ALL RIGHT, WELL, A RECORD CLASS OF NEW LAWMAKERS HEERL LAWMAKERS HERE ATTHE CAPITOL MES STILL PLENTY OF FRESHMAN TO MEET IN THE LEGISLATURE.

TONIGHT WE INTRODUCE YOU TO A DEMOCRAT WHO BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO REPRESENT HER DISTRICT IN ONE OF THE CLOSEST RACES.

REPRESENTATIVE, FIRST QUESTION WE IS WHY DID YOU WANT TO RUN IN THE FIRST LACE?

>> I SERVED ON THE CITY COUNCIL IN CHANHASSEN FOR A COUPLE YEARS.

I REALLY ENJOYED SERVING THIS COMMUNITY.

I FEEL LIKE WE NEEDED REPRESENTATION FROM AREAS THAT HADN'T GOTTEN REPRESENTATION BEFORE.

AND THEN WHEN THIS SPOT OPENED UP'S ITHOUGHT WHY NOT.

THIS IS A GOOD TIME FOUR ME.

MY KIDS ARE OLDER.

SO I JUST KIND OF HAPPENED I GUESS?

YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANTED TO HAVE A FRESH VOICE IN THIS AREA.

AND ALSO I THOUGHT WE NEED A NEW PERSPECTIVE AND A WOMEN'S PERSPECTIVE IN THE HOUSE.

>> Mary: BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE A CHANGE FOR THE AREA AND THE DISTRICT.

TALK ABOUT THAT AND HOW COMPETITIVE AND WHAT KIND OF CHANGE YOU BROUGHT.

>> I ACTUALLY DID ASK THE LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS AREA.

I THINK I'M ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN TO REPRESENT CHANHASSEN, CHASKA AREA IN THE HOUSE.

SO THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING.

AND I THINK LAST ELECTION WAS A LOT ABOUT WOMEN'S ISSUES.

I THINK A LOT OF WOMEN, WHEN I TALK TO THEM AT THE DOORS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE, EDUCATION, BUT ALSO WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

>> Mary: WHAT WAS IT IN THE END?

>> I THINK T WAS 417 VOTES, TWO POINTS.

SO ONE OF THE TIGHTEST RACES OUT THERE.

I THINK THE POLLS SHOWED THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY TIGHT LIKE THAT.

THIS DISTRICT HAS BEEN VERY CLOSE FOR A COUPLE ELECTIONS NOW.

SO THIS WAS THE ELECTION THAT ACTUALLY FLIPPED IT.

>> Mary: HAS IT BEEN KIND OF A LEARNING CURVE THEN FOR YOUR DISTRICT TO GET USED O HAVING A WOMAN REPRESENTING THEM AND A DEMOCRAT?

>> YEAH I THINK IT HAS BEEN CHANGE.

SOME PEOPLE WERE REALLY SURPRISED THAT I WOON BECAUSE WE'VE HAD CLOSE RACES BEFORE.

I REALLY FEEL LIKE THE WOMEN CAME OUT IN FULL FOURS AND I TALKED TO A LOT OF WOMEN WHO NORMALLY WOULD HAVE VOTED REPUBLICAN, BUT I THINK WITH THE CHANGING POLITICAL CLIMATE, THEY WERE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ABORTION ACCESS ISSUE WAS SO IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT THEY WERE GOING TO VOTE DEMOCRAT.

AS WOMEN, I THINK WE'RE GROWING IN POWER AND IN NUMBER, AND I DON'T THINK THIS ISSUE IS GOING TO GO AWAY ANY TIME SOON.

>> Mary: HOW ABOUT NOW THAT YOU HAVE A SESSION DONE.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

>> A LOT HAPPENING ALL AT ONCE.

I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE BUSIEST SESSIONS.

YOU KNOW, FOR ME TRVETION WAS MY FIRST, SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO COMPARE IT.

I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WITHIN MY CAUCUS, I THOUGHT WE WERE A GREAT TEAM.

WE ALL STUCK TOGETHER.

A LOT OF CAMARADERIE.

YOU KNOW, AS A CAUCUS I OBJECT THOUGHT WE DID REALLY WELL WORKING TOGETHER.

WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS.

WE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT STRICTS, BUT WE ALL AGREE N THOSE COMMON VALUES.

AND I THINK THAT SHOWED WITH THE LEGISLATION THAT WE PASSED.

>> Mary: AND WHAT ABOUT YOU SPECIFICALLY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK AS A FRESHMAN YOU WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET DONE?

>> SO I RAN ON EDUCATION FUNDING, MAKING HEALTHCARE ACCESSIBLE, AND INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH CARE, AND I RAN ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

WE HAVE A CLIMATE CRISIS THAT WE'RE FACING AND ALL FLEE ISSUES I THINK WE WERE ABLE TO PASS LEGISLATION.

WE DID SO MUCH THIS PAST SESSION, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE TO DO.

SEE WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT BEING A PART-TIME JOB, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN MANY WAYS, THAT'S GREAT, BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE THIS IS A JOB THAT REQUIRES FULL-TIME ATTENTION.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND TRYING TO CRAM IT IN IN THOSE FEW MONTHS THAT WE HAVE, I THINK THAT'S A BIT OF AN ISSUE.

>> THE BILL IS PASSED AND ITS TITLE AGRE AGREED TO.

>> DEARLY BELOVED, WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY TO GET SIGNS ON HIGHWAY 5.

BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE.

INSTEAD OF ASKING ME HOW MUCH MONEY WILL COST, ASK ME HOW IMPORTANCE THIS IS.

BECAUSE IN THIS BODY, THINGS CAN GET REAL HARD TO GET INTO STATUTE.

ON THIS VOTE, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT SESSION SURPRISED YOU, WHEN YOU LOOKED BACK BASED ON WHAT YOU THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE BACK VERSUS THE REALITY?

KIND OF EXPERIENCE?

>> I REALLY ENJOY BEING IN SUCH A HISTORIC PLACE.

I GUESS I WAS SURPRISED BY HOW BEAUTIFUL IT WAS WAS AND ACTUALLY HOW WELL PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER.

WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFICULTY BEING A LEGISLATOR, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE ODD SIDE.

AND CERTAINLY THAT'S TRUE, BUT, YOU KNOW, OVERALL WE GOT THE WORK DONE.

SO I FEEL PROUD OF WHAT WE DID DO.

YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT DOES WORK AND FUNCTION FOR THE PEOPLE.

>> Mary: WHAT'S LEFT?

OR DID YOU TOO MUCH?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WHAT'S AHEAD?

>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT WE CAN DO.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS A LOT MORE WE CAN DO.

I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON CONSERVATION.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE WE CAN DO FOR EDUCATION, THE E.R.A.

I THINK WILL BE A BIG PART OF OUR DISCUSSIONS.

I KNOW A LOT OF E.R.A.

ADVOCATES OUT THERE WANTING TO GET THAT PASSED THIS YEAR.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE WE CAN DO.

I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING BACK THERE AND WORKING ON IT.

AND NOW I KNOW BETTER, RIGHT?

NOW I KNOW HOW 20 WORK AS A LEGISLATOR AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN, I'LL BE A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE I HAVE.