA THAT FARMS?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY MY DISTRICT IS PARTICULARLY UNIQUE.

I DID NOT NECESSARILY WIN IN THE TOWNSHIP AREAS OF MY DISTRICT BUT WE HAVE REALLY SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF COURSE IS THAT A LOT OF THE RURAL PLACES HAVE TURNED MORE RED AND I REALLY SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY AND I KNOW THAT WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA, ALL THE RURAL PLACES ON EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE WAS BLUE BECAUSE THERE WAS LABOR AND THERE WAS FARMER, REPRESENTATION.

MORE THAN I SEE MY PARTY REPRESENTING NOW.

>> Mary: I'M GUESSING THAT BACKGROUND GOT YOU VICE CHAIR OF AG.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

>> GOSH, I'VE BEEN TELLING EVERYONE, ALL MY COLLEAGUES THAT AG IS THE BEST COMMITTEE.

I MEAN, I'M ONLY ON FOUR SO I ONLY HAVE THOSE FOUR TO COMPARE TO AND I LOVE ALL MY EXIT TEASE BUT I THINK ESPECIALLY THE AG COMMITTEE IS UNIQUE BECAUSE WE REALLY DO A TON OF BIPARTISAN WORK WHERE I LIKE TO THINK OF AS NONPARTISAN WORK, THE BIGGEST INDUSTRY IN OUR STATE AND EMPLOYMENT IS AGRICULTURE, AND SO EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A FARMER, YOU'RE AN EATER SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE STATE LEVEL AND CERTAINLY THE LOCAL LEVEL WITH OUR FOOD.

>> Mary: DEMOCRATS REPRESENTING RURAL AREAS IS A DYING BLEED SO YOU SEEM TO BRING SOME YOUTH, SOME VITALITY, KIND OF A NEW PERSPECTIVE.

SHOULD DEMOCRATS IVE UP ON RURAL AMERICA?

>> FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, THAT'S KIND OF ALREADY HAPPENED AND SO I THINK WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED THAT A LOT OF THE RURAL PARTS OF OUR STATE, OUR COUNTRY ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY DEMOCRATS BECAUSE I HAVE NOT SEEN, IN MY OPINION, ENOUGH EFFORT AND ENOUGH CARE AND INTENTIONALTY TO SMALL COMMUNITIES TO RURAL PLACES AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND SAYING, LIKE, IT'S NOT A FOREGONE CONCLUSION.

THIS HAS CHANGED IN MY LIFETIME AND I DON'T BLAME MY NEIGHBORS FOR FEELING LIKE, WHAT THE HECK, WE VOTED FOR DEMOCRATS FOR HOW MANY DECADES AND WE STILL FEEL LEFT BEHIND.

MY FIRST CAMPAIGN EVER TO DOOR-KNOCK IN RURAL PLACES AND TOWNSHIPS, PEOPLE WERE JUST LIKE, WAIT, YOU'RE THE CANDIDATE, YOU'RE DOOR-KNOCKING ME?

I WAS LIKE, YEAH, I WANT TO WORK FOR YOU.

YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT -- YOU'VE LIVED ON THIS LAKE FOR 25 YEARS.

>> Mary: HOW DO YOU THINK YOU GOT THAT REACTION?

>> I MEAN, I THINK, BECAUSE WE'VE LEFT RURAL PEOPLE OUT OF THE CONVERSATION SO I THINK JUST TO EVEN SHOW UP, EVEN IF WE DISAGREE FUNDAMENTALLY, I WOULD HAVE PEOPLE THINKING FOR JUST SHOWING UP AND FOR JUST CARING AND I THINK THAT'S LITERALLY THE LEAST THAT WE CAN DO.

>> I RECOGNIZE THE MEMBER FROM RICE, REPRESENTATIVE PURSELL.

>> Mary: WHAT WERE YOU ABLE TO GET ONE?

YOU GOT TO BE IN THE MAJORITY, YOU WERE A FRESHMAN, YOU WERE A VICE CHAIR, WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS NOW THAT YOU HAVE ONE SESSION DOWN?

>> I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF OUR AGRICULTURE OMNIBUS BILL.

WE ALSO ROLLED IN $100 MILLION FOR ROADBAND EXPANSION AND AT LEAST 40% OF THAT GOES TOWARDS A PROGRAM TO REALLY GET SORT OF THE LAST MILE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE, LIKE, HARDEST TO REACH.

>> Mary: NOW THAT YOU HAVE A SESSION UNDER YOUR BELT, WHAT REALLY SURPRISED YOU ABOUT THE PLACE AND THE PROCESS?

>> IT FEELS LIKE I DIDN'T HAVE A TON OF EXPECTATIONS GOING IN.

MAYBE THE INTENSITY AND THE DEPTHS OF MY RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE I THINK WHEN YOU'RE IN AN INTENSE SITUATION, WHETHER THAT'S SUMMER CAMP OR A NEW JOB- >> Mary: SUMMER CAMP IS A GOOD ANALOGY.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, YOU KIND OF LIKE FORGE THESE RELATIONSHIPS.

I HAVE SOME MY FAVORITE FOLKS ACROSS THE AISLE HO, TOWARDS THE END OF SESSION, WERE IN THE RETIRING ROOM AND, YOU KNOW, STATE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT IS ON AND I WAS LIKE A CERTAIN GROUP OF US WHO WERE ALWAYS STANDING AROUND AND CHECKING IN AND SEEING WHAT THE SCORES ARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> Mary: THERE ARE FRIENDSHIPS ACROSS THE AISLE, ISN'T THAT KIND OF THE UNKNOWN PART OF THE CAPITOL?

>> YES, YES, AND I THINK -- YOU'VE SORT OF HEARD THAT AS A - CLICHÉ BUT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE THOSE PEOPLE.

I'VE JUST BEEN PLEASANTLY SURPRISED THAT WE COME FROM ALL OVER THE STATE IN ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUND AND WE HAVE THIS VERY UNI